The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-13
Mn. CHILTOh'S WIVES.
CHAPTER

Dear Madam. II you can spare hail
| an hour for the succcr Of ii distressed
! sister-worker, pray do 50. / have been
| t. half the doctors in London. and III
| one and all re.sist in taking an adverse
| view OF my case. ] want q fresh ane.
| more ho.2eful opinion. l have he2- d
! myself discussed from the lGascuins
standpoint. Please GENE and prospect
he through feminine glasses, ard eive
ME a verdict mere in accordance with
mine own baiefs. Yours sincerely,
JOAN CHIFFON"
/ l drove to the address given-an OBJ
scure street in Bloomsbury
The Gocr was opened by a maid Ct
the Marchionss=' type. She opened il
on the CHAIN" with an air CT caution
and an eye bsiligeieit. as though she
had reason Tor regarding ;he outside
weird as Z force TO lie kept 1T bay.
Does Mrs. Chiffon live heve?"
She answered my question by an
cther. BE you the lacy doctor?" Gu
r:osity hanlshed beliigerence.
confessed myself. She looked ms
up, ard down with widening eyes.
My" she said. candid!y."you don't
look not so very much different from,
other folk" Whereupon she admitted
ne,
She took me Up flight CT d,ngy
stairs and raped with her knuckies on
a GCor.
He is in she said: - can smell
the terbakker Mr. Chiffon ull come
'isself, and it Co2s anybodys eyes gocd
TO sec him, he's that 'aEdsome. A real
gent, he is. every inch o him.
III
mons was certainly handsome-a fire.
staiwart-looi1ing fellow. On seeing me
me removed his pipe and bowed
The lady doctor, Mr.. Chiffon" tbs
Marchicness announced, and eff the
/ copy's ready, s.r, perhaps you'll let me
ave it row, and save the stairs, becos
that there boy he's that aggravatin'
this mornin''
ear Chiffon found ne a chair. ard,
excusing himself. relied up bundle of
manuscript and carried it to her.
Then, II viii tell my wife you are
here, DIR. Ramsey" he SAID, and went
into an adjoining room.
| The room in which I sat was shabby
10 an extreme and progressively untidy
! On table stood a tray, bearing an
empty dish and two plates, wherein lay
denuded chop-bonss. Two tumblers. to
which an UNIV wholesome locking froth
c.unS. and a bottle labeled Stout" be-
! tIayed the nature Of the beverage
which had accompanied the meal The
| air was redolent of tobacco. remote and
recent. The chairs and tables were
| strewn with manuscripts and proof
| sheets. Goats. sticks and masculine
| boots further Uttered the place. From
z basket on the hearth a baby terrier
| tunlhled and flung itself toward me
with ye!ps intended to appall.
| When presently summoned to the
other room ] found the invalid smiling
on her bed. She was a pretty, fragile
little creature. with brilliant dark eyes
and a tanSle of curly hair
"Oh, Doctor" she cried, with the soft
| est of brogues. how charming Of you
TO come 50 soon, l really am No. BIZ
| Of an urgent case, though they all look
so grave over me. And isn't it just non
sense to shake their heads so SPURIOUS
! ~ over an energetic creature like me?
l tell them I shall outlive them ALL
She laughed brightly, winding up with
cough which lasted some minutes.
The ethics of my last article have
ST. LIZ my LII Cett siic Ky !'idliIEAs,
challenging me with abaormaIly brill
| liant eyes. the while she stIove for
breath: its a wonder it didn't entire
| ~ choke me. I look forward TO the
time says I. when woman viii revert
to her natural position, when bicycles
and latch-keys, professions and
rights" will be as obsolete as nose-
rings. when the parior. the kitchen and
| the nursery-her proper domain-will
| he graced by her perpetual presence,
and The outside world VIII know her
no mere Isn't that sentence enough
now to suffocate q woman who was
two years at Girton. works hard for
her living. and sends for a doctor of
her owr sex To prescribe for her? But
the new woman is my editors bug
bear. If he only knew, he wouldn't
have ME write a lire. He thinks Tom
that is my husband-he thinks him
the rsTpetratcr Of all the nonsense /
send him. That's right. Chiffon, he
says, give it 'em hot. We've got to
take off our coats. tuck up our trous-
ers and put down this new woman
business with strong hand OF course,
it's horribly mean of me to write
against my principles, but it isn't so
easy to find work. And. really, l take
off na coat and tuck up me trousers
TO such purpose against the poor crea-
ture that ] am honestly sure / enlist
peoples sympathies for her"
So she ratified on. her eyes cleaning,
her checks flushed, her soft brogce
rounding off the edges of her speech.
Her bed, like the outer room, vas
, stre@n wiish manuscript pages. print
er's proofs and newspaper clippings
From & hook on the Gocr hung a faded
pink dressing gown, With fresh frill
CT lace in X. and from beneath a chest
of drawers which did duty for dressing
table row Of boots peered forth, pa
thetically small and shabby
Despite the litter OF work, the room
was neat and fresh and had an at
mosphere Of daintiness about il which
certain type OF woman lends 70 any
room she occupies.
a nair CT slim black stockings. with a
darnns-needle and woIsted attached.
lay over the bed rail She pointed 10
them. smiling.
Il have been trying To teach Tom to
; mend them" she said. "but he doesn't
get on | am afraid ne iss't bit do
mesticated. The only thing ne can do
| IN that direction is TO cook chops. He
cooks chops masnifcently.
! vas jointing my s,ethoscope and
taking mental notes.
Mr. Chiffon is at home, / suppose.
looking after you?"
No she answered, a little shame
facedly, he is generally at home--if
you call this home She cast a rueful
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