Mexico Missouri message., 1910-07-21
CHAPTER VI.
The Baseless Fabric.

The Bsseless Fabric.
True philosophy is ascetlc. It may
best be practiced under conditions in
which the material is in allegiance. It
exalts the spiritual. It is distinguished
by indifference to environment. There
is nothing so fatal to its profession as
extravaganza. Frugality is to the
philosopher what modesty is to a
woman-the essential thing without
which it and she cease to be.
The atmosphere into which Rather
inc Brenton was suddenly plunged by
her bold step was the very antithesis
of these requirements. It was I'M
healthy, and like unhealthy airs it
bred disaster. She had been trained
to independence of conditions, to dis
regard of circumstances, as well as to
disdain Of restraint; but there was
that within her surroundings which,
from her first experience of them, she
felt instinctively to be vitiating, which
tended to deprave, which precluded
the exercise Of clear, uninfluenced
mentality. Especially in her case was
this true since the luxury with which
she had been surrounded appealed so
subtly to the preponderant, and it
must be admitted, immortal feminine
in her composition. Sex distinction,
sex difference was the one thing
against which she fought. Sex equality
was the supreme good to be desired in
her scheme OF right relationships be-
tween the individual and the universe.
While she rebelled against her sex,
yet she rejoiced in it, Glad was she
sometimes on that very account that
to her was given the opportunity to
prove her superiority to the limita-
lions, disabilities and man-made tram
mels of womankind.
Born of two fanatics on the same
subject, whose insanity was modified
and Modified by brilliancy of intellect
in every other field of investigation
and experiment, Katherine Brepton
had been trained to the hour fGS her
profession, for the exploitation OF her
principles. The greatest of universi-
ties pointed to her with peculiar pride
as one of the children Of the free;
| free from everything in thought and
I
determined to be free from everything
in action. Much was expected from
her and the world was not disap-
pointed at the first result of her men
tai labor. There were certain old
fashioned people who deplored che
perversion of SO much talent and even
genius to the defense of error, but
these did not count. The world bought
| her book in thousands, read 1t avidly
and regarded 1t as the last word Of
the last woman of the end of the age
on the Sex problem. Cleverly disguis-
ing her philosophy in the form of fic-
ton, with one bound she had leaped
to the fore front of all the writers
struggling for recognition. Publishers
sought her. Magazines pursued her.
Another book took shape in her mind.
Singularly enough her education
and the erratic bent of her mind had
left her primarily quite unspoiled. She
was the product not merely Of her age,
her environment, her parents, but Of
a long generation of people to whom
her thoughts would have been as abb
| horrent as her person was agreeable.
The unconscious Christianity which
surrounds the world and especially
| the world OF woman kept her pure
and sweet and 1ovable-these in spite
of, not because of, her perverse and
perverted philosophy. Though she
defied convention in it's spirit, she was
naturally subject to 1t in its exercise.
For instance, to her the marriage bond
was, indeed, a bond, the marriage vow
a confession Of weakness-on the part
of the woman, at least-and the mar
riage relation an acknowledgement OF
inferiority-again on the part of the
woman. She would have none OF these
4 things In her life. Yet, as she thought,
she had given her heart to man
alas, the submission to the eternal
Iaw!-andI although their relationship
was sanctioned by nothing but their
affection, 1t was to her as pure and
as holy thing as If the contract had
been witnessed and blest by a thou
sand priests. What was It to him? She
counted without the other sex. Many
other women unfortunately have done
the same.
Il Not content with the writing Of
books, her intense devotion 70 heI
cause, coupled with her unhaggine
energy, had found vent upon, the lee
ture platform Tbs curious crowded