The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-04-06

VuSu i was SCfSAeSSh A~e
greater delight than in the neat ar
rangement of my wardrobe"
But I have no wardrobe to keep
neat, ma'am. Wardrobe? Why,
this is my only frock, and as to
stock"
Belinda, my dear Belinda, you
| forget! Another time!" interrupts
Rose, coloring. "What have you
been doing with yourself to-day, my
love? And last night-did Mr.. Jones
see you safe home? I had a note
! from him this morning saying he had
| gone off to the mountains, and that
I must ask you for particulars. Now,
what does it all mean?"
She frisks over, like a little lamb
kin, to her stepdaughter's side, and
| putting her arms round her waist
Belinda holding herself uncompromis-
| ingly stiff under the caress-begins
to gush and litter, schoolgirl fashion,
in her ear. Miss Burke and Roger
| are thus left to make conversation
| for each other.
"A very interesting country this,
| sir" observes the lady, looking sourly
| at Rogers handsome face-oh, Miss
Burke, you whofifteen years. ago could
look at no man without a melting
| smilei But such are the results of
| earnestness. Interesting, I mean,
to those who visit with a purpose"
Eyes, I am told you get very fair
| snipe-shooting here in winter" an
| swers Roger, who does not under
stand the argot of Miss Burke's sect.
II speak of the inhabitants; sunk
| now in superstition, but the rem
nants of a noble race. You are per-
| haps not aware that the Basque has
| outlived five distinct people-the
Carthaginians, Celts, Romans, Goths
and Saracens?"
Murray" says Belinda, in a stage
whisper. Introductory remarks on
the Pyrenees,' page two hundred and
f~orty-nine." =
Roger strokes his mustache and
tries to look edited. 1.-THE Basque
must certainly be very DID," he be-
| gins, foolishly.
"But the work that I am engaged
on at present, the work that indeed
| fills every moment of my time, is the
| search of illustration. You have, per-
haps, heard through Miss O'Shea that
I am writing a book? No, I might
have guessed as much. Miss O'Shea's
interests do not lie in the direction of
my own. A book entitled The Wom-
an of the Future / am a laborer,
| sir, though a humble one, in the
| greatest reformation of u day, the
work of restoring woman to the ped
| estal from whence the blinded preju-
| dices of centuries have dethroned
her"
"Ah, yes" says Roger, in no very
enthusiastic tone, and glapcing as
he speaks at the patches where darns
ought to be in Belinda's stockings.
For my part" he adds, gallantly,
"I cannot see that any reformation
is needed. 1t seems to me that wom-
an are exceedingly charming as they
are"
LAS the Turk, as the Gebased Asia
| tic thinks of his s~laves!" cries Miss
Burke, holly. do you, an English
man, actually advance the proposition
that to be charming is a fit motive for
an immortal beings ezistence?"
"The most charming women ap-
pear to me to be so without any mo-
tive at ALL" says Roger, mentally
measuring the distance between his
adversary and the door. But I am
really the worst fellow living at an
argument"
"Oh, that is a very easy way Of es-
cape. 1t is perfectly evident to what
cynical school you belong-the sur
face light in which you regard u
sex! Can you solemnly affirm, sir,
I ask it with the earnestness the sub
iect requires, that you do not look
upon us as toys?"
Thus put, as it were, upon oath,
Roger Temple considers Miss Burke's
personal attractions more closely
than he has yet done, the thin, cold
features, the glistening eyes, the
watch-spring figure. He feels that
he does not, that in his widest mo-
ments he never could look upon her
in the obnoxious light she deprecates,
and with a perfectly clear conscience
answers, NO"
Then may I ask what do you look
upon us as?" says. Burke, pitilessly.
Roger not only measures the dis
lance between himself and the door;
he rises to his feet. He has been
held a brave soldier in action, a hardy
sportsman in the field; but he is hor-
ribly afraid of Miss Lydia Burke. Il
i really beg pardon-but l have
usually looked upon women as wom-
en-" he answers, humbly.
Miss Burke turns her head away
in contempt.
1T really is most wonderful"
signs Rose, who has caught the last
word or two of the discussion, most
extraordinary how gentlemen do dis
like intellect in us. ] am sure, for
myself, I envy superior women, and
! have always wished and wished to
be blue: haven't you Belinda?"
"Oh, ! like my natural hue well
enough, Rosie" answers the girl,
nertly. Still. if were forced to