Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-07-10
CHAPTER XVI.

shc look from him tho newspaper
he held out. and read ut the place
where his finger Indicated the follow.
Ing tcicsraplic announcement:
THE trustees Of cinvcring College.
Illinois. mt special meeting held yes.
tcrdny. elected Miss Eleanor BALDWIN
ns president OF that institution In place
OF David Il. Albion. resigned. Miss
Baldwin. the newly elected lady prcsi.
dent. and late assistant professor OF
history and literature ut tho college. Is
In hc- twcn,y.fifth year. and is said to
be very attractive In her personal ap.
pcarnncc and a favoritc with the stu.
dents both male and female. Her cicc.
ton gives general satisfaction
What do you think of that" cx,
claimed Harold. with manifest cnthu.
sinsm. when he saw that his wife had
finished.
What does II mcan?" she asked,
with somewhat daxcd air.
Why. she has been chosen prcsi.
dent of the college.
How can she be prcsidcnt!"
How can she be! Why shouldn't
she be? She isn't the nrst woman who
has been put Mt the head of nm cilca
tional institution. It's a great com.
pl!ment TO her. and-and does great
credit to her ability and pluck. Pres
idcnt! Well. that is a tcn.strikc!"
Harold. ! think it's awful
why Is II awful?"
In the first place. to be known ms ,
lady president is enough to make one
III. Salesladics and lady typcwritcrs
tl.n. a.. sa.l
| climax
Come. now. Chcrub. be reasonable.
You are dodging the question. You
must admit that they have paid her
great compliment"
Emma drew her cloak about her
frigidly. as she replied:
Il suppose she has got what she
wanted. IL you mean that"
Not one girl in a 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
rctorted warmly. II mean to telegraph
my congratulation at the next station"
Emma made no reply. and resting
her check on her gloved hand. turned
" the iauubthpe hEAiu. Dut inc Suu.
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. I understand and
recognize that II is a great compli.
ment. in one sense of the word. to
have been chosen president, or what.
ever II Is. Of this college: and I will
say frankly that 1t is u surprise to me
that Eleanor should have been selected
to fill such n position. She must have
more ability of n certain kind than !
gave her credit for. and am ready to
admit that she is entitled to be con.
graduated. But II, ut 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. I beg to be allowed to differ
from you. What will her life be? For
all 1 know, she will have to wear
boomers: but. assuming shat 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.drtm
recitations and collecting funds for
new dormitories."
Instead of leading life of frivolous
and elegant leisure, like the rest of
you."
Mrs. Stagg tossed her head and an.
swered with calm disdain:
Did l 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 n life of frivolous and
elegant leisure, as you call It, 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 l grant
II sks had married Owen Page, but
she could have been the very antipodes