The Elbert County tribune., 1903-07-09
CHAPTER XVI.

WHIT EN- AHi.
She took from him the newspaper
he held out. and read at the place
where his finger indicated the follow.
ing telegraphic announcement:
The trustees of Clavering College.
illinois, at special meeting held yes
terday, elected Miss Eleanor Baldwin
as president of that Institution in place
OF David b. Albion. resigned. Miss
Baldwin. the newly elected lady presi.
dent and late assistant professor of
history and literature at the college. is
in he twenty-hfth year. and is said to
be very attractive in her personal an.
pearance and favorite with the stu.
dents both male and female. Her elec.
tion gives general satisfaction"
What do you think of that" OK.
claimed Harold. with manifest enthu
siasm. when he saw that his wife had
finished.
What does 1t mean?" she asked,
with a somewhat dazed air
Why. she has been chosen presi-
dent of the college.
How can she be PRESIDENT"
How can she be? Why shouldn't
she be? She isn't the first woman who
has been put at the head of an edlca
tional institution. It's a great com
pliment to her. and-and does great
credit to her ability and pluck. Pres
ident! Well. that is a ten-strike."
Harold, | think it's awful"
why is it awful?"
In the first place. to be known as a
lady president is enough to make one
Ill. Salesladies and lady typewriters
are terrible enough, but this caps the
climax"
Come. now. Cherub. be reasonable.
You are dodging the question. You
must admit that they have paid her a
great compliment"
Emma drew her cloak about her
frigidly. as she replied:
Il suppose she has got what she
wanted. II you mean that"
Not one girl in thousand would
have done so we'll"
Not one girl in ten thousand would
have wished to-"
Il am sorry for your sex, then" he
retorted warmly, Il mean to telegraph
my congratulation at the next station"
Emma made no reply. and resting
her cheek on her gloved hand, turned
to the landscape again. But the sud.
denness with which she reverted her
head for a few moments later be-
trayed the warmth of her emotions.
though she spoke with measured sen
tences:
"of course. Harold, understand and
ntyn hot 10 fc
ment, in one sense of the word. to
have been chosen president or what
ever it is. of this college; and | will
say frankly that 1t is a surprise to me
that Eleanor should have been selected
to fill such a position. She must have
more ability of a certain kind than |
gave her credit for. and am ready to
admit that she is entitled to be con-
graduated. But If. at the same time.
you expect me to say that | think she
is more to be congratulated because
she is to spend her days as the lady
president of a mixed college than she
would be II she had married owen
Page. | beg to be allowed to differ
from you. What will her life be? For
all know. she will have to wear
bloomers: but. assuming that she is
allowed to dress like other female NOR
tails, she will be expected to be pecu-
liar and strong-minded and-and un-
attractive. She Is more than likely to
remain single. and her best years will
be passed in listening to hum-drum
recitations and collecting funds for
new dormitories."
Instead Of leading life of frivolous
and elegant leisure. Ike the rest of
you"
Mrs. Stagg tossed her head and an
swered with calm disdain:
Did I not know that you were
merely trying to excite me. Harold, |
might take offense at the personal
character of your remark. AS to your
saying that Eleanor would have been
Obliged to lead life OF frivolous and
elegant leisure. as you cap 1t. had she
seen fit to behave like an ordinary
Christian being and marry the man
who was devoted to her. why. the idea
is simply absurd. Elegant | grant
II she had married Owen Page, but