The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-07-30

! ! ] J
SN next morning that
MIE 1872 the two sweet girls
N.ANMNSS$% who sat on either
@SM&&S~ side Of. him were
4SyNG3SSGS) deep In n iconspir-
&yNM ~ aeSs and that he.
..LItN: munching innocent
ly at his mullins.
was the victim
against whom their wiles were planned.
Patiently they waited until at last
their opening came. -
1T Is beautiful day." he remarked.
ut will do for Mrs. Westmacott. She
was thinking Of having. spin upon
the tricycle."
''Then we must call early. We both
intended to see her after breakfast"
"Oh, indeed!' The doctor looked
pleased. 49,
"You know. pa" said Ida, set seems
to us that we really have very great
advantage in having Mrs; Westmacott;
living SO near" Fl
why so, my dear?"
Well. because she is SO advanced,
you know. # we only study her ways
we may-advance ourselves ALSO"
II think have heard you say. papa"
Clara remarked, "that she is the type,
Of the woman Of the future"
Il am very pleased to hear you speak
10 sensibly, my dears. I certainly think
that she is a woman whom you may
very we'll take as your model. The more
intimate you are with her the better
pleased shall be-"
''Then that is settled" said Clara de-
murely, and the talk drifted to other
matters.
All the morning the two girls sat ex-
tracing from Mrs. Westmacott her
most extreme view as to the duty Of the
one sex and tyranny Of the other. Abb
solute equality, even in details. was
her ideal. Enough Of the parrot cry Of
unwomanly and unmaidenly. It had
been invented by man to scare woman
away when she poached too nearly up
on his precious preserves. Every wom-
an should be Independent. Every
woman should learn trade. It was
their duty to push in where they were
least welcome. Then they were mar
tyrs to the cause. and pioneers to their
weaker sisters. Why should the wash
tub, the needle, and the housekeeper's
book be eternally theirs? Might. they
not reach higher, to the consulting
room, to the bench, and even to the pull
pit? Mrs. Westmacott sacrificed her
tricycle. ride in her eagerness over her
pet subject, and her two fair disciples
drank in every word, and noted every
suggestion for future use. That after
noon they went shopping in London, and
before evening strange packages began
to be handed in at the Doctors door.
The plot was ripe for execution, and
one of the conspirators was merry and
jubilant. while the other was very nery-
Gus and troubled.
When the Doctor came to the dining
room next morning, he was surprised
to find that his daughters had already
been up some time. Ida was installed
at one end Of the table with a spirit
lamp, curved glass flask, and several
bottles in front Of her. The contents
OF the flask were boiling furtously,
while villainous smell filled the room.
Clara lounged in an armchair with her
feet upon a second one, blue-covered
book in her hand. and huge map Of
the British Islands spread across her
lap. "Hullo! cried the doctor, blink
ing and shifting. where's the break
fast?"
ooh, didn't you order it?'' asked Ida.
81! No; why should II" He rang the
bell. "why have you not laid the break
fast, Jane?"
"If you please, sir. Miss Ida was a
workin' at the table,"
ooh, Of course. Jane" said the young
lady calmly. II am 80 sorry. shall
be ready to move in few minutes"
'But what on earth are you doing,
1da?" asked the Doctor. 1.-THE smell Is
most offensive. And, good gracious,
look at the mess which you have
made upon the clothl Why, you have
burned hole right through"
ooh, that is the acid" Ida answered
contentedly. "Mrs. Westmacott said
that 1t would burn holes"
'You might have taken her word for
It without trying" said her father
dryly."
"But look here. pa! See what the
book says: The scientific mind takes
nothing upon trust. Prove all things!'
have proved that"
'You certainly have. Well, until
breakfast is ready TIL glance over the
Times. Have you seen'it?''
''The Times? Oh, dear me, this is 1t
which have under my spirit-lamp. I
am afraid there is some acid upon that
too. and 1t is rather damp and: torn.
Here It is"
The Doctor took the bedraggied pa
per with a rueful face. Everything
seems to be wrong to-day" he re-
marked. What is this sudden enthu-i
eiasm about chemistry, Ida?"
"oh, I am trying to live up to- Mrs
Westmacott's teaching" f.g r.;
quite raghtI Quite rightg;r said he I