Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-10


Norman had borne his wishes
IN mind. Harold joined Trinity. the col
lege which had been his fathers. and
took up his residence in due course.
= Before he went he succeeded. partially.
in convincing Stephen of the necessity OF
Welding obedience to her governess. At
this time of her life Stephen was distinct
ly rebellious to constituted authority that
she did not approve of To only four peo-
pie did she yield any obedience whatever
her father, whom in notherly spirit
she protected against pain. her uncle,
who was much of a chun. and who so
seldom exercised authority that her yield
ing to his wishes did not seem like obedl-
ence at all: Aunt Laetitia, of whom as
superior member of her own sex she
stood somewhat IN awe. and Harold. Her
new governess. Miss Howard, was 100
weak TO control her, this she knew. ana
awaited herself of her knowledge. She
knew the extreme limit of her own power
OF resistance without a disagreeable in
the shape Of an appeal TO her father. and
with her usual exercise OF common sense
took care not to exceed 1t.
Dame Nature, who knows all secrets.
and who can see why flowers grow and
how babies turn into men and women.
must now and again smile WIN tnat
broad motherly smile of hers when she
sees by what natural processes the mind
arrives at truth: when it fondly imasines
that 1t is finding a new and abnormal
way for itself Stephen. being rebellious
and proud. did not care that Miss How
ard whom in her heart she despised
should be her superior in certain branches
of knowledge. She therefore set herself 10
work with such assiduity that before very
long she became, almost, If not quite, the
equal of her teacher. And here came the
opportunity for Dame Natures double
smile the broad one which combines the
enjoyment of the irony and the satisfac-
ton at good work well done For the i'm
perious young lady found her natural
logic at fault. She had despised Miss
Howard from the standpoint of her own
ignorance fortiori would she despise
her from the height of her equality She
mad been looking forward TO this enjoy
able relief to her feelings as the reward
or an earnest and well-suStained effort
But il did not come. On the contrary,
she began to respect more than she had
done the woman who she knew must
have gone through a similar period or
arduous endeavor, and respect was fol-
lowed by understanding. Then the really
generous nature of the girl asserted it
self: her heart warmed toward the lone
ly. loveless woman, who seemed TO nave
so little while she had so much. To
Stephen the liberation which comes. first
with equality and then in greater degree
with superiority. was an charging and a
strengthening influence. She began to
understand better the causes of things.
Of wonder-curiosity and fear.
And here 1t was that the essential diff
ference of the girls character began TO
manifest itself intellectually She had no
may as to consequences. while she Sc
cretly gloried in the success OF her tut
ton, that Miss Howard realized the COM
ing possibilities Of her pupils character.
Her daring conclusions frightened her;
her searching questions and her IN
f1inehing analysis of things set before her
pupil. puzzled as much as they alarmed
But all the time of this growing she
never lost her grasp on those things TO
which she had already set her hands
Her range of friendships. naturally lin
tied by her circumstances In life. was
enlarged to the full. and IL she had not
many close friends there were at least OF
them all that was numerically possible
Among the young friends who came
from time to time during his holidays
was Leonard Everard, now tall. hand
some boy. He was one Of those boys
TO have any of that gawky stage so no.
ticeable in the youth Of men made in a
large pattern. He was always we'll
poised trim-set alert; fleet of foot and
springy all over In games he was faciie
princeps. seeming to make his EFFORT al
ways in the right way and without exer-
ton as if by an instinct of physical
masterdom. His universal success in
such matters helped to give him an easy
debonair manner which was in itself
winning. So physically complete a youth
has always a charm. In its very pres
ence there is sort of sympathetic az
preston. such as comes with the San
shine. Ii was not without deep IN
derstanding OF the secrets and analogies
Of nature that the old Greeks made the
sun god a beautiful and fascinating
youth
Stephen always in Leonards p-Saence
-
tudn His youth and beauty and sex all
lad their influence on her. The influence
Of sex. as II is understood with regard
70 a later period of life, did not in her
case exist: Cupid's darts are barbed and
winged for mora adult victims. But in
hsr case Leonard's masculine superiority.
emphasized by the few years between
their ages, his sublime self-belief. and,
above all. his absolute disregard for her
self or her wishes or her feelings, put
him on level at which she had to look
up TO him The first step in the ladder
of pre-eminence had long ago been
achieved when she realized that he was
not on her level, the second when she ex-
perienccd rather than thought that he
had more influence on her than she had
on him. But after all he was only an
episode in young life which was fun Of
interests. Term after term came and
went. the holidays had their seasona BILE
pleasures. occasionally shared in common
That was all. OF course Stephen. being
OF womankind. noticed how the round
Jacket developed tails. how the spreading
collar became a standing one; how neck
ties of new and radiant patterns came
into being. and how even a flamboyant
taste in socks began TO develop. 1t is
possible that Stephen would have thought
more OF Leonard. and have seen him
oftener, only that Harold was generally
home from college at the same time. And
there We're so many things which she had
20 do with Harold so many things held
over till his coming. that II was seldom
that there time LEFT for anything
else.
Harold's attitude was the same as ever
He was OF a constant nature. and now
that manhood was within hail of him the
love OF his bovnood was ripening to a
mans love Each holiday between the
terms became mainly a repetition of the
days of the old life. They lived in the
past.
To live in the past is all very well But
the past stands still while the presen, is
a moving force. With each step new OBJ
new loves and sympathies The whole
circle OF cosnic existence trer1bles etc.
nally into new life
Among the things that did not change
Stephens riding dress. The scarlet
habit had never been thing for every
day wear. but had from the first been
kept for special occasions Stephen her
self knew that II was not a conventional
costume, but she rather preferred II. If on
that account alone. In a certain way
she felt justified in using IT. for a red
habit was a sort of tradition in the fam
,ly In the great dining room at Nor