The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-04-26

/
life can ever be made without order.
| When l was seventeen I had no
greater delight than in the neat ar
rangement of my wardrobe"
But / have no wardrobe to keep
neat, maam. 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? had 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 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 who fifteen 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 purpose.
yes, l am told you get very far
snipe-shooting here in winter an
swers Roger, who does not under
stand the argot of Miss Burke's sect.
81 speak of the inhabitants; sunk
now in superstition, but the rem
nants of 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 stage
whisper Introductory remarks on
the Pyrenees, page two hundred and
forty-nine."
Roger strokes his mustache and
! tries to look edited. THE Basque
must certainly be very old" he be-
gins, foolishly.
'sBut the work that 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
am writing a book? No, 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 laborer,
| sir, though humble one, in the
| greatest reformation of our 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 glancing as
he speaks at the patches where darns
ought to be in Belinda's stockings.
For my part" he adds, gallantly,
II cannot see that any reformation
is needed. 1t seems to me that wom-
an are exceedingly charming as they
are"
AS the Turk, as the debased Asia
tic thinks of his slavesl" cries Miss
Burke, holly do you. an English
man, actually advance the proposition
that to be charming is fit motive for
an immortal beings existence?"
1.-THE most charming women APP
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 am
really the worst fellow living at an
| argument"
col, that is very easy way of es-
cape. 1t is perfectly evident to what
| cynical school you belong-7the sur.
face light in which you regard oul
sex! Can you solemnly affirm. sir
/ ask it with the earnestness the sub
| ject requires, that you do not looA
| 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 thai
he does not, that in his widest mo-
ments he never could look upon hei
in the obnoxious light she deprecates
and with a perfectly clear conscience
answers, mo"
Then may l ask what do you looI
upon us as?" says Burke, pitilessly.
Roger not only measures the dis
tance between himself and the door,
he rises to his feet. He has beer
held brave soldier in action, hardy
sportsman in the field; but he is hor
ribly afraid of Miss Lydia Burke. g
II really beg pardon--but / have
usually looked upon women as won
en-" he answers, humbly.
Miss Burke turns her head away
in contempt.
| 1T really is most wonderful.
signs Rose, who has caught the las
word or two of the discussion, "most
extraordinary how gentlemen do dis
like intellect in us! am sure, fol
myself, ! envy superior women, ant
have always wished and wished tt
be blue; haven't you Belindae"
ooh, like my natural hue vel
enough, Rosie" answers the girl
pertly, Still, if I were forced t
change. I believe ! would as soon b.
n blue as some other colors. Superior
women do not usually wear rouge o.
pearl powder, do they?" She look
more thoroughly hard, more DELHI
arnfcIv colfshI.r xuSnl~nd 49,. n..<.. =