Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1916-11-17
Their Engagement
Was Not Broken
By F, a, mitchell

herself nv college aud after being
graduated engaged herself 10 Professor
Ernest Balllngcr, young man equally
brilliant aud whose specially was hi,
0logy, They had been engaged some
time when the professor received a
note from his ilancee asking to be re
leased from her engagement for the
reason that she had decided to study
4 profession and she considered Il
profession for n woman incompatible
with married life, Professor Balllnger
called upon her.
81 think It best" he said, that !
should release you"
There was n slight contraction Of
Dora's brows at this. She had asked
to be released, but preferred that she
should be required to struggle for her
freedom.
you agree with me, presume, that
professional woman has no business
to he marrlcd|
"My reason lies deeper than that"
replied the professor, unconsclously
falling into tone used IN lecturlng 10
his classes you are aware, | pre-
sumo, that there are cases Of effem-
macy In mon, Some psychologists hold
that this occurs from environment. |
do not admit this, consider It the
result of birth accident Such men are
born cffemln0te-that Is, they partake
mentally Of the nature Of the opposite
sex"
81 cannot see" interrupted Dora.
"what that has TO do with the matter
between us"
"Be patient, ana you will see. The
corresponding accident to this in wo-
men, vIraginity, renders n woman as
much OF freak Of nature as n man
who Is born cfIcmnate. Vlragnts take
up mems occupations naturally
"Do YOU mean to assert that all wo-
men who enter the field Of law, medl.
cine, business are viragintsf'
mo, but mean that viragnts natu-
rally turn TO mems occupations"
The views promulgated 10y her fance
were evidently not acceptable to Miss
Attcrbury. In her features was OK.
pressed opposition to his theory. min.
glcd with pain ut foresccing that he
was about TO apply It to herself
II do not agree with you in referring
these things to birth accident" she
said. II know a young man whose
only companion as n child was his sis
ter. He is very effcminate.
I'm this case possibly his ei'emlnacy
came from environment. but | doubt
1t. In the case Of women who possess
traits of men we have analogous cases
in certain birds. After certain age
the female assumes the plumage of the
male and will destroy the eggs OF her
species, This cannot result from en-
vronment, because environment could
not alter her plumage."
Miss Atterbury did not at all like
this result Of her announcement Of the
breaking of her engagement and the
reason she had given for breaking 1t.
She began to look troubled
THE upshot OF all this" she said, 81
presume, Is that | am freak Of ma
ture."
"That does not necessarily follow"
replied the professor imperturbably.
mot necessarily, but it is evident
from what you have said that you CON
slider me such"
"My views are not the views of all
psychologists, and not all women who
adopt mems pursuits are viragoes,
though | believe that most of them
arc"
"You have not answered my ques-
ton"
what question"
whether or not you regard me as n
freak"
"YOu did not ask such a question.
You said that you presumed the up
shot of my theory was that you were a
freak of nature"
DO you or DO you not so regard
me?'
my opinion can have no effect on
the truth. If your intention to take up
a profession is the result of birth acct.
lent, so be 1t. My dictum would not
prove or disprove the fact"
There was silence for some moments,
during which the young lady was alb
Eorbed in thought,
could you love such woman
freak?" she asked presently.
"Men love their opposites. No man
ran feel toward another man as to-
ward a woman"
at seems impossible" replied Dora,
with quivering lip, ito pin you down
to anything. If am one Of these hor-
rid freaks you speak Of, how is it that
you could have loved me thus far?"
"You forget that heretofore I have
not so considered you"
"But you do now?"
mot at all. Your desire to take up
a mans profession causes me to sus-
pect. Your taking up the profession
would be additional evidence. Your
the profession would-in
my opinion, mind you-be as good
proof as it is possible to attain in your
case"