Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-11-20
.CYNTHIA'S GARRETT
BY FLORENCE BRIGHT

noon with Cynthia, found her, to my
great surprise, immersed in the paper.
She never even troubled to open one
as rule. She was lying in the ham
mock, a great bush of crimson rhod-
odendrons forming an appropriate
background to her dainty blue gown.
Her manner was distinctly distract,
and she replied at random to all
said.
Paper very interesting said at
last, rathc. tartly. | had inquired after
the health of her aunt, and Diogenes,
the black poodle, and related my own
small stock of happenings at the war
office.
"Er-um-I beg your pardon. What
did you say?' asked Cynthia, looking
over the edge of the paper at me,
and blinking her forget-me-not blue
eyes absent-mindedly.
How is The Hague conference go
ing? Or perhaps it's the money mark
ct you're so absorbed in?" ] said, dis
sembling my feelings, not very sue
cessfully. l had looked forward to the
customary delightful afternoon with
Cynthia, and without undue vanity 1t
was annoying to be so overlooked.
90, dear, no. But there's something
really important in the paper today"
and she nodded gravely at me.
Indeed! You surprise me-" re-
Piled, dryly
Eyes. But it is puzzling. | can't
make UP my mind. What do you think
is the best career for women?"
"To sit in a hammock, wear their
prettiest blue frock and make them
selves agreeable to their friends" !
said promptly, and a special emphasis
on the last phrase.
ooh. That's SO like man when you
ask his advice. see now what you
are. You're just one of those men who
want women to be dolls
well! Even that's career-ot
sorts-isnt it?" l interjected. She
flashed scorn at me, and Immediately
regretted my flippancy. But has any
thing happened? l don't understand,
l fastened to add.
"Of course not. Men never do. Men
] never think that women want ca
reer-some purpose in life-as well
as themselves"
"Oh! we'll" l conceded. some wo
men-perhaps. But you-you are
surely not thinking"
"Of a career? But I certainly am
| This discussion in the paper
ooh, that's it," ! iuterposed gloom
lily, beginning to see daylight in the
thing.
Has been so illuminating-st
realizing She drew deep breath
and looked far away over my head a
the clouds Il never thought before O
the possibilities in life for women
Just think what it must be to wo
man to be independent To be a grea
doctor-a great writer-or-or--
She stopped, enthusiasm seemed t
choke her.
"Or-what?" asked, rather brutal
ly. Where did come in, in all this
Cynthias had not been the only reve
lation. "Yes. Or what? Go on" l said
Tim thinking" she announced
with little pout.
COR a great Judge or an engineer
or a statesman? There are 30 man
careers open to women, aren't there?
added sarcastically.
She at last admitted that their nun
Der was rather restricted-at present
But they'll open up as time goes on,
she concluded enthusiastically, an
waved her hands in space, vaguely.
/ permitted myself to smile in
superior manner
"Oh! you're too tiresome for any
thing this afternoon she cried
\ springing nimbly out of the han
mock.
: I'm sorry" l said. "How can
make amends?"
60 and get my sunshade out of tn
hall and tell them to bring tea OF
here" / fastened to do her bfddins
; and found her strolling in the shruI
berry on my return. She called me {
r look at robins nest we had bee
/ watching for some time.
'sYou know" said gravely, handin
her the parasol I'm not sure. BIZ
: / don't think that women who go
for great careers have men to 1fetc
and carry for them"
"No?" She looked incredulous Obi
why nct?''
7 well, / scarcely know. But perhar
. it's because. they haven't got time fl
? the-frivolities.
"Oh! But that would be horrid
She looked quite panied.
: "What? Horrid? To be indepen,
ent. Why, thought you said jul
now"
Eyes, but didn't mean that sort
independence" She gave little STAN
Of her foot. Il think men ought 8
; ways to do things for women. Don
/. your She looked appealingly at m
"Certainly IT'S the whole duty
; man" paused, then | said. "Yc
: pfopounded a conundrum to me jul
! now"
/, III did, sir" she looked at me arc
".
even! I've guessed 1t. Cynthia
she did not resent my use OF h,