The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-10-05

Are, with her precious burden on her knee.
Nov and again she lifted q page and re-read
Il carefully. and sat and dreamed again.
oncc or t~icc sSs struck something out or
and rewrote . s~ntsnce and
from time 10 time she glanced ~ NJ the
clock; aud whsn at last It struck 5 shs
ross, aud, eollectIug her papers, put Them
on the writing table, and, resestins hsrssif
by the nre, sat listening for hsr lovers
lie was coming at 30 and che Was 60
ing to tell him about her book. He had
been abroad when IL WAS accepted and shs
had not wished TO write, but waited TO tell
him herself.
Quite UNCONSCIOUS OF the depth OF bis
views on women, she eagerly anticipated
his pleasure and pride. She decided not 10
tell him about her book At hfst, but,
womsniite, keep her news until he should
have told her his.
They hsd iinished ten and were sittinG
together over the nre.
Won't you have q cigarette, RAlphf
You are sure you don't mind, harearets
OF course not II love lite 90 homelike.
BesIdcs. want 70 tell you something, and
men can lAtsn better while they smoke.
He took the hapd that rested on the side
Of bis chair and raised II gently TO his iips.
How YOU spoil me. Margaret
Nothing to what ! shall do BY and oy'
she retorted, laughing. All nice wives
,poll their husbands and | mean to be .
very nice wife.
It's trest TO meet girl like you In
tbese dAys, dear, he said. You are not ike
4 prersnt-dsy woman, somehow.
Perhaps they are not 30 bad ~ you
think
Perhaps not, be said, laughing; but there
are some funny ones about. ! met one
abroad, bv the way writer, Miss we're
ker--he paused--she gave me shock.
Margaret laughed. Reallyf what wal
she like, Ralpha Tously about the head
and fioppinglv artistic Of the advanced
young woman typeS
Neither, he said. Her appearance wa'
charmipg-to look at--my dear, Margaret
she might have been rs pure and sweet q
you are yourself; but ber book-weli'
never WAS 90 thoroughly shocked In my
life.
DO you mean by her book, Not Other
wisey
He frowned slightly. l should hav'
hardly thought you even knew the NAME
have read 1t, said Margaret quietly, AMI
thought 1t very clever.
He looked at her In sstonishment
Gle yerl he echoed, Of course it's clever
Margaret; no one could doubt that for
moment, but don't see what that has
do with 1t. It's appalling to me that .
unmarried girl should write book on
cannot show ones womenfolk. Why can
women leave the cosrser side Of life to th
man novelist to depicts
Perhaps she bad moral lesson 70 teact
said Margaret, speaking shade coidiy.
Lesson! Nonsense! said Merton; II
not an unmarried girls place to teac
moral lessons--not 10 that way, at an
rate. You cannot touch pitch without b.
coming defiled, and for . young girl III
that to wallow In literary mud can onl
show she had an impure mind and sole
Imagination.
4 Ny dear Ralph!
u Well Margaret, apologize, but spoh
strongly because feel strongly, and, ,bein
10 sweet and clean writer yourself, 70
NAV be able to influence friend VII
writes that style Of book.
am sure this book was meant -
warning.
Pahl said Ralph; who can warn by d
picing vicef She will harm q hundrt
, vhere she warns one or two. IL q
wishes to teach the world lesson let h
teach It by her own purity Of life and pu
pose, He stopped abruptly and added'
am very glad that young woman does n'
belong to me, Margaret.
There was q moments intense silence
Margaret sat slowly realizing that her bot
was oulte ~ outspoken. ] am very gl'
that Young woman does not belong to m
rhoee we're the only words she could
: me mber distinctly Of oil he had sad. 81
knew why she had not written to him abo
her book. A subtle iostipct must hs
warned her the instinct that preserves se
sitiye woman from making mistsks WI
those they love.
But she loved her book, too-did she 10
Il more than Rslph9 She hardly knew
she was only conscious Of sudden feeliI
: Of lev goddess toward him, and involunts
: ily che withdrew her hand from its pla
on bis chair, then turned and looked at b.
in the face. Suppose had written boz
Ike that, Rslphf
:. / can't suppose anything SO Aonorm'
: Narpsret-- women with minds like you
:. don't dig In mud.
But supposipg / had she persisted, fe
:. ing ~ though the decision Of her very II
!, itself hurg on his answer.
/ should first ask you not to publish
: said Ralph Merton very slowly, and
And If / reiusedf interrupted Aarsal
eagerly. supposing ! we're to refuse 70
!. request
vi / should leave you, Margaret, he si
= quietly. shruld never marry WON
: ~ho wrote an unclsan book. should ne'
!, trust her.
VI Why not' ,he asked In genuine anna
ment.
II should feel she had either done 500
: thIrg bad or VAS capable OF doing son
!. thirg bad. 1t 10 vomaD's mission TO upl
!. men by her example In her life and 10
!. writings " she writes.
. Aren't you . little hard ard narro
RAipbf
!, Perhaps 90, be answered gravsly. d
say an narrow, Nargsre'--sccording