Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-24


Julia Spingler does not pertain to this
story. II is sufficient to say that he
won her. consent to their marriage
when she was passing out of her teers
and her ideas OF the stand she should
take In the world were in embryo.
Soon after her engagement Julia fell
under the influence OF Margaret Hal.
sted, an elderly unmarried lady-to
avoid the unpleasant term old maid
who wrought a considerable change in
her.
Miss Haisted was what was called
a strong minded woman till the more
pleasing term new woman" was In
vented. Under the tutelage OF the
stronger. or at least the more devel-
oped. intellect Julia conceived diff
ferent notion from what she had held
of the part of women in the universe.
That It was a woman's part alone to
bear children she did not believe. On
der the new dispensation the profess
sions were open to the gentler sex. and
she saw no more reason why a woman
should not enter them than a man
After consultation with her mentor she
resolved to become a lawyer.
Iarston was not considered bright.
but was universally respected. Some OF
Julia's intimate friends who looked
upon her as a talented girl wondered
how she could fancy one who was in
tellectually her inferior. He regretted
that she had entered field which has
been occupied almost exclusively by
men, for he was not up to the new de-
parture. He had looked forward to
having Il wife who would rely on him
to provide the home and on herself to
run it smoothly. Being one of those
persons who believe in the adage "All
things come to those who wait" he
took no action upon his fiancee's be-
coming a lawyer, leaving the matter of
his relationship with her to work itself
out
Julia consulted Miss Halsted with
reference to her engagement with
Marston, but did not act on her adj
vice, which was to remain single. The
fable of the fox who had lost its tail
suggested itself TO the pupil, and she
saw no reason why because woman
adopted a profession she should give
up wifehood and motherhood, SO she
continued her enga cement.
But while pursuing her studies Julia
listened to a course of lectures from
an eminent member of the bar, by
whom she was very much impressed.
1t seemed after hearing the keen logic
of Cyrus Underwood that Edgar's talk
was extremely commonplace. Mr.. I'm
derwood, who was a bachelor in mid
die age, took a great fancy to Julia
and, not being aware of her engage
ment, showed her attention.
Julia. who realized that she was
bound in honor to Marston and was
fond of him. now entered
upon one of those periods of indecision
that are extremely trying. But what
ever there was in him was not glitter
ing and did not appear TO advantage
beside the brilliant mind of Under
wood. In her perplexity Julia made
a confidant of Margaret Halsted.
Perhaps if she wished for advice
she would have done better to go TO
a married woman who had had expe
rience in such matters. But even this
would not have been likely to avail
anything, for Julia was pretty likely
to make up her own mind about what
she would do in her own affairs with
out the advice OF any one. However,
Miss Halsted gave her couple of pic
lures, the one of a union with a COM
man, the other with a bril-
liant lawyer with whom she might in
time be a partner not only matrimo-
nialIy, but professionally. 1t must be
confessed that this second picture was
very attractive. Julia saw herself and
her husband working together on in
n with suggestions and oftentimes
supplying each others deficiencies.
1t was this that finally determined
lula TO break with Edgar Marston and
accept Cyrus Underwood. Relying on
, certain sense of justice she had OBJ
served in the former. she laid the case
before him, telling him that she saw
N union with Underwood a brilliant
'uture for herself. and. though it pain
ID her to pain Edgar, she thought that
n justice to herself she should make
he change But on no account would
the do so unless Edgar assured her
hat he thought her perfectly right in
he matter.
If Marston had fault it was not in
opposing persons whose minds were
made up. He said that her problem
vas altogether too deep for him to
olive. but if it was better for her to
marry lawyer it was certainly better
or himself that she should do so. in
smuch as he was not lawyer. but Il
,lain man of business. Nothing would
,e well for either that was not wei; for
10th.
Julia. whose mind at the time was
ixed upon the brain union that prom
sed such brilliant results. was much
,leased with her lovers statement of
he case, not so much on account of its
God sense as because it left her free
o enter upon a new alliance that APP
eared so advantageous. A few weeks
nter she wrote very kind letter to
edgar. respectfully breaking her engage !
cent with him. and not long afterward
er engagement with Underwood was
nnounced. >,