St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-06-19
HIS OWN PELARD.
A Story of the Higher Education of
Women.

Now the professor is acknowledged
to be one of the wisest men in Europe
and it was impossible that girl of
SibyPs age should contradict him. Be
sides, Sibyl has been very nicely
brought up and wouldn't think of con-
tradicting a person so much older than
herself, even if he had been merely an
undergraduate instead Of a professor.
So she looked very politely interested
in the remark and said nothing.
Silence on the part of the other per-
son always lures on man to say more
than he ought.
81 am sorry" the professor contin-
ued after pause, ito hear that you are
coming up next term. l had hoped that
your dear mother-one of my oldest
and best friends-would have had 9TH
err views for you. She at least knows
well that I disapprove, deeply disap-
prove, of this most unseemly attempt
of women to enter upon university
life"
"But, professor, that isn't very kind"
Sibyl was obliged at last to remon-
strate. II understand that shall have
the pleasure of attending your lectures.
That is, if / get through my examina-
ton, and I'm going up for it next
week."
eyes, am sorry to say-I mean, /
rrIo ], u ], Wontt toll
another cup of tear Sibyl is the kind
est hearted of girls and wouldn't hurt
fly unnecessarily, and so she said she
would like another cup of tea very
much.
Woman" the professor repeated
when he had returned to his usual abb
straction, Stands on a pedestal in the
domestic circle. 1t is truly grievous
that she should be willing to join In
the struggles of masculine life" He
had attended, as an experienced person
will perceive, the last Union debate on
the degree question, and the eloquence
of the debaters was echoed from the
lips Of the professor.
Sibyl tried to consider herself from
the point of view of her domestic cir
Gle, but failed to remember that their
mental attitude in relation to her had
ever been that of those who look up adj
miringly toward the statue on its ped
estal.
Professor, 1 will not struggle" said
she. Il promise to submit to your au-
thority on all questions, whether of dis
cipline or of Arabic. l promise never
to join in 9th of November row, and
you know that women students are al
lowed neither boat races nor bump
suppers."
The professor answered that she was
evading the question at issue. He said
that ladies usually do SO, and Sibyl
went home with provisions of universe
ty life little less bright than they had
been before. But she was none the less
determined to go up and to devote the
next period of her life to the studies
which were illustrated by the pro-
fessor.
Three years later the professor sat
in Sibyl's room at Browning-it was a
charming little room, looking on the
terrace-and he congratulated her. Was
she not the most famous person of the
week? Had not every morning paper
a leading article in praise of woman as
personif1ed in Sibyl and all the evening
papers portraits of her, portraits whose
only point of similarity was their I'M
likeness to sibyl? Editors were asking
her for an article on the education Of
women at universities, and publishers
would have her edit a new series Of
eastern writers for ladies' schools.
The professor looked at her with ad-
miration, She was the most brilliant
pupil given to him for many day, and
her suggestions in the way Of emenda-
ton were marvellous. Now, now at last,
the professor saw his visions of long
years taking upon themselves a SEM
blance Of reality; they should become
real In the near future. That great
work Of his on the aesthetics Of the
Acadians might now be accomplished.
The materials for it were complete.
He had spent on them all his leisure
time since his appointment as Plantag-
enet professor. But as for the writing
Of the book, from that he shrank. Some
younger man must collaborate, use the
professors stores, undertake the labor
Of writing and add to so much knowl-
edge the enthusiasm of youth. For
some time he had waited until the fit
ting person should appear among his
men. The student, long expected, was
come at last, but unfortunately from
among the women. No, nothing could
be unfortunate if only the person was
found. And Sibyl was delightful to
work with.
1--WE shall beat the Germans now,
and that on their own ground" said
the professor jauntily. at is a revenge
for the losses of many years"
Sibyl looked at him in perpleXity, for
she failed to see the connection. The
professor explained at full length, and
Sibyl listened. "You will come up
again, of course, for a few years." he
said, "and we will set to work as soon
as possible. Your name will appear
with mine on the title page. You will
have a reputation for scholarship that
will go beyond Berlin. 1t is fortunate
that your name Latinizes so well. Per-