trcse
 
 THE NEW WOMAN IN HUNTING COSTUME.
 
 IN 
 
 BLOOMERS 
 
 OR 
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 A NOVEL BY 
 
 GEORGE F. HALL. 
 
 AUTHOR OP "PLAIN POINTS." 
 
 GRACE WAS IN ALL HER STEPS, HEAVEN IN HER EYE, 
 IN EVERY GESTURE DIGNITY AND ,OVE."--MILTON. 
 
 AMERICAN BIBLE HOUSE: 
 
 CHICAGO, PHILADELPHIA, 8TOCKTOJJ. 
 
 1895.
 
 Copyrighted 1895 
 
 BY 
 
 LINCOLN W. WALTER. 
 
 All Rights Reserved.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Chapter I. My Outing at Spring Rock Villa 19 
 
 Chapter II. Grace Thorne at Home 45 
 
 Chapter III. A Quarrel with Mother Grundy 73 
 
 Chapter IV. An Affair of the Heart 97 
 
 Chapter V. A Memorable Gathering 123 
 
 Chapter VI. Diverging Paths 149 
 
 Chapter VII. A Woman s Plea for National Righteous 
 ness 177 
 
 Chapter VIII. Among the Rockies 203 
 
 Chapter IX. Disappointment 221 
 
 Chapter X. Under the Mistletoe 245
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Page. 
 The "New Woman" in Hunting Costume Frontispiece . 4 
 
 Girls Who Can Paddle Their Own Canoe 11 
 
 An Ideal Outing Place 23 
 
 Starting for the Wilds of Nature 27 
 
 The Offensive Costume How Made 31 
 
 She Was Certainly a Study, This Girl in Bloomers 37 
 
 Bloomers in the Home 47 
 
 Leading the Way to the Library 51 
 
 The New Woman Rides A-straddle 55 
 
 The Dinner Party 63 
 
 Proper Dress 67 
 
 Only the Rich and Refined 75 
 
 Sepulchers of Moral Filth 97 
 
 Gilded Dives 83 
 
 Vulgar Dress 87 
 
 Myers Bridge 101 
 
 Under a Tree 109 
 
 The Accomplished Musician 115 
 
 Chicago s Fairest Women 127 
 
 The Model Figure 135 
 
 The Dancing Party 141 
 
 A Relic of Slavery Times 151 
 
 Niagara Falls 157 
 
 They Rowed in Perfect Rhythm 163 
 
 The Railroad Magnate 171 
 
 The White House 181 
 
 Senate Chamber 191 
 
 River in Rocky Mountains 201
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 The Rejected Lover 225 
 
 Under the Mistletoe 253 
 
 Where Miss Thome is a Frequent Visitor 249 
 
 Skating in Bloomers 257 
 
 Home of Queen Victoria 261 
 
 The Model Children 269 
 
 Fully One-half the Women now Wear Bloomers 271
 
 HERE ARE GIRLS WHO CAN PADDLE THEIR OWN 
 
 CANOE.
 
 SUBJECTS DISCUSSED. 
 
 mESS REFORM. RELIGION. MARRIAGE. 
 
 DIETETICS. CO-EDUCATION. SOCIETY. 
 
 EQUAL SUFFRAGE. RACE QUESTION. DIVORCE. 
 
 PROHIBITION. ATHLETICS. BIMETALISM. 
 
 TOBACCO-SMOKING. MODERATE DRINKING.
 
 REFERENCES. 
 
 BURROWS. 
 
 INGALLS. 
 
 ROSSETTI. 
 
 BROOKS. 
 
 JOB. 
 
 RUSKIN. 
 
 BURKE. 
 
 JONSON. 
 
 ROGERS. 
 
 BEETHOVEN. 
 
 KELLOGG. 
 
 SHAKESPEARE 
 
 COWPERTHWAIT. 
 
 KITCHEN. 
 
 SIGOURNEY. 
 
 CAESAR. 
 
 LISTZ. 
 
 ST. JOHN. 
 
 CINDERELLA. 
 
 LONGFELLOW. 
 
 STANDARD. 
 
 DEPEW. 
 
 LEWIS. 
 
 SEWARD. 
 
 DORR. 
 
 LEOPOLD. 
 
 SHELLEY. 
 
 DIX. 
 
 LIVESET. 
 
 SUMNER. 
 
 DAVID. 
 
 LINCOLN. 
 
 STOWE. 
 
 ECOB. 
 
 LOWBER. 
 
 SIDNEY. 
 
 ELLIS. 
 
 LOWELL. 
 
 SOLOMON. 
 
 GOETHE. 
 
 MACAULAY. 
 
 SWIFT. 
 
 GARFIELD. 
 
 MILLER. 
 
 THOMSON. 
 
 GREELET. 
 
 MULOCK. 
 
 TENNYSON. 
 
 GOLDSMITH. 
 
 MADAME DE STAEL . 
 
 TAYLOR. 
 
 GLADSTONE 
 
 NAPOLEON. 
 
 WHITTIER. 
 
 HOLLAND. 
 
 OUSELET. 
 
 WILLARD. 
 
 HATES. 
 
 PAUL. 
 
 WEBSTER. 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 HOOD. 
 
 PHILLIPS. 
 
 WASHINGTON. 
 
 HAVERGAL. 
 
 PAYNE. 
 
 ZOLA.
 
 A STUDY IN BLOOMERS,
 
 A STUDY IN BLOOMERS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 MY OUTING AT SPRING ROCK VILLA. 
 
 "I know a spot where the wild vines creep, 
 
 And the coral moss-cups grow, 
 And where at the foot of the rocky steep, 
 The sweet blue violets grow." 
 
 JULIA C. R. DORR. 
 
 It was the fifth day of August, 1805. The summer 
 weeks had been excessively hot, and I was beginning 
 to feel worn and languid. Although but twenty-five 
 and unmarried,, T looked like an over-worked profes 
 sional man of middle age, who had long had the 
 cares of a large family and the drawbacks of a small 
 salary on his mind. And yet I was perfectly free 
 from wedlock, with no prospects, and my salary was 
 four thousand a year very good for a young man 
 only three years out of college. I was pastor of a 
 large and influential Chicago church, and, although 
 very pleasant, my work was very exacting. Hence I
 
 20 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 always looked forward anxiously to a six weeks va 
 cation each year, which my people were good enough 
 to allow. 
 
 "And where are you going this year, Doctor? had 
 been asked me so many times the past fortnight that 
 the clouds, and trees, and express wagons seemed 
 to be echoing and re-echoing the query. As usual, it 
 had been a difficult matter to decide, for there are sd 
 many nice resorts in this grand country of ours. But 
 I had finally concluded to spend the weeks quietly 
 at Spring Kock Villa, a beautiful country seat in 
 Northern Wisconsin, owned by one of my parishon- 
 ers, a wealthy banker. The family had very kindly 
 invited me to be their guest for the summer, and I 
 am a thousand times glad I accepted the invitation, 
 for it was there that I first saw the sweet girl in 
 bloomers who has transformed my life in more ways 
 than one. 
 
 After a somewhat tedious ride, I found myself at 
 my journey s end. It was evening, and, after a hearty 
 meal and luxurious bath, I retired. A good night s 
 rest, and I was ready to relish the bewildering beauty 
 of nature that everywhere presented itself. Spring 
 Rock Villa embraced several hundred acres, includ 
 ing a well-stocked farm. The buildings were all mod 
 ern, but unique in their architecture. The grounds 
 were exquisitely laid out, and cared for by an experi 
 enced gardener from the old country. Just back of 
 the villa were the hills, in which abounded game of
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 21 
 
 all kinds, and from which flowed a laughing stream. 
 A lake hard by, covering a thousand acres, with 
 sandy, pebbly shores and water clear as crystal, com 
 pleted the picture. Smithville, a town of 3,000 peo 
 ple, with excellent railroad connections and all mod 
 ern improvements, was only five miles away. Hence 
 from every standpoint of consideration, Spring Rock 
 Villa seemed to me an ideal place in which to take 
 one s outing. 
 
 I don t like watering places for vacation purposes. 
 There is too much buzz, and flurry, and sham. Give 
 me some quiet spot where nature has done her best 
 to provide every means of enjoyment, and where so 
 ciety has not yet secured a monopoly. 
 
 "Well, Doctor, we want you to make yourself at 
 home while here," said genial Banker Brown after 
 breakfast. "There are some good saddle horses in 
 the stable if you wish to ride. Or, you can take a 
 round on the lake in the electric boat if you prefer. 
 Do you ride a wheel?" 
 
 "No, I do not. That s one fad I ve never adopted, 
 Mr. Brown," said I. "There s an old saying that it s 
 better to be out of the world than out of fashion; but 
 I ve gotten along very well thus far without a bi 
 cycle, and I think I shall try and complete my course 
 wheelless." 
 
 "But have you gotten along so well, Doctor?" said 
 Mrs. Brown. "It seems to me that you are looking 
 quite thin. Perhaps if you had spent two or three
 
 22 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 hours daily on a bicycle during the season you would 
 be stronger to-day." 
 
 "Really, Mrs. Brown, do you think bicycle riding 
 beneficial to the health?" 
 
 "I cannot speak from experience," said the amiable 
 lady, "but the testimony of many of my friends who 
 are devoted to their wheels is all on one side of the 
 question. Now there is Grace Thorne, for instance. 
 Mr. Brown remembers that when she first came to 
 Smithville, four summers ago, she was pale and 
 weak; but now she is one of the handsomest creatures 
 I ever saw, and as strong as an ox, apparently. You 
 should see her spinning along the lane in her bloom 
 ers, Doctor. She is a perfect picture of health and 
 female loveliness if I ever saw one." 
 
 "Bloomers?" I gasped. "Mrs. Brown!" 
 
 The banker and his wife laughed heartily at my 
 expense. And then we calmly discussed the bloomer 
 question. To my amazement Mrs. Brown, whom 1 
 had always considered one of the most exemplary 
 ladies of my parish, was an all-round enthusiast on 
 the new woman hobby. But Mr. Brown shared my 
 conservatism. We seriously questioned the woman 
 liness of bicycle riding at all on the part of the 
 gentler sex, much less the wearing of bloomers. 
 
 "I am certainly surprised," said my hostess, "that 
 you should be opposed to progress, Doctor. Why, the 
 bicycle is one of the greatest hygienic inventions of 
 this century. It has already accomplished won-
 
 AN IDEAL PLACE IN WHICH TO TAKE ONE S OUTING, 
 Page 21.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 25 
 
 X 
 
 ders for both sexes, and I feel confident that its day 
 of usefulness has only dawned. It stands for broader 
 shoulders, firmer muscles and more powerful chests. 
 To me a shining wheel suggests a glow of health. 
 Were I not so old I should have a bicycle before Sat 
 urday night." 
 
 "Your enthusiasm is invigorating, Mrs. Brown," 
 said I. "But do not learned physicians condemn the 
 wheel, especially for women?" 
 
 "Oh, yes. Learned physicians condemn every 
 thing, some of them. But there are physicians and 
 physicians. I do not think it can be proven that the 
 highest medical authorities are against bicycling for 
 women. How dare they in the face of facts? You 
 know that Gil Bias says Facts are stubborn things, 
 and the facts are that the wheel is proving an inesti 
 mable boon to woman. But come, Doctor, we can 
 argue at some other time. You are doubtless anx 
 ious to take a stroll through the hills, so we will not 
 detain you longer. We lunch at one; or, if you prefer 
 to carry a little lunch with you, and not return till 
 later in the day, I will instruct the butler to pre 
 pare a basket for you." 
 
 "Thank you, Mrs. Brown. I believe I ll take a lunch 
 and spend the day in the hills." 
 
 And so, basket in hand, and a gun on my shou-lder, 
 I started for the wilds of nature. I was not much of 
 a hunter, but nevertheless liked the sport of an oc 
 casional shot. During the day I bagged a few squir-
 
 26 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 rels and quails. At noon I found a pleasant nook far 
 up among the hills, and deep in the recesses of rocks 
 and trees. There by a cool, sparkling spring I sat 
 down and enjoyed my lunch. With only a bird dog 
 for a companion, I thus spent many a pleasant day, 
 till I had grown quite strong. My skin was as brown 
 as a berry, and my appetite as vigorous as a har 
 vester s. F rced from the busy cares of life, my jaded 
 energies were speedily rejuvenated, and being be 
 came a pleasure rather than a task. An annual va 
 cation is a religious duty. 
 
 Three weeks had ilown by, and, although we had 
 had numerous discussions, Mrs. Brown had not yet 
 convinced me as to the utility of bicycles, nor the 
 beauty of bloomers. 
 
 "Just wait till you see Grace Thome," she had said 
 several times, "and you will undergo a change of 
 heart." 
 
 Miss Thorne was the daughter of a well-to-do 
 tradesman in Smith ville, where she was the idol of 
 the town, because of her many excellent qualities 
 and deeds of mercy. At least Mrs. Brown said so. 
 But I feared she might be mistaken in this, as in the 
 question of wheels and bloomers. Miss Thome, al 
 though but twenty-four, was a leader among her sex 
 in Smithville, and had been sent to Boston as a dele 
 gate to some sort of a reform convention just a day 
 before my arrival at the villa. She had tarried a few- 
 days in Ohio to visit relatives on her return home-
 
 AND SO, BASKET IN HAND, AND A GUN ON MY 
 SHOULDED, I STARTED FOR THE WILDS OF NA 
 TURE. Page 25.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 29 
 
 ward, and hence the delay. Mrs. Brown was her in 
 timate friend, and it was with no little interest that 
 I finally began to look for her advent. As to match 
 making, I well knew that my kind hostess had no de 
 signs, for she was above such contemptuous foolish 
 ness. It would have done little good anyhow, for I 
 felt myself to be woman-proof. I had had several 
 little love experiences in college, and had become 
 hardened. I was sure that I was wedded to my pro 
 fession, and did not care for any other bride. 
 
 It was Tuesday evening. I was just returning 
 from a day on the lake. With fishing tackle, and a 
 nice mess of bass, I was plodding carelessly down the 
 lane, when what should I see but a bicyclist ap 
 proaching from the direction of Smithville. And she 
 was dressed in bloomers! Often on the boulevards 
 in Chicago I had observed similar sights, but always 
 with a feeling that my good sense of the delicate had 
 been outraged. But not so this time. The lady ap 
 proaching was soon beside me, and in a moment had 
 passed on, her bright wheel spinning her along at the 
 rate of ten miles or so an hour. Above the average in 
 height, well rounded in form, with snowy neck and 
 rosy cheeks, whoever it was, she presented a vision of 
 loveliness, thought I. And I was not long in con 
 cluding that if that were Miss Thorne, I should like 
 to make her acquaintance right soon, bloomers or no 
 bloomers. 
 
 I quickened my pace and was soon at the villa.
 
 30 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 Depositing my game with the butler, I repaired to my 
 room, attired myself for dinner, and innocently made 
 my way to the parlor. 
 
 "Ah, Doctor, I did not know that yon had arrived," 
 said Mrs. Brown. "Allow me to present yon to my 
 friend, Miss Thome, Rev. Dr. Charlton. 
 
 To my utter bewilderment, the fair young lady was 
 still attired in her bloomers. I do not know jnst how 
 I had expected her to make a change, for certainly 
 our hostess, being a very stout old lady, could not 
 have supplied her with a suitable gown ; and yet I ex 
 pected to see her in a different garb from the one 
 worn on the wheel. But, no; there she sat in bloom 
 ers of the regulation pattern. The offensive costume 
 was made of rich, dark velvet, cut quite full, and 
 gathered neatly just below the knee, thus leaving ex 
 posed a plump calf and delicately moulded ankle, 
 for the boots were low-cut, and there were no leg 
 gings. The waist was made of changeable silk, with 
 the usual large sleeves. Save a little diamond which 
 scintillated at her pretty neck, and a single ring on 
 her left third finger, she wore no ornaments. A heavy 
 fold of dark brown hair was coyously draped over 
 each little pink ear, while from beneath long lashes 
 a pair of deep blue eyes shot glances of penetrating 
 intelligence. Verily here was a typical woma.Ta tf liar; 
 new school, and before we had conversed long I found 
 myself absorbingly interested. I forgot all about her 
 bloomers, until we arose to go out to dinner. With
 
 THE OFFENSIVE COSTUME WAS MADE OF RICH 
 DARK VELVET, CUT QUITE FULL AND GATHERED 
 NEATLY AT THE KNEE. Page 30
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 33 
 
 sensations better imagined than described, I stilled 
 my prejudice and offered my arm. So accustomed 
 all my life to heavy skirts and long trails, I felt al 
 most like apologizing for being in the presence of a 
 woman who seemed only half dressed. And yet there 
 was something that said to my inner consciousness, 
 This is all very sensible and very nice. Five feet 
 eight if an inch, one hundred and fifty pounds if an 
 ounce, perfectly proportioned, and as light on her 
 feet as a feather to walk beside her gave me a pe 
 culiar sense of exalted manhood. Instinctively I rea 
 soned to myself, why cannot all women be so? It seems 
 so much better than to be little, and pale, and doll- 
 like. I had always imagined that the new woman 
 must be indelicate; but here was a woman as delicate 
 as anybody s sister dare be, and yet apparently strong 
 enough to wrestle with a giant. 
 
 As the meal progressed the conversation turned 
 from fishing tackle, guns, and dogs, to bicycling and 
 dress reform. It was a hobby with Mrs. Brown, and 
 as her fair guest had just returned from a great new- 
 woman convention, it was very natural that we 
 should all discuss the subject. 
 
 "And you are still as much in love with your bi 
 cycle as ever, Miss Thome?" inquired Mr. Brown, 
 with a side glance full of merriment. 
 
 "Oh, indeed," she replied. "If possible, more so. My 
 wheel is a true friend, and I m sure I would be lost 
 without it."
 
 34 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 "Did you see much riding East?" continued the 
 banker. 
 
 "More than ever before. The well-paved cities 
 seemed to literally swarm with bicycles, and ladies 
 and gentlemen of every station might be seen spin 
 ning here and there on their wheels, some in the pur 
 suit of pleasure, some of business. But whatever the 
 motive, no one can say the riders were not the health 
 ier and happier for their riding. The increase in the 
 bicycle trade has been phenomenal, Mr. Brown. I am 
 informed that some of the large firms are compelled 
 to run day and night in order to fill their orders. In 
 some cities the street car companies are complaining 
 bitterly against the so-called bicycle fad, because the 
 growing custom of riding to and from the office and 
 shop on wheels has cut down their receipts heavily. 
 And the livery men are also complaining. In fact, it 
 is now quite generally admitted that the growth of 
 bicycling has much to do with the low price of horses. 
 Mr. Chauncey Depew recently predicted the practical 
 annihilation of the horse trade." 
 
 "But do you not think it is a fad that, like the 
 skating rink craze of a few years ago, will shortly 
 run its course? I asked. 
 
 "Not at all," she replied. "The skating rink had 
 very little to commend it, and much to condemn it. 
 But the wheel has very much to commend it, and 
 practically nothing to condemn it. It is a time- 
 saver, and if one must keep a horse, also a money-
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 35 
 
 saver, for the wheel needs no corn and oats, and no 
 groom. It is a health-giver, as many an overworked 
 professional man and woman can testify. Used to 
 excess, as it has been in a few instances perhaps, the 
 wheel has not been helpful. But on the whole, I do 
 not see how any competent critic can but pronounce 
 the bicycle an epoch-making invention. Zola, the 
 celebrated French author, who, if not the most 
 moral, is one of the most prolific writers of the cen 
 tury, rides a bicycle. In a recent interview he said : 
 I ride a bicycle for exercise. I am a great believer 
 in the healthful influence of the bicycle. Within 
 fifty years I believe it will be considered a necessity 
 in every household. All will ride, father, mother, 
 daughters and sons. If the perpetual candidate for 
 the French Academy should come to New York, 
 which he threatens to do, he would find his prophecy 
 largely fulfilled already." 
 
 Her easy, pointed talk charmed me. It was so dif 
 ferent from the little nothings I had been in the 
 habit of expecting from society ladies. She was cer 
 tainly a study, this girl in bloomers. She was jovial, 
 but not silly; well-informed, but not affected; cor 
 dial, but not soft. I had alwaj s been opposed to 
 bicycling on general principles, especially on the 
 part of ladies. But after this fair-minded and ex 
 haustive deliverance there seemed absolutely noth 
 ing to say, and I very properly held my tongue. The 
 plates had just been removed, and the dessert
 
 36 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 brought in. Dallying over his coffee, Mr. Brown 
 finally startled me from a gentle reverie in which I 
 saw bicycles, street-cars, horses, and fat corporation 
 presidents, by putting our talented guest another 
 question, more startling to me than the first one, and 
 yet more interesting. Again he shot me a merry 
 glance from the corner of his mischievous eye. 
 
 "And what have you to say for bloomers, Miss 
 Thome?" 
 
 "Ah, Mr. Brown," she replied, with a most win 
 some smile, "bloomers are my hobby. It is the most 
 sensible idea in woman s dress that has been ad 
 vanced in centuries." 
 
 "Why do you think so?" 
 
 "For several reasons. First, because bloomers do 
 not impede the movement of the wearer like skirts. 
 Any form of dress that impedes in getting about 
 ought to be forever discarded. Just think of women 
 wearing heavy skirts that hang in multitudinous 
 folds about their limbs. It is no wonder they cannot 
 walk, or run, or fence, or ride properly, or do any 
 thing that requires action as well as men. But with 
 bloomers, it is as easy for women to climb the hills, 
 or row, or ride a wheel, or wrestle, or jump as her 
 brothers. In the second place, bloomers are more 
 healthful. They are light and airy, and feel good on 
 the wearer, while skirts are a constant drag, drag, 
 drag, and whether supported from the hips or shoul 
 ders, they are an intolerable and inexcusable nui-
 
 SHE WAS CERTAINLY A STUDY, THIS GIRL IN 
 BLOOMERS. SHE WAS JOVIAL, BUT NOT SILLY; 
 WELL INFORMED, BUT NOT AFFECTED; CORDIAL, 
 BUT NOT SOFT. Page 35.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 39 
 
 sance, causing or aggravating an innumerable num 
 ber of diseases peculiar to the gentler sex. It is well 
 known that specialists thrive to-day on diseases of 
 women. Half their receipts would be cut off, were 
 skirts abolished. They are not only disease-pro 
 ducers, but disease-carriers. Trailing the dusts of 
 the street, they gather disease germs and carry them 
 into the home in thousands of instances. 
 
 "In the third place, bloomers are less expensive. 
 It takes eight yards or more to make a skirt properly, 
 while one-half the amount will suffice for bloomers. 
 And this is a big item with the million. In the 
 fourth place, bloomers add to a woman s charms. In 
 all ages a woman s form has been the artist s ideal 
 of beauty. If it is true that art is a developer, then 
 it is a sin against art and beauty to completely en 
 shroud woman s lower limbs, w r hich constitute one of 
 her chiefest charms. Bloomers have been called 
 vulgar. If so, then art is vulgar. To the pure all 
 things are pure. It would not be wise to trust very 
 far those who condemn bloomers because they ex 
 pose the form more perfectly than skirts. No, from 
 every standpoint, of consideration, bloomers are bet 
 ter than skirts, and I am glad to believe they have 
 come to stay. Already thousands of our best ladies 
 are wearing them on their wheels and in the gym 
 nasium, while a few have adopted them as their con 
 stant habit. It is only a question of time when skirts 
 will be curiosities of the barbarous past." 
 
 "Bravo!" exclaimed the banker s wife.
 
 40 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 "Well, why don t you wear em?" said the banker. 
 
 "For the same reason that many others do not, I 
 suppose Mother Grundy. Few women are so brave 
 and capable as our dear Miss Thorne. Consequently 
 the reform moves too slowly. You remember, Mr. 
 Brown, that when this sweet girl first appeared on 
 the streets of Smithville on her bicycle, the gossips 
 fed upon her in fiendish delight, for she was the first 
 lady in the city to ride. But now hundreds ride, and 
 it is thought quite proper." 
 
 "And I am now undergoing a similar experience 
 with my bloomers, Mrs. Brown," said Miss Thorne, 
 laughing, "and the gentlemen can depend upon it 
 that it will end in a similar triumph for the right and 
 sensible. I believe I am so far the only lady in our 
 town to wear bloomers habitually, but this will not 
 be so long. Many of our fair young girls may be seen 
 donned in bloomers of evenings when riding their 
 wheels. By the way, I ran across a nice little edi 
 torial in the Boston Standard yesterday which I cut 
 out and put in my portmanteau on purpose for you, 
 Mrs. Brown. I feel sure that you will be delighted 
 with it, and if you will excuse me one moment I will 
 get it and read it to the gentlemen at this stage of 
 the discussion." 
 
 Returning, she read as follows: 
 
 "That the ordinary dress worn by women is en 
 tirely unsuitable for the bicycle goes without saying. 
 In the attempt to find a garb which will allow the
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 41 
 
 rider the necessary freedom of action, and yet pre 
 serve the proprieties, many monstrosities have been 
 produced; but these defective dresses will disappear 
 in the process of time, and good taste will find a way 
 to unite utility and propriety in some general style 
 of garments to which the majority of lady bicyclists 
 will conform. 
 
 "Even then some of these public howlers will ob 
 ject to the bicycle for women unless it can be rigged 
 with a side-saddle and its power for health and rec 
 reation practical \y destroyed. We have here a rem 
 nant of the old superstition about woman s sphere 
 which ought to have no influence in this day of intelli 
 gent and broad-minded consideration of all social 
 and moral questions. 
 
 "These antediluvian objectors need to be tanght 
 that character is in the individual and not in the 
 dress, and that it is more clearly revealed by manner 
 than by garments. A modest woman will not lose 
 her modesty because she gets out of the corsets and 
 stays, the tight boots and heavy skirts, which have 
 crippled her body and hampered her activity so long, 
 and puts on garments which allow the freedom of ac 
 tion which God intended the human body to have 
 when He put it together. 
 
 "The present trend toward open air sports is a 
 hopeful sign. The mingling of the sexes in whole 
 some exercise will do much to prevent the evils which 
 croaking objectors fear. We need an advance and
 
 42 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 not a retreat. When sex ceases to become empha 
 sized in dress, the baser passions will have less 
 stimulus. When men and women forget sex differ 
 ences in the common comradeship which is possible 
 between intellectual and social equals, unless the 
 whole plan of human life is a bungle, we shall have 
 less occasion to build a wall around chastity." 
 
 "Already the light is breaking. It will not be long 
 till skirts are relegated to the garret." 
 
 "Heaven grant it," said Mrs. Brown, who always 
 carried piety into her reforms. "When that day 
 comes, I ll wear bloomers, too." 
 
 And the banker roared with laughter. We all re 
 turned to the parlor, where the conversation merged 
 into other subjects, and after a pleasant hour, we 
 bade each other good- night and retired to our rooms. 
 When I arose the next morning and appeared at 
 breakfast, the object of my study had been gone an 
 hour. She was an early riser, while I was from long 
 habit a late one. I felt that I had suffered a real loss 
 in her departure. But Mrs. Brown assured ine that 
 we should see her often, as she considered the dis 
 tance from Smithville a mere step, and was in the 
 habit of running out frequently. And she did. One 
 day she visited us and remained several hours, and 
 we took a ride on the lake together. We became 
 well-acquainted, and it was therefore quite natural 
 that I should receive an invitation to visit her at her 
 home before my return to the city.
 
 GRACE THORNE AT HOME.
 
 CHAPTER IL 
 
 GRACE THORNE AT HOME. 
 
 "Home is the resort 
 Of love, of joy, of peace, of plenty; where, 
 Supporting and supported, polished friends 
 And dear relations mingle into bliss." 
 
 THOMSON. 
 
 My six weeks at the Villa had passed all too 
 quickly. In an ideal spot I had led an ideal life. 
 Hence it was with regret that I began to think of my 
 close quarters in the city, and the hum-drum life that 
 I must lead within its walls. But such is life. Where 
 duty calls the true man will always respond. Six 
 weeks in the bosom of nature had enlarged my man 
 hood, and I felt equal to any task. 
 
 It was Thursday afternoon. I was to spend the 
 evening with Miss Thome at her home, and leave on 
 the following day for the city. As I dressed for the 
 occasion, my thoughts were busy, as they had been 
 more or less for three weeks, studying this new 
 woman whom I was about to visit in her native lairs. 
 She was so different from other women, and yet so 
 like what a woman ought to be. Certainly I was not 
 interested in her more than a mere acknowledgment
 
 46 THE MODERN NEW WOMAN. 
 
 of this. And yet, somehow I was sorry that I had to 
 leave her, and fondly hoped that it would not be long 
 till I could see her again. 
 
 Still, I was not quite sure that I liked her. I felt 
 morally certain that her pronounced notions on the 
 new woman question were repulsive to me, and yet I 
 could not tell exactly why. But I feared I would 
 find her somewhat loud and stern in the home. Cer 
 tainly a w r oman who wore bloomers and attended 
 dress reform conventions could not be otherwise. I 
 was born and brought up in Kentucky, where woman 
 is almost the idol of the gallant men. My mother 
 and sisters were representatives of their sex in gen 
 tleness and refinement along every standard line. 
 How this fair Wisconsin lass would shock their 
 precious sensibilities! thought I. And yet why? In 
 three weeks I had not heard her say nor seen her do 
 a single indelicate thing. After all, was it not Dame 
 Fashion who ruled opinion, and was not the aristo 
 cratic old thing wrong herself? 
 
 Mrs. Brown drove me over in her light phaeton 
 and chaperoned me to the very door of the Thorne 
 residence. Then with kindly apologies she excused 
 herself from accepting Miss Grace s cordial invita 
 tion to remain, saying that she had several errands 
 to attend to, and promising to send a carriage for me 
 at 10 o clock. 
 
 The Thorne residence was a plain but roomy old 
 cottage located in the center of a five-acre plot at the
 
 BUT FEARED I WOULD FIND HER SOMEWHAT LOUD 
 AND STERN IN THE HOME, Page 46.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 49 
 
 edge of town. The grounds were well kept, and 
 abounded in beautiful shade and fruit trees, shrub 
 bery, blue grass lawns, and winding gravel drives. 
 Within were marks of good taste everywhere to be 
 seen. Nothing ostentatious or stiff, but a general 
 air of quiet, sensible refinement. I was ushered into 
 the parlor and shown to an easy chair. Miss Thorne 
 threw open the blinds, gave the lace curtains a little 
 touch or two, and then seated herself on a low divan 
 just opposite me. 
 
 "I like the sunshine," said she, pleasantly. "It s 
 good medicine. I never could bear a close room, 
 with no sunshine to brighten its dreary recesses. 
 How have you enjoyed your vacation, Doctor?" 
 
 "Very much, indeed," I replied. "Spring Rock 
 Villa is a delightful place, and the Browns are most 
 hospitable and kind. I have gained several pounds 
 in flesh, and acquired a genuine Mexican tan." 
 
 "Good!" exclaimed my fair friend, clapping her 
 hands. "How happy and natural it is to be health 
 ful. So many professional people seem to think it 
 incompatible to be well. I trust you may never fall 
 into that error." 
 
 "But one cannot always be well ?" I questioned. 
 
 "Why not? Disease is abnormal. If the human 
 family would live normally there would be little 
 disease. But with our present habits of diet, dress, 
 rest and exercise, little wonder that half the race is 
 sick and the other half complaining. I believe it is
 
 60 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 Helen Gilbert Ecob who says, It is false civilization 
 which brings the refinements of disease . And she 
 is right. Especially is this true with reference to 
 my own sex. There is a popular notion that it is 
 natural for woman to be sickly. It is a pernicious 
 fallacy. The term weaker vessel is wrested from 
 its true meaning, and woman is practically pro 
 hibited from being strong. It is a sad mistake, Doc 
 tor, and it is high time that we were awaking from 
 such unreasonable conclusions. By the way, per 
 haps you would like to see the library? Then let us 
 step in, and I will call your attention to a quotation 
 or two from some of my authorities/ as you ministers 
 say." 
 
 And she led the way to the library, a cosy room on 
 the ground floor at the left of the main entrance to 
 the house. As we passed across the hall I observed 
 that my stud} 7 , as I had begun to call her in my own 
 mind, was still arrayed in bloomers. Not the heavy, 
 velvet ones she had worn on the road, but a garment 
 made out of some light, fluffy material. Her hose 
 were evidently of silk, while a pair of dainty slippers 
 had taken the place of her boots. Her step was as 
 light as a fairy s, and her general air one of ease and 
 contentment. It was refreshing. 
 
 "What a pleasant room!" I exclaimed, as we passed 
 into the library. 
 
 "Yes, I think so," said she. "I spend many delight 
 ful hours here. I like books, and a few flowers in
 
 AND SHE LED THE WAY TO THE LIBRARY, A COZY 
 ROOM ON THE GROUND FLOOR Page 50.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 53 
 
 summer, and a glowing grate in winter adds greatly 
 to their charm I think. This is the dearest room 
 about the house to me. Who was it that wrote that 
 little couplet 
 
 "No little room so warm and bright, 
 Wherein to read, wherein to write?" 
 
 Tennyson, I believe. I m sure you clergymen can ap 
 preciate the sentiment, for you are men of culture. 
 Have this chair. Now let me see: I wanted to cite 
 you to a remark of Prof. Cowperthwait s on this 
 woman question in w r hich you have shown so much 
 interest. He says: The fact that the female is 
 physically inferior to the male is not due so much to 
 her natural organization as to the fact that the mode 
 of life which modern society forces upon her is un 
 natural, and begets physical degeneration. It is only 
 when the deteriorating influence of refined society 
 begins to operate that we find the physical organiza 
 tion of the female depreciating, and her powers of 
 endurance, as well as her capacity of resisting dis 
 ease, becoming inferior to those of the male . In 
 stead of refined society I would have said what is 
 called refined society. A truly conducted society 
 would give to woman those equal advantages with 
 man which must be allowed before she can be as 
 strong. Dr. Kellogg is right when he says: I can 
 see no reason why a well-developed woman may not 
 equal in endurance a mail of the same size and de-
 
 54 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 velopmont. The groat trouble to-day is that most 
 womeu seem to regard themselves as pre-ordained 
 to hysterics, tears, and nervous prostration . She 
 rarely attempts any exercise or work that involves 
 an honest outlay of muscle, and hence she remains 
 comparatively feeble and subject to all sorts of physi 
 cal ailments. I believe in a thorough-going equality 
 of the sexes, Doctor, and the world will never be what 
 it is capable of being and ought to be till we have it." 
 
 "But, Miss Thorne, is there not a serious danger 
 that woman will become masculanized? 1 said I. 
 
 "Xo more than that men will become femininized, 
 said she, earnestly. "This idea that the new woman 
 must necessarily be masculine is all talk, and ema 
 nates from disorganized brains I fear. And yet I 
 grant } ou that some silly girls have given cause for 
 complaint by their ridiculous imitation of man s 
 dress, the wearing of vests, starched shirt fronts, 
 male neck-ties, derby hats, etc. Such creatures are 
 not representatives of the new womanhood for which 
 we are praying, but rather the caricature of it. It 
 is unfair to those of us who are pleading for a genu 
 ine, all-around womanhood to hold up these gum- 
 chewing, giggling, man-aping specimens of a de 
 praved fad as the outcome of our efforts. And it is 
 unjust to blame all equal rights advocates for the 
 presence in the world now r and then of an iron-willed, 
 coarse, rule-or-ruin-spirited woman. There have al 
 ways been chicken-hearted men, and there will al-
 
 
 10U MUST KNOW THAT THE NEW WOMAN RIDES 
 A STRADDLE. Page 57.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 57 
 
 ways be donkey-hearted women I suppose ; but both 
 are excrescences, and should not be taken as repre 
 sentatives. But come, Doctor, let us take a stroll 
 through the garden." 
 
 "With pleasure," said I. 
 
 She donned a light summer hat, and gaily led the 
 way. We wandered aimlessly among the trees and 
 flowers, now stopping to examine some choice shrub, 
 or to enjoy the fragrance of some favorite blossom. 
 Meanwhile my lady talked fluently, never tiring. 
 And I was amazed at her knowledge of botany. She 
 knew the name of every plant, and could analyze 
 with the skill of a professor. Upon reaching the 
 stables in the course of our saunterings, I was again 
 surprised to see my study enter the stalls and pet 
 the horses. She knew each animal by name, and pat 
 ted their respective necks and stroked their manes 
 with the delight of a child. 
 
 "Do you ride horse-back, Miss Thorne?" I asked. 
 
 "Oh, certainly," said she. "But not upon the cus 
 tomary side-saddle. It may shock you, Doctor, but 
 you must know that the new woman rides a-straddle. 
 I use a common saddle, and can manage a horse as 
 well as the most dexterous cow-boy, I fancy." 
 
 "A-straddle!" I exclaimed, and I felt almost like 
 apologizing for using such indelicate words. "Why, 
 Miss Thorne?" 
 
 "Because it s sensible. W T hy should a woman ride 
 otherwise? It s barbarous no, it is worse than that,
 
 58 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 for barbarous women do not ride sideways. I do not 
 know who invented such a custom, but it certainly 
 has no place in this enlightened age. But it s a 
 necessary accompaniment of skirts. Side saddles 
 are both ugly and dangerous, but they are a neces 
 sity so long as women wear skirts. With bloomers 
 one can ride in the only natural and sensible way, a- 
 straddle. I have been riding so two years or more. 
 At first the neighbors were dazed, and hopelessly in 
 quired of each other, What will that girl do next? 
 But they gradually became accustomed to it, other 
 ladies joined the procession, and now it is quite com 
 mon in Smithville to see ladies riding a-straddle. II 
 is strange to me, Doctor, that so progressive a people 
 as Americans should tolerate so many heathenish 
 customs." 
 
 "Yes, very strange," said I, for I did not know what 
 else to say. 
 
 Returning toward the house, we came to a large 
 open space, surrounded by rustic seats and great 
 shade trees. 
 
 "Ah, here s our exercise grounds," explained Miss 
 Thorne in answer to my questioning look. "Sister 
 and I spend an hour here each day. We used to have 
 rare sport here together before brother married and 
 moved to the city. He was very muscular a splen 
 did athlete. And yet, Doctor, I beg leave to inform 
 you that he could excel me in very few feats." 
 
 And by way of illustration she picked up a pole
 
 AND BY WAY OP ILLUSTRATION, SHE PICKED UP A 
 POLE AND VAULTED. Page 58.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 61 
 
 and vaulted fully eight feet. And then she put the 
 iron shot a phenomenally long distance. Gathering 
 up a heavy pair of dumb-bells she twirled them a few 
 times about her head, and then, scratching a mark 
 with the toe of her slipper, jumped farther than I 
 could have done to save my life, and when in college 
 I had prided myself somewhat in this art. She ban 
 tered me for a foot race, but I blushingly protested, 
 urging that I had no reputation as a sprinter. 
 
 "But I see you have a fine tennis court," said I. 
 "Suppose we try ouv hands at a game of tennis?" 
 
 "Agreed!" 
 
 But she beat me bidly. 
 
 At last we found ourselves in the parlor again, and 
 although my study seemed as fresh and sprightly as 
 when we started on our jaunt, I felt quite weary, and 
 glad of an opportunity to rest. Perhaps the many 
 surprises of the hour had had as much to do with 
 fatiguing me as the exercise; I shall not say. But 
 at any rate the easy chair felt good, and I remembered 
 that I had an appetite. 
 
 "Now, Doctor, you will excuse me please," said my 
 gifted entertainer, as she handed me a late magazine. 
 "1 must go and help about dinner." 
 
 And before I could recover my senses she had gone 
 like a flash of sunshine. The room actually seemed 
 dark, and I wondered whether my fair enchantress 
 were not a hypnotist. Help about the dinner? Is 
 that a part of the code of this new womanhood?
 
 52 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 thought I. Well, if so, all hail! For it is an axiom 
 that the nearest route to man s heart is through his 
 stomach, and it is a well known fact that the average 
 domestic never reaches the heart in that way. 
 
 Promptly at seven dinner was announced. Mr. 
 Thome had left his store at six. I was favorably im 
 pressed with both himself and his sweet-faced com 
 panion. Mrs. Thome was fifty, I judged, and as per 
 fect a specimen of well-rounded womanhood as one 
 often meets. The younger daughter, Miss Joseph 
 ine, was a close imitation of her sister, though not so 
 mature and self-poised. It was an interesting fam 
 ily, and the dinner hour was pleasantly spent. 
 
 "Will you have another piece of cake?" said Misa 
 Grace, just as we were concluding the sixth and last 
 course. 
 
 "Upon one consideration," said I. 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 "That you inform me who made it." 
 
 "With pleasure. I did." 
 
 T expected her to apologize, and say that it was 
 not as good as she had hoped. But she did nothing 
 of the kind. She was the most unusual girl I had 
 ever met. 
 
 "You probably observed that our menu was very 
 plain, Doctor," continued Miss Grace. "We are all 
 enthusiasts over plain, wholesome food. We are par 
 ticular as to what we eat, and as to how it is cooked. 
 The quantity is a minor consideration. Papa does
 
 PROMPTLY AT SEVEN DINNER WAS SERVED, 
 Page 62.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 65 
 
 all the marketing, and he will pardon me for saying 
 in his presence that he is a wise and careful pur 
 chaser. He buys nothing simply because it is cheap. 
 And when it comes to the preparation of what he 
 buys for the table, I guess that mamma, sister and I 
 are about equally matched in ability. Sometimes one 
 oversees the cooking, and sometimes another. We 
 never trust Bridget alone. Cookery is a fine art, and 
 we think should be studied as such. Poor cookery is 
 a very prolific cause of disease." 
 
 "And divorce," added Mr. Thorne. "Sad biscuits 
 have caused many a sad home. I am proud to say 
 that my daughters are both excellent cooks, Doctor. 
 Their mother trained them religiously in the art, and 
 whether it falls to their lot to bake a cake or turn a 
 steak, they can do it as nicely as any chef. And then 
 they have studied dietetics. I am a firm believer in 
 the theory that we can make or unmake disease by 
 the food we eat. For instance, when I was a boy I 
 used to eat pork and buckwheat all winter. The re 
 sult was thick blood and boils in the spring. Now I 
 eat no pork, and, in fact, very little meat of any kind. 
 While not strictly a vegetarian, I am very partial to 
 cereals. We eat plentifully of fruit, nuts and vege 
 tables. Hence wife and I have passed the dead line 
 of fifty in the primest of health, and, barring acci 
 dents, we fully expect to cover another half century 
 each before we depart this life." 
 
 "All you say sounds reasonable," said I. "But I
 
 66 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 confess tli.it I have never given these questions ranch 
 attention." 
 
 "But pardon me, Doctor, you should do so," con 
 tinued the old gentleman pleasantly. "Ministers, as 
 a rule, are the hardest worked of an} 7 professional 
 class, and perhaps oftenest break down in health. I 
 have been long persuaded that it is not work that 
 kills so much as improper habits of life. Poorly se 
 lected and still more poorly cooked food, irregular 
 hours, worry here lies the cause of the majority of 
 break-downs. There are about 350 colleges in this 
 country. Could I have my way I should establish a 
 school of cookery in connection with each, and then, 
 rich or poor, high or low, every student should be 
 compelled to give this grave subject due considera 
 tion. Had I a dozen daughters, I should feel that 
 their education w r as incomplete till every one had 
 learned to do well everything in the kitchen, from 
 scrubbing the floor to making a bridal cake." 
 
 "I am very much interested in what you say, Mr. 
 Thorne," I replied, "and I promise you that I will 
 think seriously on this subject. There is undoubtedly 
 more in it than the average student imagines." 
 
 Dinner over, we all repaired to the parlor. I ob 
 served that the younger of the daughters also wore 
 bloomers like her sister. And she was almost as at 
 tractive. My antipathy was fast fading away, and I 
 began to feel more bold in discussing the theme. Mrs. 
 Thorne did not wear bloomers. I wondered why, and 
 so inquired, somewhat shyly:
 
 A STYLE OP DRESS CONSIDERED QUITE PROPER 
 THESE DAYS. Page 69.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 69 
 
 "You have not abandoned the custom of our moth 
 ers with references to skirts, I see, Mrs. Thome." 
 
 "No, but I should be only too glad to do so. Mrs. 
 Brown and I have often considered the matter, but as 
 yet we have been too timid to dare it. I trust the 
 day is not far distant when women can dress sensibly 
 without exciting comment." 
 
 "By the way, Doctor," said Miss Grace, "I presume 
 you remember how the lords of Chicago not long ago 
 ruled that a lady in bloomers was a proper subject 
 for arrest if seen on the streets of that pure-eyed 
 city? What a travesty on justice! But the world is 
 advancing. Only a few years ago a lady was ar 
 rested in a Western city for wearing a Mother Hub- 
 bard, now a style of dress that is considered quite 
 proper. It is only a question of time when we will 
 emerge from the dark ages on this subject of dress, 
 and then the world will be better." 
 
 "All of which is very good and true," remarked Mr. 
 Thome. "But perhaps the Doctor would enjoy a lit 
 tle music, daughters?" 
 
 "Most assuredly," said I. 
 
 And without the customary begging, the young 
 ladies stepped to the piano. Miss Grace acted as ac 
 companist and also took the soprano part in a clear, 
 rich voice, while Miss Josephine sang the alto and 
 turned the leaves. Several duets were rendered most 
 charmingly, and then Miss Grace played some from 
 Beethoven and Liszt. I had heard great performers,
 
 70 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 but none who so enlisted my sympathies. She played 
 without affectation, as she did everything else, but 
 with a soul-power and faultlessness of technique that 
 astonished me. Here was a girl that seemed to be 
 equally at home in the library, the lawn, the kitchen 
 and the parlor. And she was no novice. Few could 
 equal her in whatever she undertook. This was de 
 lightful, and I secretly prayed, oh, Lord, give this 
 poor old world more like her, bloomers and all! 
 
 Arising from the instrument, she tarried awhile 
 at her father s side, throwing her pretty arm around 
 his neck and gently toying with his curly gray locks 
 as only a loving daughter can toy, and presently re 
 sumed her place on the low divan where she had first 
 sat upon my arrival. As she caressed her father, 
 something said to me, Wouldn t it be nice if you were 
 her father? But I stifled the thought. For shame! 
 said my better conscience. You are not worthy to be 
 such a girl s father. And I m quite sure I wasn t. 
 
 Another hour of pleasant conversation, in which 
 books, music, fashion, politics, and a little of every 
 thing played a part, in all of which I found that my 
 study was admirably posted, and I took my depart 
 ure, with the kindest of invitations to return if ever 
 convenient to do so. Burying myself in the cushions 
 of the carriage, I dreamed with my eyes open all the 
 way to the villa, concluding with the mental ejacula 
 tion as I reached the gate: 
 
 Well, I ll see more of you, heaven willing."
 
 A QUARREL 
 WITH MOTHER GRUNDY.
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 A QUARREL WITH MOTHER GRUNDY. 
 
 "I ll be at charge for a looking-glass; 
 And entertain a score or two of tailors, 
 To study fashions to adorn my body. 
 Since I am crept in favor with myself, 
 I will maintain it with some little cost." 
 
 RICHARD III. 
 
 "Back again!" 
 
 "Back again, my good brother," said I. 
 
 It was my sexton, and we were right glad to see 
 each other. The sexton of a church is usually sup 
 posed to be a man of bad heart, shiftless manners and 
 worthless soul. But in my parish it was not so. 
 Uncle John was a good, hard-working, painstaking, 
 wide-awake old Scotchman. He had seen better days 
 in the highlands, but through a chain of circum 
 stances over which he had had no control, he had 
 been reduced to poverty, and in his old age was com 
 pelled to earn his daily bread at manual toil. 
 
 "And how has everything gone?" said L 
 
 "Just fairly wael, dominie," said he. 
 
 The old man always called me "dominie." But I 
 freely forgave him little eccentricities like that, for
 
 74 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 among all my friends I had none more valuable nor 
 more true. 
 
 "Well, Uncle, tell me all about it," said I. 
 
 And in his quaint, old dialect he rehearsed the do 
 ings of the people during my absence, collectively 
 and individually, so far as he knew, and what he 
 didn t know was hardly worth knowing, I suppose. 
 Like any flock in the absence of its shepherd, they had 
 scattered somewhat and some of them had gotten 
 into mischief. But our large auditorium was soon 
 filled again, and the work took on its old-time enthus 
 iasm. My outing had given tone to every power, and 
 my heavy duties now seemed light. 
 
 Winter came, and with it an endless round of re 
 ceptions, balls, dinners, theater parties and other- 
 popular pitfalls for the tender saint. Many of my 
 members moved in aristocratic circles, and I had al 
 ways imagined that it must be quite proper to do so if 
 one had the capital and inclination. Personally, I 
 seldom went out, except to my various church gath 
 erings, and so knew very little of society. Occa 
 sionally I spent the evening wdth the Browns, who 
 had returned from their villa early in October, and 
 wl\o cared as little as myself for the doings of the 
 "four hundred." 
 
 But at last I became aroused. A spiritual pall 
 seemed to be hanging over my people. While the 
 services were elegant, there were few conversions. 
 And for the first time in my ministry I noticed that
 
 THERE WERE APPARENTLY NO POOR, BUT ONLY 
 THE RICH AND REFINED Page 77.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 77 
 
 among the crowds that came to worship with us 
 there were apparently no poor, but only the rich and 
 refined. So one day I concluded to "go slumming" 
 and see if I could learn what was the matter. It had 
 become very popular for preachers to visit the sore 
 spots of our metropolis, and then deliver sensational 
 sermons on the subject. But I did not go with any 
 such an idea. I merely wanted to see and learn 
 what I could w r ith a view to solving the problem of 
 non-church attendance on the part of the poor who 
 were in easy walking distance of my church. Clad in 
 a business suit, I visited the home of many poverty- 
 stricken and degraded people. 
 
 "Why do you not attend church?" I asked again 
 and again, now of some horny-handed laborer, and 
 then of some tired children and dirt-bedraggled 
 mother. 
 
 "What has the church done for us?" was the in 
 variable answer. "Rich people can go to church, but 
 it is no place for us poor devils." 
 
 "I am sure you do the church an injustice," I would 
 argue. "My people would be delighted to see the 
 pews filled with the poor at every service." 
 
 "Don t you believe it, parson," said an old washer 
 woman. "They may talk that way in prayer meetin 
 sometimes, but if I should go there with my four 
 children some bright Sunday, their looks would 
 freeze us out. No, no. Religion is all right, I reckon, 
 but church folks is awful stuck up nowadays. They
 
 78 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 needn t be, though, for I ve seen enough with these 
 old eyes of mine to know that some as live in big 
 houses on the boulevard is no nearer heaven than us 
 poor trash as has to work for a livinV 
 
 It was no use to parley. After several excursions 
 among the homes of the lower classes, some by day 
 and some by night, I returned to my study with a 
 heavy heart. There seemed to be an invulnerable 
 prejudice among the poor of all classes against the 
 rich and their churches. Mine was no exception I 
 learned from authentic sources. I found that in Chi 
 cago, as in England, the "submerged tenth" were 
 low-browed, low-spirited, and low-lived. And yet the 
 remark of the old washer-woman, that her despised 
 class were as near heaven as many of the upper ten- 
 dom, compelled me to think. At first I did not be 
 lieve it. But in order to satisfy myself thoroughly, I 
 concluded to inaugurate a series of investigations. I 
 entered society with all the alacrity of a debutante. 
 Having numerous friends that were on the top wave, 
 I found no difficulty in getting into the swim. 
 
 Six weeks experience and observation convinced 
 me that the laundress was right. Beneath the glare 
 and glitter of gilded society, I had detected sepul- 
 chers of moral filth that astonished me beyond meas 
 ure. Much against my will I had become convinced 
 that hundreds of both sexes who move in the so- 
 called best society, and stood high in church circles, 
 were morally rotten to the core. * Vanity, vanity, van-
 
 BENEATH THE GLARE AND GLITTER OF GILDED SO 
 CIETY, I HAD DEFECTED SEPULCHERS OP MORAL 
 FILTH THAT ASTONISHED MB BEYOND MEASURE. 
 Page 78.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 81 
 
 ity! thought I. Truly King Solomon was a wise 
 scribe. I could hold my tongue no longer. So, on 
 the first Sunday in Lent, 189G, I delivered a sermon 
 that seriously offended Mother Grundy, and the old 
 dame at once set a thousand tongues a- wagging. 
 Among other things, I said: 
 
 "Beloved, my mind has been greatly exercised for 
 some months over certain conditions which seem to 
 threaten the welfare of the church. We have no 
 poor people in our services. Upon visiting among 
 them for days, I discovered a deep and bitter prej 
 udice existing against the church because of its lack 
 of sympathy with the lower classes, and because of 
 its worldliness. It was argued that my people were 
 no nearer heaven than those who made no preten 
 sions. Accordingly I threw off clerical conservatism 
 for a time and entered society. I attended all sorts 
 of bon-ton gatherings, and studiously examined every 
 thread in your social fabric. The result is a burdened 
 heart. Although dressed in soft garments like those 
 who sit in kings houses, and protected by the silken 
 cords of elite society, there are hypocrites of the worst 
 tpye before me to-day. You have been often here, 
 joining in our songs and partaking of the holy sac 
 rament. But, like Bishop Burrows of London, I have 
 not dared till now to say a word that might offend 
 you. And as he said to his people, so I must say to 
 you, there are ladies whose faces I see here to-day 
 with whom no deceat tradesman s wife or daughter
 
 82 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 would associate. You would never suspect it, but I 
 have seen some of your society belles smoking opium 
 in infamous, but gilded dives. I have listened to your 
 insipid conversation, and watched your sensual flir 
 tations till my nerves were benumbed. I have studied 
 every phase of the dance question, carefully witness 
 ing the outcome all the way from parlor quadrilles to 
 ball-room waltzes, and I ana compelled to say that I 
 solemnly believe the testimony of numerous hack 
 drivers that this popular but devilish amusement has 
 made many a private carriage a bed on wheels, and 
 many a wealthy home a house of easy morals! 
 
 "Sometime ago I delivered a prelude on fads that 
 will become permanent customs, you will remember. 
 On that occasion I advocated the wearing of bloom 
 ers. Some of you precious matrons and heavenly 
 damsels affected to be shocked. You said that your 
 pastor should be ashamed to espouse the cause of so 
 vulgar a fashion. And yet I have seen you self-same 
 critics in decolette costumes in the ball-room, shame 
 fully exposing your nakedness sporting a dress a 
 hundred times more vulgar than the harmless and 
 sensible bloomers you so strenuously oppose. 
 
 "Oh, my dear people! Your whole course is wrong, 
 frightfully wrong. Society as at present conducted is 
 making libertines of our men, and polished profli 
 gates of our women. It is dwarfing both soul and 
 body. It develops a useless class, of novel-reading, 
 ease-taking, money-spending, virtue-breaking, health-
 
 I HAVE SEEN SOME OF YOUR SOCIETY BELLES 
 SMOKING OPIUM IN INFAMOUS, BUT GILDED 
 DIVES Page 82.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 85 
 
 wrecking, gnat-straining imitations of a true man 
 hood and womanhood. Out upon it! As for me, I 
 would turn from the past and call you to repentance. 
 Let us clean up, and present a better picture to a lost 
 and ruined world. There are a thousand better ways 
 in which to spend our time, strength and money than 
 in the idiotic whirl of a depraved and hell-besmirched 
 society. Let us enlarge our house, make all seats 
 free, and then go out into the highways and hedges 
 and compel the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the 
 blind to come in. Man s greatest mission is to serve. 
 To bear a cup of cold water to one of God s little ones 
 is better than to take a city. What seems right in so 
 ciety, religion, politics and everywhere is often 
 wrong; and what seems wrong is often right. The 
 Word of God is our only infallible guide. Remember 
 ing this, may we set ourselves in order and enter upon 
 a season of real progress along every private and 
 public line." 
 
 The effect of this deliverance was like that of a 
 cyclone let loose in the congregation. Some arose 
 and left the building in disgust. Others frowned 
 and bit their lips. A few nodded approval. Among 
 the last named were Banker Brown and his good 
 wife, than whom I had no truer friends. The ser 
 mon was published in full in several of the daily 
 papers, and forthwith precipitated a storm. All 
 classes discussed the matter, and the news of the 
 commotion goon spread from ocean to ocean,
 
 86 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 out intending to be sensational, I had innocently pro 
 voked the greatest sensation of the season. Many 
 condemned me and my utterances in the most violent, 
 terms, while a goodly number expressed their agree 
 ment. At any rate, a revival spirit was quickened 
 in many churches all over the land, a general self- 
 examination was begun, and thousands were made 
 better men and women, I trust. 
 
 In rny own church the effect promised to be disas 
 trous at first. A large and influential element 
 promptly insisted on my resignation. But a majority 
 of the officiary were opposed to my leaving. Under 
 ordinary circumstances, I should have stepped down 
 and out very quickly. But as it was, I felt it to be my 
 duty to remain, which I did. More than 100 of my 
 flock called for letters of dismissal, however, and thus 
 was inaugurated a revival in the church which con 
 tinued for many weeks, and resulted in a mighty in 
 gathering, scores coming from among the laboring 
 classes, as well as from the higher walks of life. The 
 spiritual life of the congregation was revolutionized, 
 and the usefulness of the church multiplied many 
 fold. 
 
 While the excitement over my sermon was at its 
 highest, I was surprised one morning on opening my 
 mail to find a letter post-marked "Smithville." It 
 was addressed in a bold, running hand, and at first I 
 could not imagine from whom it could have come. 
 Breaking the seal, I read as follows:
 
 SPORTING A DRESS A HUNDRED TIMES MORE VUL 
 GAR THAN THE HARMLESS AND SENSIBLE BLOOM 
 ERS YOU SO STRENUOUSLY OPPOSE. Page 82.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 89 
 
 Smithville, Wis., March 1, 1896. 
 Rev. Dr. Frank Gharlton, Chicago, 111. 
 
 Dear Sir Having read your sermon as published 
 in the daily papers, I hasten to congratulate you on 
 the stand you have taken for the right. Do not 
 flinch. Criticisms will be hurled upon you from every 
 source, but remember that the price of progress is 
 that bravery which dares to defend principle. Hold 
 your ground like the true man that I believe you to 
 be, and you will never lack for honorable and capa 
 ble friends and supporters in your fight against the 
 evils of this corrupt decade. Believe me to be 
 
 Sincerely, 
 GRACE THORNE. 
 
 To say that I was pleased is but lightly to express 
 it. I was intoxicated with delight. Although I had 
 not seen Miss Thome since that pleasant September 
 evening spent at her home, I had by no means for 
 gotten her. Not a line had passed between us. And 
 yet she had grown to be more and more to my life 
 every day. But she seemed inapproachable. I never 
 could bring myself to dare to write her. Now that 
 the ice was broken, I gladly began a most pleasant 
 and profitable correspondence with this remarkable 
 woman. With each letter I was more and more im 
 pressed with her originality and maturity of thought, 
 her unfeigned sincerity and her tremendous earnest 
 ness.
 
 90 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 "What do you think of Miss Thorne by this timeV ; 
 said Mrs. Brown abruptly one evening as I was (lin 
 ing at the banker s hospitable home. 
 
 "Why do 3 r ou ask? said I, somewhat puzzled. 
 
 "Because I admire her very much myself, and am 
 anxious that others shall, especially my pastor, with 
 whom, she inadvertently informed me, she is corre 
 sponding," said Mrs. Brown. "She is a magnificent 
 specimen of the new woman, Doctor, and I only hope 
 her letters delight you as they do me. Among all 
 my correspondents I have none for whose letters I 
 look so anxiously." 
 
 "Ditto, Mrs. Brown," said I. "My correspondence 
 with Miss Thorne has been delightful, indeed, to me, 
 and I can truly say that I admire her very much. As 
 you know, I have long since lost my antipathy for 
 bloomers, consequently there is nothing to prevent us 
 being the best of friends." 
 
 "You will pardon me, Doctor," said Mrs. Brown, 
 earnestly, "but I wish to say to you frankly that I 
 should be gratified beyond expression to see you more 
 than friends. I would not pose as a match-maker, for 
 I believe that all true unions are planned in heaven ; 
 but I would simply suggest the matter to you, and 
 urge that what you do be done quickly." 
 
 "Why this haste, Mrs. Brown?" said I. 
 
 "Because you need just such a helper in your great 
 work as Miss Grace would be. A man s only half 
 equipped i or life s battle till he s married. And then
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 91 
 
 she is just at that age when it is perilous for one to 
 move slowly if he would win her." 
 
 "But, Mrs, Brown, I am not sure that I wish to 
 marry. And if I were, I am not sure that Miss Thome 
 would be my choice. She is an admirable lady in 
 fact, I know of none for whom I entertain greater re 
 spect. But just at present I am so deeply absorbed 
 with my work that I fear I would make her a poor 
 husband even if she could be, induced to have me. 
 However, I will think about it," said I, laughingly. 
 
 "Well, think fast and hard," said the banker s wife. 
 "She has many suitors." 
 
 That night I retired late. The conversation with 
 Mrs. Brown had precipitated new and strange 
 thoughts in my mind. After all, she was right. I 
 did need a helper. Miss Thome was certainly well 
 qualified to fill the bill. She was now at the age when 
 most girls of her station marry. She had many suit 
 ors. All these things passed and repassed through 
 my brain as I meditated before a glowing grate. 
 
 But she was so pronounced in her views and habits. 
 What would my friends say? Ah! Mother Grundy, 
 that matters little. I ve had one tilt with you, and 
 I m ready for another if necessary. 
 
 She has many suitors. Well, what of it! She is 
 under no obligations to me, nor I to her. And yet, I 
 don t like it. Many suitors! Well, we will see about 
 that. 
 
 And I turned to my desk and wrote as follows:
 
 92 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 Chicago, April 15, 189(5. 
 Miss Grace Thome, Smithville, Wis. 
 
 Esteemed Friend Your last kind letter was re 
 ceived three days ago. As usual, its perusal afforded 
 me much pleasure. Concerning your questions, rela 
 tive to the various reform movements with which I 
 am humbly identified, I would respectfully waive an 
 answer until I can see you personally. Am sure I 
 can make the subject much more interesting and 
 profitable to you in this way than by writing any 
 number of pages. 
 
 Feeling somewhat overworked, anyhow, I am con 
 fident a few days in the country w r ould be of benefit to 
 me. My friend Brown is going out to his villa next 
 week to make preliminary arrangements for the an 
 nual outing, and has asked me to run out with him. 
 If it would suit your convenience and pleasure for 
 me to spend an afternoon and evening at your home 
 again, I will come. The memory of my former visit, 
 and your kind hospitality, makes me bold to solicit 
 a similar experience. 
 
 Please remember me to your parents and sister, 
 and favor me with an immediate reply. 
 
 Respectfully Yours, 
 FRANK CHARLTON. 
 
 It was a very simple affair, but, contrary to all my 
 experience in letter writing, I was compelled to re 
 write it three times, and must have read it over a
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 93 
 
 dozen. When I had finished the task, my fire had 
 gone out and the room was growing cool. I put on 
 my great coat and w r ent out to the corner mail box. 
 The stars were peeping down from every quarter of 
 the sky. Save the monotonous foot-falls of a sleepy 
 policeman who was doing his beat, everything was 
 still. I returned to my room and was soon dreaming 
 of blue eyes and bloomers.
 
 AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART. 
 
 "Something the heart must have to cherish, 
 
 Must love, and joy, and sorrow learn; 
 Something with passion clasp, or perish, 
 
 And in itself to ashes burn." 
 
 LONGFELLOW. 
 
 Of course, the reply was quick and favorable. A 
 most hearty invitation was extended, and I began 
 preparations at once for the trip. While down town 
 doing a little shopping, I ran into the bank and was 
 shown to Mr. Brown s private office. 
 
 "I m here to say that your invitation is accepted, 
 Mr. Brown," said I. "After some consideration, I ve 
 concluded to go. I m a little jaded from the heavy 
 duties of the past few months, and a few days at the 
 villa will do me good." 
 
 "Eight, sir!" said the banker in his hearty manner. 
 "I m glad you have decided to accompany me. We ll 
 take our guns, for duck hunting is not bad up there 
 just now. We ll start to-morrow evening." 
 
 It was a pleasant ride. The fields were robed in 
 green and the trees were leaving. Orchards were in 
 blossom, and the wild flowers were beginning to peep 
 out here and there along the roadway. The meadow
 
 98 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 lark was in his glory and seemed to be wishing me a 
 hearty god-speed. 
 
 The old butler at the villa had been apprised of the 
 hour of our arrival, and his good wife had prepared a 
 tempting dinner. We retired early after the repast, 
 and arose with the sun the following morning. Hav 
 ing kept the real secret of my trip in my own heart, I 
 was cautious not to do or say anything that would ex 
 cite the banker s suspicions. So, although I was 
 very anxious to visit the Thornes, I put it off the first 
 day and went gunning with Mr. Brown. We had some 
 rare sport, bagging a goodly number of fowls. It 
 was almost night when we returned from our day s 
 tramp through the marshes. The air was quite raw, 
 as a stiff wind had been blowing all day. A bright 
 fire had been kindled in the sitting room, and we 
 were soon toasting our chilled limbs. 
 
 "By the way, Mr. Brown," said I, as we waited the 
 ringing of the dinner bell and discussed the day s 
 hunt, "I must run over to Smithville while here and 
 see the Thornes." 
 
 "Better go to-morrow, then," said the banker. "I 
 will be obliged to look after some affairs about the 
 place to-morrow. So do your visiting w 7 hile I attend 
 to business, and then we ll hunt the next day. If you 
 wish to send word over, I ll call the boy?" 
 
 "If you please," said I. 
 
 I hurried to my room and penned a brief message, 
 which the errand boy crumpled into his pocket as he
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 99 
 
 mounted a spirited pony and hastened on his journey. 
 
 "He s afraid of spooks," explained the old butler 
 as he drew the blinds and proceeded to light the 
 lamps. "He ll be back in no time, for he wouldn t 
 cross Myers bridge after nine o clock for all the 
 money in the county." 
 
 "What s the matter with the bridge?" I inquired. 
 
 "Oh, nothin , I guess," said the old servant. "But 
 the old settlers tell as how a man named Myers used 
 to live in that.old cabin on t other side of the creek, 
 and collect toll in the early days before the crossing 
 was free. One dark night he went out to let some 
 travelers over and never showed up again. Every 
 body said it was foul play. It was supposed that he 
 was murdered, and his body dumped into the stream, 
 although it was never found. Howsumever, they do 
 say that his ghost may be seen any night at nine 
 o clock walking back and forth on the bridge. No- 
 bod} 7 in these parts ever tries to go cross at that 
 time. By ten he is gone, and there s no danger. Jim 
 will be back afore nine, you can be sure o that." 
 
 "Ah, Jerry, you are an old goose to believe in such 
 tales," said Mr. Brown, laughingly. "What s the mat 
 ter with Aunt Martha to-night? I m as hungry as a 
 wolf." 
 
 Just that minute dinner was called and we sat 
 down to a bountiful spread, in which some of our own 
 game, bagged during the day, figured very promi 
 nently. The ducks were done to a turn, and we ate
 
 100 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 like wood-choppers. After dinner the banker smoked 
 and I played several games of checkers with Jim, 
 who had returned all right, and who said he had de 
 livered the message to the very lady herself. 
 
 "Golly, but don t she wear a funny rig, though!" 
 said the boy, as he drove his first man into my king 
 row. 
 
 "She still wears bloomers, does she?" said I, not 
 knowing just how to answer him, and feeling in 
 wardly provoked that the young scoundrel should 
 have beheld my lady at all with those big, watery 
 eyes of his. 
 
 "Don t know what you call em, parson," said he, 
 "but they re the all-firedst odd lookin things I ever 
 see. I reckon they re mighty nice to get around in 
 though," and he jumped three of my men, and com 
 pelled me to crown him another king. 
 
 The sun had been up an hour next morning when 
 I arose. Mr. Brown had eaten early, and given orders 
 not to awake me. He had gone out to the fields to 
 give his men some directions. So I ate my breakfast 
 alone, and after a short stroll through the garden 
 found an easy chair on the veranda, where I seated 
 myself and read till noon. We lunched together at 
 one, and by two I was on my way to Smithville. Jim 
 took me over in the phaeton and promised to call for 
 me at eleven o clock sharp. I knew it was useless to 
 ask him to call at ten, for that would necessitate his 
 crossing Myers bridge at a bad time. Besides, I
 
 
 MYERS BRIDGE. Page 100.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 103 
 
 imagined that it would be very pleasant to stay at the 
 Thornes till eleven. 
 
 "Good afternoon 2 Doctor," said Miss Thorne. 
 
 "Good afternoon/ said I. "Of course I find you 
 well." 
 
 "Certainly, for it is natural to be well, and I al 
 ways try to live naturally," said she, gaily. "But you 
 why, Doctor, I m surprised to see you looking so 
 thin. The winter s work has evidently been too 
 heavy upon you. Or, perhaps, it is lack of exercise 
 and a proper hygiene." 
 
 "It is the latter, I expect," said I. "For I have 
 not worked any harder than usual." 
 
 "You don t mean to say that you have neglected a 
 proper care of the body?" said she. "And yet I know 
 you have, for not one professional man in a thousand 
 gives a reasonable degree of attention to the laws of 
 health. But come in, and take this easy chair. I ll 
 call mamma and sister. Papa, of course, it at the 
 store." 
 
 The same easy chair! The same low divan, just 
 across the room I was sure she would sit on it again 
 when she entered! The same cordial manner! It 
 began to seem like home. 
 
 Mrs. Thorne and Josephine entered and greeted 
 me almost as warmly as though I had been a friend 
 of long standing. It was all very pleasant. After a 
 half hour s conversation "Miss Josephine excused 
 herself in order to keep an engagement down town,
 
 104 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 and Mrs. Thome also withdrew, saying that she had 
 promised to call upon a sick lady at four. I was very 
 glad of the younger sister s engagement, and for once 
 was not sorry that somebody was sick. It gave me a 
 better opportunity to enjoy my study. 
 
 "What a perfect day! said Miss Grace, after wo 
 had conversed another half hour. "Shall we not take 
 a stroll? or, if you prefer, a spin on the wheel? Papa 
 left his at home on purpose, thinking you might wish 
 to take a ride with me." 
 
 "I m very sorry to say that I have not yet learned, 
 Miss Thome," said I. "Really, I haven t had leisure 
 since the weather has been nice. Of course, you 
 know the winter is very severe in Chicago, and it 
 was no time to learn the art of cycling." 
 
 "But you should have learned last fall. However, 
 I will forgive you this time, and hope for the best. 
 But take a friend s advice and get yourself a wheel 
 before another fortnight passes. It w r ill add strength 
 to those muscles and blood to those cheeks," said she, 
 scanning me with the quick eye of a physician. 
 
 "I will take your prescription," said I, "and that 
 just as soon as I return to the city. In the mean 
 time, I should be glad to take a stroll with so ex 
 cellent a guide as yourself. I am a good walker, and 
 if I cannot ride with you it is possible that I can tire 
 3 ou out in this old-fashioned way of exercising." 
 
 "Don t be too sure of that," said she, laughingly. 
 "I am a good walker, although I consider it an infer-
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 105 
 
 ior mode of exorcise. It is infinitely better than car 
 riage riding, but not so good as horseback riding, 
 cycling or swimming. But let s be off." 
 
 She had been sitting on the low divan, dressed as 
 always in bloomers. The winter had dealt kindly 
 with her, I judged, for she seemed fully ten pounds 
 heavier than in the fall. Her cheeks were pinker, 
 her shoulders squarer, her shapely limbs plumper. 
 What a model ! thought I. She would make an artist 
 rave with madness! And yet I m sure all the money 
 in the Bank of England couldn t induce her to sit, 
 for she is innocence personified, beauty inapproach 
 able, an angel in the flesh. Tripping lightly upstairs, 
 she speedily returned arrayed in walking hat and 
 shoes. She wore no gloves nor veil. The latter she 
 explained was injurious to the eyes, slovenly in ap 
 pearance, and heathenish generally. Gloves would 
 do for ladies of delicate health, but for her they were 
 irksome. She was very pronounced. 
 
 It was a perfect day. Not cold, nor hot, but just 
 right. A bright sun, exhilarating atmosphere, blue 
 sky, green fields, good roads.. Is it only the effect 
 of spring, or is my acquaintance with this lady in 
 bloomers becoming an affair of the heart? thought I, 
 as we passed through the stile into the lane which 
 led toward the woodland, a half mile distant. 
 
 "This is a good day for poets," said Miss Thome. 
 "Do you like poetry? I do on certain occasions. 
 This seems to me an appropriate time to quote Whit-
 
 106 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 tier, the poet of sunshine and love. I recall one 
 stanza in his Mogg Megone : 
 
 "Tis spring-time on the eastern hills! 
 Like torrents gush the summer rills; 
 Through winter s moss and dry dead leaves 
 The bladed grass revives and lives, 
 Pushes the mouldering waste away, 
 And glimpses to the April day." 
 
 Some poetry is far-fetched; but this can never be 
 said of our own Whittier, do you think?" 
 
 "Not at all," said I. "That is a pretty thing you 
 quoted, and it was beautifully done besides. Allow 
 me to give you four lines from the Italian, which I 
 think will go well with it: 
 
 "Youth of the year! celestial spring! 
 Again descend thy silent showers; 
 New loves, new pleasures dost thou bring, 
 And earth again looks gay with flowers." 
 
 I cannot blame the poetically inclined for being 
 especially prolific with their verses at this season." 
 ^Nor I," she replied. "Spring has always been my 
 favorite time of the year. The opening of new life on 
 every hand is inspiring. It makes one long to be and 
 to do. Did you ever read that exquisite composition 
 of Thomas J. Ouseley s entitled The Seasons of 
 Life? I cannot quote much of it, but think I re 
 member one stanza:
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 107 
 
 "The soft green grass is growing, 
 
 O er meadow and o er dale; 
 The silvery founts are flowing 
 
 Upoji the verdant vale; 
 The pale snowdrop is springing, 
 
 To greet the glowing sun; 
 The primrose sweet is flinging 
 
 Perfume the fields among; 
 The trees are in the blossom, 
 
 The birds are in their song, 
 As spring upon the bosom 
 
 Of Nature s borne along." 
 
 But here we are at the creek. Perhaps we had better 
 dismiss the poets and do our best to appreciate Na 
 ture as we see her here face to face. What a beauti 
 ful landscape! At least I think so, don t you, Doc 
 tor? A thousand times I ve been charmed with the 
 view presented from this little rustic bridge." 
 
 We had reached a small stream which wound its 
 way along the foot of the hill we had just descended, 
 now darting into the woodland for a few hundred 
 feet, and then shooting across the meadow. Cattle 
 might be seen grazing lazily on either bank, and a 
 flock of sheep were industriously nipping the tender 
 grass on yonder hillside. Here and there could be 
 seen a pretty farm house, invariably painted white, 
 with green window blinds. Most of the barns, which 
 were usually large, were painted red. The contrast 
 of colors as they appeared against a background of 
 living green, was something not soon to be forgot-
 
 108 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 ten, and I honestly agreed with rny friend that the 
 view was delightful. We stood for some time upon 
 the little rustic bridge, watching the waters play in 
 the sunlight beneath. It was a pebbly place, and a 
 school of little sunfish seemed to be playing hide- 
 and-seek among the larger rocks. 
 
 "Play on little fellows while you may," said Miss 
 Thorne. "It will not be long until some boy from 
 the cruel town will espy you, and with baited hook 
 allure you to your fate." 
 
 She spoke earnestly, but with a far-away look in 
 her eyes which seemed to see other things than the 
 little fish. I made no reply, and for a time we were 
 silent. Finally she turned those great, searching 
 orbs full upon me and said : 
 
 "Doctor, amidst all our joys and sorrows; amidst 
 all our successes and failures; amidst all the sun 
 shine and cloud with which every life is encom 
 passed, is there any such thing as contentment?" 
 
 "You have asked me a hard question," said I. "You 
 may remember that the Good Book says whatsoever 
 state we are in, therewith to be content; but I con 
 fess that I have always found it a difficult command 
 ment to obey. Phillips Brooks once said that the 
 ideal life, the life full of completions, haunts us all. 
 We feel the thing we ought to be beating beneath 
 the thing we are. This is true in my own case. How 
 have you found it?" 
 
 "Precisely the same," said she. "I am a little use-
 
 HERE WE SAT DOWN UNDER A GREAT TREE. 
 Page 112.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. Ill 
 
 ful, I guess, but long to be more so. I am happy, but 
 long for still greater happiness. There is so much 
 to do in this wide and wicked world, and time and the 
 tides wait for no man. There are numerous reforms 
 that must be brought about ere this decade close, or 
 our country will cross the threshold of the twentieth 
 century sadly manacled." 
 
 We walked on, following a well-beaten path which 
 pushed its way circuitously into the depths of the 
 forest. The farther we went, the taller grew the 
 trees. At last we came to a rugged hill which rose 
 quite abruptly from the leA r el to a height of a hun 
 dred feet or more. Miss Thome insisted on climbing 
 it, which we did, much to my grief, as I had two or 
 three falls in the ascent, tore my trousers and 
 scratched my face. Miss Thome laughed heartily at 
 my expense. She not only made the trip unscathed, 
 but kindly offered me her hand. Of course, I politely 
 refused any assistance, and clambered up the best 
 way I could. When we reached the summit I was 
 almost out of breath, while she seemed not at all 
 fatigued. Her cheeks were just a little rosier, that 
 was all. And I said to myself, Oh, you magnificent 
 new woman! 
 
 Descending, she led the way to a spring which 
 gurgled merrily at the foot of the hill, feeding a lit 
 tle rivulet which wound its way bashfully among 
 the trees, heading toward the larger stream which we 
 had crossed before entering the woods. Here we sat
 
 112 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 down under a great tree, which had been felled by 
 the relentless axe of some woodman in bygone years. 
 Its branches had fallen off and decayed, but the 
 mighty trunk remained almost intact, affording a 
 pleasant rustic seat. For a long time we talked, dis 
 cussing thoroughly all the matters of interest be 
 tween us. In turn we gave attention to mission work 
 among the poor, the liquor traffic, gambling, the pub 
 lication of scurrilous literature and other social re 
 form questions. And then we discussed the money 
 question, the tariff, monopolies and other matters of 
 interest to our government. In most particulars we 
 agreed, but in some we did not. It must have been a 
 queer sight to the robins that were mating above our 
 heads. We gesticulated as earnestly and spoke as 
 excitedly at times, as though the salvation of the re 
 public depended upon our efforts right then and 
 there. 
 
 "Miss Thorne, pardon my abruptness,- said I at 
 length ; "but I wish to say frankly that I am charmed 
 with you. I have read quite extensively, conversed 
 with many able men, and traveled from one ocean to 
 the other, but I have never found one so uniformly 
 well-posted on all subjects, nor so sensible in con 
 clusions as yourself. Your versatility amazes me, 
 and I wish to know the secret of your achievement." 
 
 "A sound mind in a sound body, Doctor, and then 
 hard work," said she. "It is no secret. And yet, I am 
 sure you over-estimate me. I am only a simple girl, 
 seeking light, and trying to be useful"
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 11$ 
 
 Then, thought I, heaven give us more simple girls! 
 It was dawning upon me just then that this lady in 
 bloomers was more to me than any other woman had 
 ever been. I did not realize it, but felt myself irre 
 sistibly led into something far more than friendship 
 for her. As her pretty, warm hand lay idly on the 
 folds of that much-despised garment, the defense of 
 which has cost many good men and pure women the 
 ridicule of fashion s elect, I felt an almost uncon 
 querable desire to take it in my own. But I hesi 
 tated, and changing the subject adroitly, she said: 
 
 "Where do you purpose spending your vacation 
 this year, Doctor?" 
 
 "It is at present my intention to spend a week at 
 Niagara, another at Toronto, and then a month 
 among the Thousand Islands and along the St. Law 
 rence as far down as Quebec, perhaps. But it is some 
 time yet before I secure leave of absence, and I might 
 change my plans." 
 
 "I suppose your work is very heavy. I believe you 
 wrote me that your congregation numbered 1,000 
 members. To care for so large a church must cer 
 tainly consume a vast amount of nerve force." 
 
 "I need a helper, Miss Thorne," said I. 
 
 And I was about to say that I knew of no one in 
 the skies above or on earth beneath that would fill all 
 requirements as well as she. But I hesitated. Just 
 that moment a sturdy old farmer appeared on the 
 scene and my opportunity was gone. He was hunt-
 
 114 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 ing a lost cow, ho explained, and, describing her, 
 asked if we had seen anything of such an animal. 
 We had not, and so he went on, merrily whistling 
 "Auld Lang Syne" or some such tune, I ve forgotten 
 just what. 
 
 "It is high time we were returning," said Miss 
 Thorne, consulting her little gold watch that nestled 
 beneath her belt. "Mamma will have dinner just at 
 seven, and it is now six." 
 
 We walked leisurely homeward, still talking re 
 forms. But secretly I longed to change the subject 
 and discuss something more soothing to the affec 
 tions. My heart yearned to whisper its love to those 
 pretty pink ears. Wait till you come to the little 
 rustic bridge again, said a voice within. Then for a 
 few minutes my pulse beat more normally; but when 
 we came in sight of the spot set for the conquest, my 
 foolish heart fairly pounded, and my face flushed 
 with excitement. I felt that the supreme moment of 
 my life had arrived. To win this fair girl s affec 
 tions meant home, peace, sunshine, bliss! 
 
 As we stepped upon the bridge it seemed to sink 
 beneath our feet, for at the farther end there stood 
 three young street gamins angling for the little sun- 
 fish we had seen when passing over. Once again my 
 plans were foiled. My heart ached. 
 
 "Good evening, boys," said my friend pleasantly. 
 
 "Good evening, Miss Thorne," said the urchins in 
 concert. 
 
 "How do they bite?" said she.
 
 SITTING UPON THE LOW DIVAN SHE PLAYED. 
 Page 118.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 117 
 
 "Oh, tip top!" said the eldest. "I ve caught six al 
 ready, and Billy and Jack have pulled in nine be 
 tween em." 
 
 And, snipping the wings and legs from another 
 grasshopper, he quickly re-baited his hook, and 
 swishtag the line a time or two about his head, the 
 young fisherman let it fall far out in the stream, re 
 marking with a wink that he was "figurin on a black 
 bass for a change." 
 
 "Three of my Sunday-school boys," explained Miss 
 Thome as we walked on. "I have a very interesting 
 class of twenty just such fellows. They are all poor 
 and uncultured, but some of them are very bright 
 and promising. Rain or shine, hot or cold, they sel 
 dom miss a service. I ve taught the class three 
 years now, and visited often in the homes of the boys, 
 most of whom I picked up on the street and induced 
 to attend by promises of sweetmeats, picnics, or 
 money. They have been very faithful to me, and 
 seem to think everything of their teacher, and I m 
 sure I do of them. I ll tell you more about it some 
 time, for I know you would be : nterested in the story. 
 But here we are at the stile again." 
 
 It lacked fifteen minutes of the dinner hour. No 
 ticing a guitar leaning against the piano, I asked who 
 played it. 
 
 "Sister and I both, a little," was the reply. 
 
 "Good! Then will you not favor me with a selec 
 tion or two?"
 
 118 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 Sitting upon the low divan, she played, at first a 
 few of the old tunes familiar to all performers on this 
 delightful instrument, and then something more 
 modern. She had worn a waist of some white, soft 
 material during the afternoon, with short open 
 sleeves and low neck. As she swept the strings of 
 the instrument with the abandon of a master, her 
 soul in perfect accord with the sweet notes which 
 she spoke into life and power, I thought I had never 
 seen such a picture. And when she sang, at first a 
 lullaby, and then some dreamy Italian love piece, I 
 could hardly resist the impulse to go and sit down 
 by her side, and, folding her to my bosom, declare 
 all that I felt. But I hesitated. And it was well that 
 I did, for within two minutes her good father ap 
 peared, and heartily greeting me, led the way to the 
 dining room. 
 
 "By the w r ay, daughter," said he to Miss Grace, as 
 we sat at the table, "I have a letter for you." 
 
 "Oh, it s from Mrs. Brown," said she, hastily scan 
 ning the envelope. "Pardon me if I open it, as it may 
 contain something of interest to us all." 
 
 It was a short letter and quickly read. Mrs. Brown 
 had arranged for a meeting of the Chicago Social 
 Science Club, of which she was president, at her resi 
 dence the following week, Thursday afternoon. She 
 desired that Miss Grace should be present and read a 
 paper. Could she not come and spend a week or 
 two?
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 119 
 
 My heart leaped with joy. She would accept the 
 invitation, and I would see her often during the visit, 
 for at no home in the city was I more welcome. My 
 acquaintance with this winsome lass of the north- 
 land had become an affair of the heart with me, and 
 there was no denying it. 
 
 "Shall I go, papa? What do you say, mamma? 
 Will you take my Sunday-school class, sister?" 
 
 One question followed another, and all were satis 
 factorily adjusted. Yes, she would go, and as I would 
 arrive home Saturday, would I please bear a message 
 to Mrs. Brown and assure her of the pleasure with 
 which her invitation was accepted. 
 
 The evening passed all too quickly. At eleven Jim 
 arrived with the carriage, and I took my leave. Prom 
 ising Miss Grace that I would meet her upon her ar 
 rival in the city, I gently pressed her hand, feeling 
 that life was very sweet, but that it would never be 
 quite perfect till this girl in bloomers, who daily 
 was becoming more and more to me a study of per 
 petual delight should hear my declaration of love, 
 and permit the caresses I longed to give.
 
 A MEMORABLE GATHERING.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A MEMORABLE GATHERING. 
 
 "There has fallen a splendid tear 
 
 From the passion flower at the gate. 
 She is coming, my dove, my dear; 
 
 She is coming, my life, my fate; 
 The red rose cries, She is near, she is near ; 
 
 And the white rose weeps, She is late ; 
 The larkspur listens, I hear, I hear ; 
 
 4.nd the lily whispers, I wait. " 
 
 TENNYSON. 
 
 My good people said that I preached with unusual 
 power the following Sunday. Whether it was the 
 run to the country, or a sudden inspiration, they 
 could not say, but both my morning and evening ser 
 mons were fine, they declared. I was encouraged by 
 the kind compliments, but surmised that it was not 
 the country, nor any unusual inspiration in the ortho 
 dox sense that enabled me to do better pulpit work 
 than usual, if I had done so, but the quickening 
 power of a new-born love. And I was happy. 
 
 Although but three days till Miss Thome was due, 
 it seemed an age as I sat by my study window Mon 
 day morning. I could not work. My books looked 
 uninviting and the room seemed elose. I accord-
 
 m THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 ifitfly took my hat and cane and sauntered forth. I 
 visited the park awhile, and then lunched down 
 town. During the afternoon I paid many visits 
 among the poor. I had never enjoyed the task so 
 much as on this occasion. Was it the thought of 
 three urchins catching sunfish and their sweet-faced 
 teacher in a far off northern town that spurred me 
 on? Perhaps. 
 
 At last the days dragged by, and I found myself 
 in waiting at the station. The train was an hour 
 late, and I writhed. Where was the patience of Job, 
 which I had so often recommended in my sermons? 
 Ah, well, I mused; Job never waited for a late rail : 
 way train, nor loved a girl in bloomers. Besides, it 
 is harder to practice a virtue than it is to preach it. 
 
 When the long train pulled in, I had no difficulty 
 in finding my friend among the hundreds of passen 
 gers, for she was the only lady in bloomers. Clad in a 
 light grey suit, with leggings and hat to match, she 
 was the observed of all observers as she accepted 
 my arm and walked with me down the long plat 
 form and ascended the stairway to the cab. She 
 impressed me as a bird on wing, a ship under full 
 sail on a friendly sea poetry in motion ! But others 
 evidently were not impressed so favorably, for in 
 passing the ladies waiting room I heard an old witch 
 say: 
 
 "Look there, Mirandy! Did you ever see the likes 
 in your life? If that gal was my darter, I d tan her
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 125 
 
 hide and make her live on bread and water for a 
 week. Such clothes!" 
 
 You w T ould have your bony old hands full, old 
 woman, thought I, as I glanced at the splendid 
 creature beside me, and felt the great, warm muscu 
 lar arm as the crowd pressed us together. Miss 
 Thorne either did not hear the remark of the old 
 way-back, or else cared nothing for it, as she kept up 
 a merry chat, interrupted here and there with a rip 
 ple of laughter. She was evidently used to being 
 talked about, and like the brave, true woman that 
 she was, paid no more attention to it than to the 
 blowing of the wind. 
 
 "Are you tired?" I asked. 
 
 "Oh, no!" she said. "I never get tired. Why 
 should one? There is a sensible limit line to all en 
 durance, and a wise person will never cross that line. 
 Many do, I know; and in this way the maledictions 
 of good people are induced against bicycling, bath 
 ing, football and other exercises. But how about that 
 wheel, Doctor? Have you invested yet?" 
 
 "I should think you could surmise from the un 
 usual stiffness of my gait," said I. "And if you only 
 knew of the bruises! Yes, I purchased a high-grade 
 safety day before yesterday, and have taken two les 
 sons. I rode three blocks without falling this morn 
 ing, and think it will not be long until I can get 
 around very nicely."
 
 126 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 "Bravo!" said she. "The next time you visit the 
 villa we will be able to take a spin." 
 
 "I hope so." 
 
 We spent the evening with the Browns. The 
 banker and myself facetiously begged the privilege of 
 being present at the meeting of the club the follow 
 ing day, but were denied. 
 
 "Strictly for ladies," said Mrs. Brown. 
 
 "But we want to hear Miss Thome s paper," said I. 
 
 "I shall take pleasure in rereading it to you and 
 Mr. Brown some evening before my return if de 
 sired," said the obliging young lady. 
 
 "It is most urgently desired," said the banker. 
 
 It was a brilliant gathering that graced the spa 
 cious and elegantly furnished parlors of the Brown 
 mansion the following afternoon. Fully a hundred 
 of Chicago s fairest and brainiest women, married 
 and single, came from the North, South, and West 
 sides, arrayed in costliest silks and satins and be 
 decked with jewels. The street was lined with ele 
 gant carriages, and the whole affair appeared to be 
 one of extraordinary splendor. All this I could 
 guess as I looked out of my study window, which 
 was in full view of the Browns, only a block away, 
 and on the opposite side of the boulevard. Papers 
 were read on various phases of dress reform, the 
 subject that had been selected for the present meet 
 ing of the club. All were commonplace, however, 
 simply following the "old lines of a discussion that
 
 FULLY A HUNDRED OF CHICAGO S FAIREST AND 
 BRAINIEST OF WOMEN Page 126.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 129 
 
 *_ 
 
 has been worn threadbare because of the impracti 
 cabilities advocated, until Miss Thome s name was 
 announced. And as one of the great dailies had sent a 
 special lady reporter to write-up the meeting, I can 
 not do better perhaps than to quote that portion of 
 the article which has to deal with my study. It ap 
 peared the following morning, copiously illustrated 
 from instantaneous photographs taken on the spot, 
 and caused a sensation: 
 
 "For many years American women have talked 
 dress reform, but few have practiced anything sen 
 sible on the subject. Consequently very little has 
 been accomplished. But there is one young woman 
 in our great land whose brave, true words and beau 
 tiful example have set the gossips talking with the 
 probability of good results. This young woman was 
 present, and was happily introduced by Madam Presi 
 dent as Miss Grace Thorne, of Smithville, Wis., a 
 personal friend, whom I am sure deserves to be 
 ranked as one of the fairest living exponents of the 
 new womanhood. 
 
 "And she does. Modest, brainy, well-sexed, beauti 
 ful, certainly she made a fine appearance as she 
 stepped before that august gathering of Chicago s 
 best women. There was a general flutter for a few 
 moments when it was discovered that the speaker 
 was clad in bloomers. They were made of plush- 
 purple, more closely cut than last year s style, snugly 
 gathered below the knee, and almost hidden from
 
 130 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 view by a very short skirt of the same material. The 
 hose were of black silk, and displayed a limb as 
 plump and perfect as sculptor ever carved. The 
 waist was made of silk, with full sleeves, low neck, 
 and bright trimmings. She wore no corset, yet pre 
 sented a dream of loveliness in form seldom if ever 
 surpassed. In introducing she quoted the words of 
 Milton : 
 
 Accuse not Nature: she hath done her part. 
 Do thou but thine. 
 
 In a rich, w 7 ell-modulated voice, she read, and her en 
 tire audience seemed hypnotized, so eagerly did they 
 drink every word, and so enthusiastically did they 
 applaud. 
 
 " All women desire to be beautiful, she said. 
 Tew are. All desire to be healthy. Few are. Why? 
 Because the laws of nature are set aside, and sense 
 less rules substituted. The ill-health of females is 
 something appalling to-day. What are the causes? 
 Among them have been enumerated 
 
 Improper ventilation. 
 
 Unhygienic food. 
 
 Dearth of fresh air and sunshine. 
 
 Lack of exercise. 
 
 Over- work, over-study, and mental strain. 
 
 An abnormal nervous development. 
 
 Improprieties of dress. 
 
 A volume might be written under each of these
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. l3l 
 
 heads; but I must confine myself to the last on this 
 occasion, and, by request of your worthy president, 
 particularly to the corset. An irrational dress is the 
 undoubted cause of much of the organic disease 
 among our sex. A distinguished specialist says that 
 90 per cent of the so-called female diseases have their 
 origin in corsets and heavy skirts. They not only de 
 press the pelvic organs by their pressure and weight, 
 but weaken all their normal effects. It has been 
 falsely said that every woman by mere structure is 
 a life-long invalid. That is a travesty on woman 
 hood and truth. It is as natural under normal con 
 ditions for a woman to be well and strong as for man. 
 Woman s weaknesses should be denominated 
 woman s follies. 
 
 " Dr. Dio Lewis, in classifying the errors of 
 woman s dress, speaks as follows: 
 
 " First. The corset, which reduces the waist from 
 three to fifteen inches and pushes the organs within 
 downward. 
 
 " Second. Unequal distribution. While her chest 
 and hips are often overloaded, her arms and legs are 
 so thinly clad that their imperfect circulation com 
 pels the congestion of the trunk and head. 
 
 " Third. Long, heavy skirts, which drag upon the 
 body, and impede the movement of the legs. 
 
 " Fourth. Tight shoes, which arrest circulation, 
 and make walking difficult. High heels, which in 
 crease the difficulties in walking, and so change the
 
 132 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 center of gravity of the body as to produce disloca 
 tions in the pelvic viscera. 
 
 " This eminent authority is wise when he puts the 
 corset at the head of woman killers, and makes it the 
 twin-sister of the long skirt. The statistics of Lon 
 don corset dealers show 7 that the average size of the 
 female waist has decreased by tw r o inches during the 
 last quarter century. Dr. Ellis says : "The practice 
 of tight lacing has done more within the last century 
 toward the physical deterioration of civilized man 
 than has war, pestilence, and famine combined." 
 Another physician writes: "Woman, by her in 
 jurious style of dress, is doing as much to destroy the 
 race as is man by alcoholism." Dr. Kitchen declares 
 that "this appliance kills slowly, and, to the un 
 learned, imperceptibly; nevertheless the corset on 
 a child is slow 7 murder of the child. Every w 7 ornan 
 who has grown up in a corset, no matter how loosely 
 w r orn, is deformed." Miss Frances E. Willard says: 
 "But woman s everlasting befrilled, bedizened, and 
 bedraggled style of dress is to-day doing more harm 
 to children unborn, born and dying, than all other 
 causes that compel public attention. With ligatured 
 lungs and liver as our past inheritance and present 
 slavery, the wonder is that such small heads can 
 carry all we know! Niggardly waists and niggardly 
 brains go together. The emancipation of the one will 
 always keep pace with the other; a ligature around 
 the vital organs at the smallest diameter of the
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 133 
 
 womanly figure means an impoverished blood supply 
 in the brain, and may explain why women scream 
 when they see a mouse, and why they are so terribly 
 afraid of a term which should be their glory, as it is 
 that of their brothers, viz., strong-minded." 
 
 " The small boy in a school composition spoke 
 truthfully, if not learnedly, w r hen he said : "Girls 
 kill the breath with corsets that squeeze the diagram. 
 Girls can t run or holler like boys because their dia 
 gram is squeezed too much. If I was a girl I d rather 
 be a boy, so I could run and holler and have a good 
 diagram." It has been argued that it is not natural 
 for woman to breathe abdominally like man, and 
 therefore the corset is no impediment to her develop 
 ment in this respect. But Dr. Kellogg has shown 
 conclusively the fallacy of this theory by a series of 
 careful investigations. He declares that "women 
 who have never worn tight clothing breathe ab 
 dominally, as do men, and that civilized women who 
 hrive formerly worn corsets, after having modified 
 their dress in accordance with the demands of health, 
 subsequently acquire the abdominal type of respira 
 tion." 
 
 " Personally, if I may be allowed to speak of my 
 self, I do not know the effects of corset-wearing, as I 
 have never had one on. For years, however, I have 
 worn a light, snug-fitting waist, devoid of whalebone, 
 metal, or other hard material. It is similar in ap 
 pearance and make-up to the average corset-waist.
 
 134 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 yet more substantially and artistically made. My 
 dressmaker fits it to the form, but is always cau 
 tioned not to make it tight at any point. The result 
 is that I breathe abdommallj r , am free from any of the 
 usual diseases attendant upon tight lacing, and am 
 as strong as any average man of the same weight. 
 When we allow the form to develop itself naturally, 
 there will be no need of padding, which has become 
 one of the worst fads of recent years in woman s 
 make-up. It is the thwarting of the plans of nature 
 by a slavish devotion to the ruinous rules of Uame 
 Fashion that weakens woman physically and men 
 tally in these days, and makes her the constant vic 
 tim of designing quacks. Every woman ought to be 
 strong. It is her right, and whatever fashion keeps 
 her down should be stamped out in righteous indigna 
 tion. One of woman s great missions is to be grace 
 ful, in all that this much-abused word implies. 
 Goethe well says that "the highest grace is the out 
 come of consummate strength." It is wrong to 
 blame the men for any irrational style of dress among 
 women. The average well-sexed man detests a wasp- 
 like waist. And was there ever one who did not ab 
 hor long trains, that modern pest of weddings and 
 receptions? Oh, sisters, let us have done with all 
 this nonsense. Discard corsets, long skirts, tight 
 garters, cramping shoes, and every other thing that 
 in any way impedes the fullest and freest develop 
 ment of the body, Every corset and long skirt ought
 
 WHEN WE ALLOW THE FORM TO DEVELOP ITSELF 
 NATURALLY, THERE WILL BE NO NEED OF PAD 
 DING. Page 134.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 137 
 
 to be relegated to the rag picker or the curiosity shop 
 before the dawn of the twentieth century. It would 
 mean more than pen can tell for our personal pleas 
 ure in living, for our homes, for our purses, for our 
 posterity, and for all that is good, and beautiful and 
 true. 
 
 "At the conclusion of the paper all parliamentary 
 rules were ignored for a time, and with one accord 
 the ladies present moved forward to congratulate 
 this splendid exponent of the better womanhood now 
 dawning over a long-suffering world. The enthusi 
 asm amounted to an ovation, and Miss Thome may 
 pride herself in stirring up the elite ladies of Chicago 
 as they have never been stirred before. We shall no 
 doubt hear of anti-corset clubs now in various parts 
 of the city, and it will not be surprising to see many 
 of our leading ladies arrayed in bloomers at no dis 
 tant day." 
 
 Having an engagement in a distant part of the city 
 that evening, I did not get to call at the Brown man 
 sion until the next afternoon. Then Miss Thorne 
 was out, and, worst of all for me, had accepted an in 
 vitation to spend the evening with one of the first 
 families of the South side. Mrs. Brown recounted to 
 me all the details of our mutual friend s triumph, and 
 kindly invited me to dine with them the following 
 day. It seemed to me the next twenty-four hours 
 never would drag by. I walked the floor, looked out 
 of my window, wrote a few letters, tried to read, and
 
 138 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 did a variety of things, but found it impossible to 
 sleep until long after midnight. Then I awoke early, 
 breakfasted, and, donning a sweater, gave myself up 
 to that new bicycle which I earnestly desired to mas 
 ter for her sake, if for nothing else. 
 
 Promptly at six o clock I reached the Brown resi 
 dence. I went early, hoping to have a quiet hour 
 with Miss Thome before dinner. I was not disap 
 pointed. After the usual preliminaries, our good 
 hostess left us alone, and we were permitted to con 
 verse uninterrupted until the arrival of the banker, 
 fifty minutes later. 
 
 "Permit me now to congratulate you, Miss Thorne," 
 I said, extending my hand, "over your splendid suc 
 cess Thursday. I read the reports of the meeting in 
 the city papers with great interest, and especially 
 the synopsis of your paper." 
 
 "Thank you," said she, modestly accepting mv 
 hand. 
 
 What a hand! Just for a moment I held it, and 
 then reluctantlj 7 gave it up. So perfectly shaped! 
 So pink with rich blood! So firm! So warm! 
 
 "Like the majority of people, I have taken but lit 
 tle interest in the subjects discussed at your meet 
 ing until I met you at the Villa," said I. "Since then 
 I have read everything I could find bearing on the 
 matter, and am more and more persuaded that you 
 are fighting on the right side in a good cause. At 
 first your ideas shocked me. Bloomers I thought
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 139 
 
 were horrible. Riding a-straddle was almost unmen 
 tionable. The taking of vigorous exercise, the same 
 as the sterner sex, had never entered my mind as 
 being practicable or desirable for women. And as 
 to corsets, I had heard my mother and sisters defend 
 them on one or two occasions, and supposed of course 
 that they were quite proper. But I ana ready to con 
 fess that I am now a complete convert to your new 
 womanhood ideas, and only wonder why everybody 
 else is not. " 
 
 "It is a very difficult thing to change long estab 
 lished customs," said she. "No matter how sense 
 less and even sinful a thing may be, if it has been 
 long accepted by the million, people cling to it with 
 religious tenacity. And then, again, capital often 
 opposes progress. As in the days of Paul the idol- 
 mongers of Ephesus opposed his preaching because 
 it hurt their business, so now the manufacturers 
 scoff at those who advocate dress reform, and, as 
 usual, the people are duped. But when once the eyes 
 of Americans are opened to the prevalence of any 
 great evil, and the conscience fully quickened, it is 
 but a question of time when reformation follows, 
 quick, sure and steadfast. I see just before us a bet 
 ter day for the women of our country. Certainly 
 they will not much longer content themselves with 
 being the slaves of the numerous customs which are 
 now dragging thousands to untimely graves." 
 
 But I did not care to continue this discussion fur-
 
 140 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 thor just then. I had something else in mind; but 
 just how to present it I did not know. I thought of 
 my lonely evening the day before, and said: 
 
 "I was over to see you yesterday evening, and was 
 sorely disappointed at finding you out. But I trust 
 you had a delightful time." 
 
 "I was royally entertained," she said; "but cannot 
 say that the experience was delightful. I am not 
 much given to society as she is. There were long 
 trains, decolette dresses, silly conversations, and in 
 sipid smilings and bowings. Everything Avas stilted. 
 The women were laced within an inch of their lives, 
 and the men were soaked in champagne. They all 
 danced till a very late hour, and when they said their 
 simpering good-byes they looked like wilted ilowers 
 from which the beauty and fragrance had flown for 
 ever. When I refused to dance, they had no better 
 manners than to stare at me in amazement. I was 
 really glad when the affair was over, and Mr. Brown 
 led me to the carriage." 
 
 "How did you amuse yourself during the evening 
 if you did not dance?" I inquired. 
 
 "The hostess kindly showed me through the li 
 brary, art gallery and conservatory, which occupied 
 some of the time ; and then I met a number of inter 
 esting personages with whom I conversed. By the 
 way, do you know a Mr. Sidney Vincent?" 
 
 "The railroad man?" I asked. "Yes, he is first vice- 
 president of one of the great trunk lines leading out
 
 THEY ALL DANCED TILL A VERY LATE HOUR.- 
 Page 140.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 143 
 
 of Chicago. Was be there? He is a very talented 
 and very wealthy gentleman." 
 
 "So 1 surmised," said she. "And he is quite young 
 for one so distinguished. He is very versatile, and I 
 really enjoyed my conversation with him, which can 
 not be said of any the others I met. He accompanied 
 the hostess and myself in our rounds of the house, 
 and I was surprised at the knowledge of books, paint 
 ings and flowers he displayed." 
 
 "Yes, he is a man of many parts," I remarked. "He 
 was a member of my church before the disaffection 
 caused by my tirade against sins in high life last fall, 
 and we were good friends. But since then we seldom 
 meet, as he withdrew from my congregation at the 
 time." 
 
 "He seemed to be on warm terms with Mr. Brown ," 
 she continued, "and in response to the banker s invi 
 tation promised to dine with us some evening next 
 week." 
 
 "Ahem!" was all I could say, immediately changing 
 the subject by referring to an article of special inter 
 est in one of the late magazines. I had come over 
 with the intention of declaring my love, but the Vin 
 cent episode had driven the resolution far from me. 
 Perhaps it was just as well, for Mrs. Brown came in 
 shortly after, and if I had attempted the declaration, 
 she would undoubtedly have caught me in the very 
 act. 
 
 The days flew past, I saw my study often,
 
 144 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 with over-increasing admiration. But others saw 
 her too, much to my unrest. Two or three admirers 
 from other cities called to see her, and a half dozen * 
 or more from Chicago. But among them all none 
 were so attentive as Mr. Sidney Vincent, the railroad 
 magnate. He took her out to swell receptions, to 
 the theater, and to hear great lecturers. She came 
 with the Browns to hear me on Sundays, and always 
 seemed glad to see me when I called, as I did quite 
 regularly. I had become a fairly good rider by this 
 time, and on several occasions we went cycling to 
 gether. Her visit was prolonged two months or 
 more, and still I seemed no nearer that declaration I 
 so longed to make than I had been at the beginning. 
 She was under no obligations to me, and yet I was 
 intensely angry that she should receive the atten 
 tions of Vincent so continuously. But I managed to 
 hold my tongue, nurse niy jealousy, and so avoid a 
 rupture. 
 
 "Well, Doctor, I m going home to-morrow," she 
 said one evening as I was making my accustomed call 
 at the Browns. 
 
 You don t say!" said I. Tni very sorry." 
 
 Why should you be?" she asked. 
 
 "Because I ve taken great pleasure in your com 
 pany, and have been profited exceedingly by your 
 conversation.- 
 
 "Thank you, Doctor; and permit me to say sin 
 cerely that your feelings are fully reciprocated."
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 145 
 
 Here was a good place to say what I had so long 
 concealed. Rut I hesitated, and five minutes later 
 "the butler announced that Mr. Sidney Vincent was 
 at the door, and would Miss Thome be pleased to 
 take a drive with him? 
 
 She did not seem anxious to go, I thought. But as 
 she could not well refuse, she excused herself from 
 me, and hastened to her room to prepare for the drive. 
 
 "One moment," said I, as she was leaving the par 
 lor. "If agreeable, I will accompany you to the sta 
 tion to-morrow?" 
 
 "Oh, thank you ! I should be delighted to have you 
 do so, had other arrangements not been made. I neg 
 lected to tell you that Mr. and Mrs. Brown had sud 
 denly decided to run out to the Villa to-morrow also, 
 and Mr. Vincent has kindly offered to take us all to 
 gether in his private car." 
 
 "Then, good-bye," said I, extending my hand. "I 
 shall be very busy to-morrow, and will probably not 
 see you again. Express my kindest regards to your 
 parents and sister, and may you have a merry journey 
 home." 
 
 She took my hand, and I imagined that her clasp 
 was more prolonged and firm than was actually 
 necessary according to established custom. And 
 there seemed to be a look half akin to sadness in 
 those deep, blue eyes, as she said: 
 
 "Good-bye, Doctor. I shall never forget your many 
 kindnesses, and encouraging words. I hope you will
 
 146 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 visit us again at Smithville, and that at no distant 
 day." 
 
 She was gone, and with heavy heart I retired to the 
 library, until she and Mr. Vincent drove out of sight. 
 Then I wearily took my departure, only to spend a 
 sleepless night in my lonely room.
 
 DIVERGING PATHS.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 DIVERGING PATHS. 
 
 "We met, hand to hand, 
 
 We clasped hands close and fast, 
 As close as oak and ivy stand; 
 
 But it is past; 
 Come day, come night, day comes at last." 
 
 ROSSETTI. 
 
 During July the weather was simply suffocating. 
 My work dragged, and my health declined rapidly. 
 From some unaccountable reason I had not felt so 
 pooi ly in years, and I evidently looked like a corpse, 
 for my Official Board voted unanimously to allow me 
 a three months vacation. An assistant pastor was 
 secured to begin work immediately, and so on the 
 first day of August I packed my trunk and left the 
 city. 
 
 First I visited the old home in Kentucky. 
 
 "Poor Frank," said my gentle mother, as we sat in 
 the family room the first evening after my arrival. 
 "You have been working too hard." 
 
 I made no reply, but secretly upbraided myself for 
 not telling her all about my sweet girl in bloomers. 
 It did not seem wise to divulge particulars, however, 
 so I kept my own counsel.
 
 150 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 "Lor bress my soul, chile, what s do matter?" said 
 old Aunt Dinah, as with arms akimbo and wide-open 
 eyes she stared at my pale, hollow cheeks and lank 
 form. "You se done and preached yerse f to. death, 
 honey. Time you se coiniii back to old Kaintuck to 
 git some flesh on dem bones. l)ut city grub am no 
 good. Takes* Aunt Dinah s hoe-cake to chirk you up." 
 
 Evidently I had changed considerably in appear 
 ance, for few of the old neighbors knew me. The 
 first morning after my return I took a stroll down the 
 lane, and called at the humble home of a versatile old 
 colored friend^ known far ami near as Deacon Ham. 
 The good old man, a relic of slavery times, was sitting 
 on a low stool in the luxurious shade of a gigantic 
 elm. lie was smoking some leaf-tobacco of his own 
 raising and drying, and SjeeiiHxl at peace with all the 
 world. 
 
 "Good morning. Deacon/ said I, slapping the old 
 fellow familiarly on UK> shoulder. 
 
 "Howdy, sah," said he, scrutinizing my face with a 
 look of uncertainty. 
 
 "Why, Deacon, don t }*ou know me?" I asked. 
 
 "Your voice sounds similar, chile," said he, still 
 studying my features; "but I can t jist organize ye/ 
 
 For the first time in a month I laughed heartily. 
 Then I made myself known, and the old man was so 
 chagrined to think of his failure in recalling my face 
 and name that he fairly outdid himself in hospitality, 
 hoping thereby to make amends. He cut the biggest
 
 
 A RELIC OF SLAVERY TIMBS WAS SITTING ON A 
 LOW STOOL IN THE LUXURIOUS SHADE OP A 
 GIGANTIC OAK. Page 150.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 153 
 
 watermelon he could find in the patch, and enter 
 tained me with a prodigality as amusing as it was 
 surprising. 
 
 For ten days I tarried under the paternal roof, 
 revelling in the scenes of my childhood. John How 
 ard Payne spoke the sentiment of the whole, wide 
 world when he said, 
 
 "There is no place like home." 
 
 Now in the garden helping Aunt Dinah pick berries, 
 eating two while I put one in the basket; then in the 
 parlor, singing some sweet old duet with sister, while 
 mother looked on with face all shining heaven- 
 kissed with light and love; again romping through 
 the pastures gathering the pretty wild flow r ers, or sit 
 ting by the brook angling for perch, as in the good 
 old times when I played truant from school, the days 
 passed all too quickly. But I was restless, and de 
 cided to go on at once. 
 
 "Oh, please stay," begged sister. "It is so good to 
 have you here, good for us and good for you, 
 brother. You know Longfellow says: 
 
 Stay, stay at home, my heart and rest; 
 Home-keeping hearts are happiest, 
 For those that wander they know not where 
 Are full of trouble and full of care; 
 To stay at home is best. 
 
 Do stay until you are strong again, for it makes us 
 all sad to see you looking so badly."
 
 151 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 "I ll soon be all right, sister, said I, gaily. "A 
 trip to the sea will do me good. You know I am 
 very fond of salt-water bathing. And then the eon 
 staut change of travel is exhilarating to me. No, I 
 feel that I should go." 
 
 Aiid so 1 went. Pirat by rail to Toledo, where 1 
 took ship for Cleveland by way of 1 u Mil-Bay. 1 
 shall never forget that ride across Lake Erie, it 
 was a perfect day. Tlie Bteiiiner was a palatial one, 
 the waters placid^ and the company jovial. During 
 the afternoon light,. Ileccy, clouds winged their yvay 
 continuously beneath the deep blue background of 
 sky which reached in unbroken wealth of color from 
 horizon to horizon. An hour before we reached 
 our destination the sun set. Its good-night rays 
 stretched across tin." lake like great rods of gold, 
 shimmering and glimmering on the spray in inde 
 scribable beauty. fitting ti}>on the upper deck, 1 
 drank in the splendor of (h-e sce-ne for miles, till an 
 air of contentment 1 had not known fW weeks pos 
 sessed my soul. 
 
 Tarrying a day in i>u-sy ClevekuKl, 1 visited, among 
 other places of interest, Garfield monument. Re 
 moving my hat, I stood for a Long time before the 
 ashes of our martyred president,, musing on the 
 strange freaks of fate. Here was a man than whom 
 a more scholarly, eilicieut, patriotic and Christian 
 never occupied the highest cluiir within the gift, of 
 his countrymen, suddenly cul down while in the
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 155 
 
 glory of his power, and this at the hands of an irre 
 sponsible shadow of humanity. How cruel! And 
 yet in his death he perhaps exerted greater influence 
 in favor of the flag for which he had fought, and the 
 Bible by which he had lived, than he could have done 
 in a century of average living. God doeth all things 
 well, thought I, as I turned away. And yet in my 
 present frame of mind, with visions of a blue-eyed 
 bloomer girl Hitting far from me in the private car 
 of a dashing young railroad king, I could hardly swal 
 low my own theological medicine. 
 
 "He is playing a bold game," said I, soliloquizing. 
 "Well, we shall see. Knowing her as I do, I cannot 
 believe it possible that he will be successful. And 
 yet, why should he not be?" 
 
 From Cleveland I went to Chautauqua gay Chau- 
 tauqua, resort of the learned, the good and the happy 
 from all over this fair land. An exquisite lake 18 
 miles long, 1,21)0 feet above sea level, clear and cool, 
 its shores dotted here and there with pretty villages 
 and rural homes, certainly an ideal place for the 
 establishment of a world-renowned summer as 
 sembly. Here I met numerous friends from Chicago 
 and other cities, and tarried several days, keenly 
 relishing the brilliant lectures, superb music, and 
 congenial society with which visitors to this remark 
 able spot are always regaled. 
 
 And yet I was not happy. Until that fatal night 
 when my love met Sidney V r inceut, I felt that she
 
 156 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 was mine. Our paths seemed to lead naturally into 
 each others and a union of bliss seemed sure. But 
 now I felt that our paths were diverging, and a 
 throbbing sadness I could not throw off possessed 
 my heart. It seldom entered my mind that I was in 
 any way to blame for the condition of affairs. Nor 
 was she. It was cold, cruel, selfish Sidney Vincent 
 whom I censured. But one evening as I was think 
 ing it all over, as I had done a thousand times be 
 fore, I said to myself, Why should I blame him? He 
 is young, rich, attractive, bold. Grace Thorne is 
 magnificent., Why should he not seek her hand? I 
 do not deserve so fair a woman, for I am compara 
 tively poor poor in this world s goods, poor in 
 health, and poor in resolve. She has been very 
 friendly toward me because it s her nature, and she 
 pities me. But when it comes to loving, why of 
 course Sidney Vincent has the advantage every time. 
 
 In all of which I did my study a great injustice, 
 not to mention myself. Diverging paths are gen 
 erally dangerous. 
 
 Oh, for some one with whom to counsel! thought I. 
 Since our good-byes were said nearly six weeks be- 
 ,fore > I had not mentioned my dear one s name to a 
 living soul. Mrs. Brown? Why, yes! Why not 
 write to her? Certainly.. I will! Strange it has 
 not occurred to me before. 
 
 And snatching a pen and some paper, I hastily 
 penned the following lines to the banker s wife :
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 159 
 
 Clmulauqua, N. Y., Aug. 15, 1896. 
 My Dear Mrs. Brown: 
 
 Here I am trying to enjoy my vacation. But I 
 must confess to you that I am not happy. You once 
 said that you wished Miss Thome and myself might 
 become more to each other than friends. At that 
 time I was indifferent. But now I am madly in love. 
 I have never told her so, and judging from the suc 
 cess of Mr. Sidney Vincent in monopolizing her com 
 pany, presume I will never have the privilege of de 
 claring my affections. I have never spoken of these 
 things to a living soul before, and may be presuming 
 on good nature to annoy you with them; but I must 
 have counsel. Please write me at Toronto. I will 
 be there in a few days. Tell me all. 
 
 Your Obedient Servant, 
 
 FKANK CHARLTON. 
 
 The next day I ran on to Niagara Palls. Securing 
 comfortable quarters at a quiet boarding house, I 
 sallied forth on my wheel. Crossing to Goat Island, 
 1 rode leisurely along the beautiful drive-way till I 
 came to the Three Sisters. Here I dismounted, and 
 cautiously made my way to a huge rock well out in 
 the current only a short distance above the Cana 
 dian Falls. I did not contemplate suicide, but just 
 wished to revel in the novelty and grandeur of the 
 situation. Its very excitement was restful. The un 
 ceasing roar of the waters, like a thousand thunders,
 
 160 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 charmed me, and acted as a palliative to my troubled 
 soul. Mrs. Sigourney s "Niagara," which I had often 
 declaimed when a boy at school, came to mind, and, 
 as there was nobody near, I could not resist the 
 pleasure of repeating the matchless lines in my 
 deepest orotund: 
 
 "Plow on forever, in thy glorious robe 
 Of terror and of beauty. Yea, flow on, 
 Unfathomed and resistless. God hath set 
 His rainbow on thy forehead, and the cloud 
 Mantled around thy feet. And He doth give 
 Thy voice of thunder power to speak of Him 
 Eternally bidding the lip of man 
 Keep silence, and upon thine altar pour 
 Incense of awe-struck praise." 
 
 During the next two days I visited numerous 
 points of interest in the locality, such as Lundy s 
 Lane Battle-ground, Brock s Monument, Whirlpool 
 Rapids, the Devil s Hole, and the Cave of the Winds. 
 I took a trip on the Maid of the Mist, as also on the 
 electric railway which gives one a panoramic view of 
 this wonderland for miles. I visited the islands at 
 night, and enjoyed unspeakably that peculiar soft 
 ness and sweet intluence which comes with the moon 
 light when shed over a lovely scene. I tried to re 
 cord my impressions and write a little description 
 of the place for future reference, but failed in the 
 attempt. For more than three centuries the pens 
 of poets and prose-writers have fallen short of the
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 161 
 
 task, which can never be adequately accomplished. 
 So fascinated was I with the place that I would have 
 remained longer, but for my anxiety to receive Mrs. 
 Brown s letter which I had ordered addressed to 
 Toronto. I had visited Niagara on several occasions 
 before, but never with such interest. Was it my 
 love for Grace Thorne that gave zest to everything 
 this time? Perhaps, for the knowing ones assure us 
 that love is synonymous with beauty and grandeur. 
 A hundred times during the visit I had wished that 
 my dear one were present. To have walked with 
 her among the vine-twined trees of Goat Island, 
 hand in hand; to have sat with her on some rustic 
 seat in some quiet nook, breathing the love I had 
 never dared to speak ; to have driven with her to the 
 jnountain s summit or the Indian Village, and re 
 turned by moonlight but, alas! Mr. Sidney Vin 
 cent s ghost forbade. 
 
 Taking -an evening boat at the village of Lewiston, 
 I enjoyed a seven miles ride down the river, .and 
 thence out into Lake Ontario. This three hours 
 ride across the lake to Toronto was one never to be 
 forgotten. For many miles before we reached our 
 destination I stood on deck and w r atched the signal 
 lights, which could easily be distinguished from 
 those of the city. Commerce! Commerce! thought I. 
 What a wonderful thing it has become since the days 
 of Fulton, whose bravery to dare something new in 
 duced the ridicule of his countrymen. And then my
 
 162 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 mind reverted to bloomers and dress reform. Per 
 haps I did not think connectedly; but as in the days 
 of Caesar all roads led to Rome, so at this time all 
 my thoughts centered in Grace Thorne. 
 
 The next morning I was at the post office* early. 
 I was til most afraid to inquire if there were any mail 
 for me, somehow doubting the probability of such a 
 thing. But I inquired, and out came a letter! Post 
 marked "Smith ville" too. Dear, good Mrs. P>rown! 
 
 Hurrying to my room, I tremulously opened ihe 
 missive and read: 
 
 Spring Rock Villa, Wis., Aug. 18, 189G. 
 My Dear Doctor Charlton: 
 
 You cannot know how pleased I was to receive 
 your note, but sorry to hear of your unhappiness. 
 It is unnecessary for me to assure you, I trust, that I 
 sympathize with you fully, and shall do anything in 
 my power to help you. 
 
 In the first place, I want you to know that while 
 Mr. Vincent is a good friend of my husband s and 
 myself, I should regret exceedingly to see him win 
 the hand of Miss Grace. He is very attentive, tis 
 true; but I have numerous reasons for believing 
 there is nothing between them yet save friendship. 
 He is undoubtedly very much in earnest, and intends 
 declaring himself at no very distant day. But T 
 honestly doubt whether she will accept him. 
 
 Miss Grace has been at home all summer, and vis 
 its me often, running out to the Villa on her wheel.
 
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 S 
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 B
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 165 
 
 She is certainly as charming as ever, and to my mind 
 the best all-around woman of the present day. She 
 and her sister won first prize in a sculling race at 
 Madison last week. There was a regatta there, and 
 we all went down. Quite a number of ladies en 
 tered the contest, but among them all none were so 
 fair and strong as our heroine. She and Josephine 
 had been practicing for a month or more, and were 
 in splendid trim. As they rowed in perfect rhythm, 
 the long oars fairly bent beneath their powerful mus 
 cles. The crowd assembled to witness the races 
 went wild with applause. 
 
 Next week Mr. Vincent will call at Suiithville with 
 his private car, and take the Thornes with him for a 
 little outing in the great west. His mother and 
 father will accompany them, and several business 
 friends. It w r ill be a merry little party I suppose. 
 They will spend the entire month of September on 
 the trip. Returning, Miss Grace is under promise 
 to deliver some lectures in a number of Eastern cit 
 ies. She has not been idle amidst all her sports, but 
 what with writing for the magazines, and preparing 
 some addresses on the great questions in which we 
 are all so deeply interested, she has been very busy 
 since her return from Chicago. 
 
 By the way, Doctor, why do you not write her? 
 She has mentioned the matter two or three times to 
 me, and seems somewhat hurt to think you cared so 
 little for her, >Ve often speak of you. and i h.ave
 
 166 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 been led more than once to surmise from casual re 
 marks she has made, that you have a very warm 
 place in her heart. Press your suit, and the prize is 
 yours. 
 
 Sincerely your friend, 
 
 MRS. BROWN. 
 
 To say that this letter did me goo.d is putting it 
 mildly. Like water to a thirsty man in mid-desert, 
 so were Mrs. Brown s encouraging words to me. Of 
 course there were some things in the communication 
 that were not calculated to allay my misgivings, for 
 instance that month s trip to the great west. But 
 the fact that she wished me to write her, and that 
 Mrs. Brown thought activity on my part in pressing 
 affection s claims could not but result in victory, 
 cheered me immensely. I wrote immediately, a nice 
 long letter, but void of sentiment, and addressed it 
 to Smithville, hoping to reach her before her de 
 parture with the Vincent combination. I did not re 
 quest, but suggested a reply. I stopped in Toronto 
 a week, drinking in the charms of that fairest Cana 
 dian city. Not expecting any mail, I seldom went to 
 the post office. But the evening before I was to 
 leave, I strolled around that way, and received a 
 lovely letter from Miss Thorne. She had enjoyed 
 my communication very much, she said, and hastened 
 to answer. She wrote at length concerning her 
 doings since we had parted in Chicago, spoke solici-
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 167 
 
 tously of my health, and urged me to devote myself 
 assiduously to exercise, quoting the words of Dry- 
 den: 
 
 "Better to hunt in fields for health unbought, 
 Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught. 
 
 The wise for cure on exercise depend; 
 
 God never made his work for man to mend." 
 
 She concluded by wishing me a pleasant vacation, 
 and assured me that a letter from me would be 
 gladly received at any time. And more, she begged 
 that I would not forget that the "latch-string was 
 always out" for me at her home, and she hoped I 
 would see fit to remember them with a visit before 
 my return to active work. 
 
 For the first time in many weeks I was happy. A 
 spirit of confidence seemed to be brooding over me, 
 and life once more grew wondrously sweet. Leav 
 ing Toronto on one of the splendid boats that makes 
 traveling a luxury between Montreal and the West 
 during the summer, I disembarked at Kingston the 
 following day, and after a visit to the fortifications 
 which are the chief attraction of that sleepy old 
 town, proceeded toward Alexandria Bay through 
 the Thousand Isles. Securing pleasant quarters at 
 this far-famed resort, I settled down for a month s 
 solid rest and recreation. I soon formed congenial 
 acquaintances, and gave mj-self up to fishing, picnic 
 parties, long rides on the wheel and bathing. I had
 
 1C8 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 never taken much interest in rowing, but now I 
 threw myself into the sport with the zeal of a college 
 man who knows more of oars than of books. A num 
 ber of us got our heads together and improvised a 
 gymnasium, and what with dumb-bells, horizontal 
 bars, and sand bags, together with bowling, rowing 
 and cycling, I soon regained my old-time vigor with 
 much to boot. We made a number of century runs 
 on our wheels, and long before the mouth was up I 
 had the muscles of a pugilist and the color of a farm 
 hand. 
 
 The second week after my arrival at the Bay, I 
 concluded to answer Miss Grace s letter, which I had 
 carried next my heart ever since I had left Toronto. 
 It was Sunday, and in the quiet of my room, which 
 overlooked the majestic river, I expressed myself as 
 follows: 
 
 Alexandria Bay, N. Y., Sept. 9, 1800. 
 My Dear Miss Thome: 
 
 Allow me to say that your kind letter, received 
 just before I left Toronto, gave me great pleasure. 
 I beg your pardon for not having written sooner, and 
 assure you that it was not because of any indiffer 
 ence on my part. No, I would rather correspond 
 . with you than anybody else. But I felt that perhaps 
 letters from my pen would be an intrusion, and so 
 did not write. 
 
 What a delightful time you have had during the 
 summer! And vet how busv vou have been. It
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 169 
 
 must be exhilarating to be always at one s best, 
 equally ready for work or play. This seems to be 
 the case with you, and if this is one of your new- 
 woman ideas, I say god- speed. 
 
 It is with pleasure I assure you that my health 
 is becoming exuberant. And as to exercise, I m be 
 coming a regular crank. Yesterday I rode 100 uiles 
 on my wheel, and then rowed an hour before retir 
 ing. To-morrow a party of us are going out camping. 
 We will take our guns, blankets, cooking utensils, 
 and fishing tackle, and rough it for a week at least. 
 
 Were you ever at the St. Lawrence? I believe 
 you told me once that you had never been. Well, 
 it s the grandest river in the world without a doubt, 
 and one of the most delightful spots on earth in 
 which to while away the hot weeks of summer. This 
 morning I was reading "Geraldine." I presume you. 
 have read that exquisite poem; if not, please permit 
 me to send you a copy. The author spent many 
 weeks in this fascinating locality, and perhaps a quo 
 tation or two from his lines might be interesting: 
 
 "Fair St. Lawrence! What poet has sung of its grace 
 As it sleeps in the sun, with its smile-dimpled face 
 Beaming up to the sky that it mirrors? What brush 
 Has e er pictured the charm of the marvelous hush 
 Of its silence, or caught the warm glow of its tints 
 As the afternoon wanes, and the even-star glints 
 In its beautiful depths? and what pen shall betray 
 The sweet secrets that hide from man s vision away
 
 170 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 In its solitudes wild? T is the river of dreams. 
 You may float in your boat on the bloom-bordered streams. 
 Where its islands like emeralds matchless are set, 
 And forget that you live, and as quickly forget 
 That they die in that world you have left; for the calm 
 Of content is within you, the blessing of balm 
 Is upon you forever. Mortality sleeps 
 While you dream, an immortal; some mistiness creeps 
 Like a veil of forgetfulness over your past, 
 And it is not. Your day is eternal, to last 
 Without darkness, or change, or the shadow of dread. 
 Blessed isles where to-day arid to-morrow are wed 
 In such fulness of bliss! Blessed river that smiles 
 In such beauty and, peace by the beautiful isles!" 
 
 No wonder Holland loved to spend his summers 
 here. It is an ideal spot for poets, a veritable para 
 dise for verse-makers and lovers. Kre you hear 
 from me again T will have shot the rapids a most 
 exciting experience they say and have visited Mon 
 treal and Quebec-. I trust you may favor me with a 
 letter at the hitter plaee, from which I will write you 
 previous to my departure on a long hunting trip up 
 in the wilds of Uritish Columbia. 
 
 I presume you are now in the far west, enjoying 
 your trip to the utmost. It is very kind of Mr. Vin- 
 * cent to afford you such an opportunity, and I m sure 
 you will make the best of it. 1 shall not be sur 
 prised if I read of your making free-silver speeches 
 to the Californians, and championing the movement 
 which favors Government ownership of railroads.
 
 SIDNEY VINCENT. Page 173.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 173 
 
 Well, rest assured of my sympathy. You have a 
 right to be heard on every great question, for your 
 views are sensible, your ability remarkable, and your 
 spirit commendable. 
 
 Miss Thome, I cannot say all I would like to s;iy 
 at this time; but ere my return to work I hope to ac 
 cept your invitation, and spend a little time with you 
 in your hospitable home. Then I shall be able to 
 speak what I cannot write, I trust, and we shall 
 know each other better. Farewell. 
 
 Your Devoted Friend, 
 FRANK CHARLTON. 
 
 1 tore this letter up and re-wrote it twice before 
 mailing; and then hesitated lest the closing para 
 graph should prove too presumptions. I feared that 
 before she received it perhaps Sidney Vincent would 
 have her promise to wed, and then what a fool I 
 would seem to both. 
 
 Oh, foolish man! Could you have seen the love- 
 light dancing in those deep blue eyes as she read 
 that self-same paragraph, your soul would have been 
 filled with delight, and a peace unspeakable would 
 have possessed your anxious heart.
 
 A WOMAN S PLEA FOR 
 NATIONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A WOMAN S PLEA FOR NATIONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS. 
 
 "There ought to be a system of manners in every na 
 tion, which a well-formed mind would be disposed to relish. 
 To make us love our country, our country ought to be 
 lovely." BURKE. 
 
 "Then none was for a party; 
 Then all were for the state; 
 Then the great man helped the poor, 
 And the poor man loved the great. 
 
 The lands were fairly portioned; 
 
 The spoils were fairly sold; 
 The Romans were like brothers 
 
 In the brave days of old." MACAULAY. 
 
 Five weeks passed. At Quebec I received letters 
 from Mrs. Brown and Miss Thome, both of which I 
 answered at length, and then Jeft for a long hunt in 
 the virgin fields of the far north. There were ten of 
 us in the party, all professional men seeking health 
 and pleasure. We found both in rich degree. Sail 
 ing up the picturesque Saguenay as far as navigable, 
 we bade good-bye to civilization and plunged into 
 the trackless wastes of wood-land and prairie, and 
 were abundantly rewarded with good shooting and 
 exhilarating adventure. 
 
 It was the middle of October before, we reached 
 Quebec on the return trip. We had seen no papers, 
 nor received any mail for a month. It took some
 
 178 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 time to catch the pace of events once more. I pur 
 chased a ticket for Portland, and was soon under the 
 American Hag again. Blessed stars and stripes! 
 How my heart leapt as my eyes once again feasted 
 on the glorious ensign. It is well enough to spend a 
 few weeks under the "Union Jack," but for steady 
 living give me "Old Glory" every time. 
 
 At Portland I received a letter from Miss Thome, 
 in which she gave me a detailed account of her gala 
 trip through the west. Mr. Vincent s name was not 
 mentioned, for which I was grateful. She had vis 
 ited many points of interest, and by invitation ad 
 dressed enthusiastic dress-reform meetings in sev 
 eral cities. Returning she had arranged a lecture 
 tour through the east under auspices of the Women s 
 Christian Temperance Union, speaking at Cincin 
 nati, Pittsburg, Buffalo, Albany, and Boston, from 
 which point she was writing me. The following 
 evening she was to speak in New York; thence 
 Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, from 
 whence she would return home. 
 
 She made no allusion to her reception in the dif 
 ferent cities, modestly leaving that for me to find out 
 if I wished to know. But as nearly every paper I 
 picked up had something in its columns about Miss 
 Thome, I had no difficulty in learning that she was 
 rapidly gaining in fame and influence. While some 
 journals condemned her and her work, the majority 
 commended. One or two of the funny papers
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 179 
 
 printed ridiculous cartoons, and dubbed her the "ty 
 rant in bloomers." But nevertheless vast throngs 
 came to see and hear her wherever she spoke, and 
 people of every rank were moved to better living by 
 her earnest appeals in behalf of a higher manhood 
 and womanhood. Dress reform clubs sprang up like 
 magic in various cities, and thousands were led to 
 adopt her simple style of dress. 
 
 "Can I reach Washington to-morrow evening by 
 eight o clock?" said I to the hotel clerk an hour after 
 receiving her letter. 
 
 "You can by leaving here at five this evening," 
 was the reply. 
 
 The time was short, but T determined to go. To 
 hear Grace Thome in one of her now famous lec 
 tures, and to feast my e}~es once again on her lovely 
 face and matchless form, would be indeed a pleasure 
 well worth the effort. 
 
 I arrived at the capital in good season, and, se 
 curing quarters at the Arlington, hastened to the box 
 office to see about a seat. To my chagrin, every seat 
 was sold, and standing room at a premium, and this 
 at the largest opera house in the city. Fortunately I 
 found a man at the hotel who had been summoned 
 out of the city by telegram, and gladly sold his ticket 
 to me. It lacked yet an hour till the lecture, so I 
 put in the time dining. Consequently, I was in a 
 most peaceful frame of mind when I reached the 
 great auditorium, and was shown to my seat, which 
 proved to be in excellent range of the platform. 

 
 180 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 The band plnyed several popular airs while a hun 
 dred distinguished ladies were taking seats on the 
 stage and arranging preliminaries. Promptly at 8:15 
 the speaker appeared in company with her friend 
 and mine, Mrs. Brown. A storm of applause greeted 
 the heroine of the hour, and after a happy introduc 
 tion by the wife of a noted congressman, a leader in 
 social circles, Miss Thorne began. I did not take a 
 single note, but think I can reproduce a tolerably 
 perfect synopsis of the address, so simple was it, and 
 yet so wondrously earnest and impressive. She was 
 dressed in bloomers, as usual. Although not quite so 
 stout as when I had last seen her, she was still the 
 living embodiment of glorious health. Her eyes 
 flashed with intelligence and depth of feeling as in a 
 voice as melodious as it was powerful, she said: 
 
 "We are on the eve of a national election. It 
 should be a matter of tremendous moment to every 
 citizen. Every American, male and female, should 
 be a politician. Not a partisan, but a student of the 
 science of government. Great dangers threaten the 
 welfare of our republic. History repeal s itself. Some 
 of the same evils that have figured in the overthrow 
 of other nations are now preying upon our body 
 politic. It is folly to cry, Peace, peace! when there is 
 no peace. We have little or nothing to fear from 
 without. All the powers of earth united could not 
 cope with America in a struggle at arms, Our 
 Yankee ingenuity, proverbial patriotism and indoin-
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 183 
 
 itable courage would rally to the support of the star- 
 spangled banner and successfully defend it against 
 all opposition. 
 
 "But we have much to fear from within. Nearly 
 all the nations of antiquity fell because of internal 
 corruption, and not from outward assault. One by 
 one the great monarchies of earth have left the 
 world s stage, and for six thousand years the hope 
 ful have sighed in vain for an enduring government. 
 When our forefathers crossed the stormy deep and 
 blocked the United States from the wilds of a new 
 continent, it was fondly prophesied that here in Co 
 lumbia, fair virgin of the Occident, would be realized 
 the dream of the centuries. 
 
 "Watchman, what of the night? 
 
 "A cursory review of existing conditions cannot 
 but arouse a feeling of alarm in every loyal heart. 
 
 "First, in this land of plenty, where the fertile soil 
 is capable of producing food enough to feed every 
 mouth in the world and plenty to spare if needs be 
 for the inhabitants of other planets, four million men 
 are idle fully eight months out of every twelve. 
 Millions of bushels of wheat are stored in the eleva 
 tors of the land, while their children all but beg for 
 bread. 
 
 "In the second place, while the rich are becoming 
 richer, the poor are becoming poorer. With seventy 
 per cent of the wealth of the nation in the hands of 
 5,000 millionaires, it is safe to say that we are slum-
 
 184 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 bering on the verge of a revolution more terrible 
 than history has yet recorded. 
 
 "Again, our long-boasted liberties are being im 
 pugned. An aristocracy of wealth is dominating 
 everything. Money, whether accumulated by fair 
 means or foul, will seat almost any demagogue in the 
 halls of legislation, where laws are enacted to suit 
 the favored few. So great has become the power of 
 wealth that almost every other ambition has been 
 obscured, and the advice of Ben Jon son is almost 
 universally heeded: 
 
 Get money; still get money, boys, 
 No matter by what means. 
 
 "We are now twenty .years into our second cen 
 tury as an independent power. Shall we be able to 
 pass through without disruption? It depends. There 
 are several gigantic wrongs that, must be corrected 
 if we succeed. I will call attention to a few of these 
 wrongs, perhaps not in the order of their magnitude, 
 but simply as they occur to me. 
 
 1. THE FINANCE QUESTION. 
 
 "What the blood is to the body, money is to the 
 nation. To insure health, the blood must be pure, 
 and there must be plenty of it. So to insure the old- 
 time prosperity of this country again we must have 
 honest money, and more of it. Prior to 1873 we had 
 fr^r? coinage of silver. Then this metal was demone-
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 185 
 
 tized, and a blow struck, the effects of which we have 
 been feeling the past three years. Silver must be re 
 stored and the two metals maintained at a reason 
 able parity before we will ever see the prosperity for 
 which we are all longing 1 . That man who favors a 
 single gold standard for this country is an enemy to 
 his flag. He may not realize it, but foreign capital 
 does. To-day yast American properties are controlled 
 by p]nglish capital, a thing which never would have 
 occurred under bimetallism. What our mother 
 country failed to do with shot: and shell, she is slowly 
 but surely accomplishing with her gold. It is high 
 time every American were awake. It is a question 
 of votes, and he who loves his country will never cast 
 another ballot for any man or parly pledged to the 
 Bank of England s policy as against American lib 
 erty and prosperity. 
 
 "Many have said they favored bimetallism provid 
 ing we could induce (lermany, France and other na 
 tions to go in with us and make the policy interna 
 tional, but that it would be suicidal for us to attempt 
 it alone. Oh, my countrymen! Where is the patriot 
 ism of Washington, Jefferson, and Webster? Have 
 we no courage left? Is it so bad as that? Heaven 
 forbid that this, the richest and most powerful gov 
 ernment, on earth; should lick the hands of foreign 
 capitalists, and, like a whipped spaniel, bide the 
 sweet wishes of an unworthy superior. Unable to 
 restore silver alone! Suvh talk is traitorous, and
 
 186 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 the politician who whines it in his canvass for votes 
 should promptly be boycotted at the polls. 
 
 "And then we must have more money per capita. 
 Think of transacting the vast business of (>5,000,000 
 people on a scanty $25 per head! No wonder times 
 are close, money hard to get and everything de 
 pressed. Elect a bimetallist president and Congress, 
 restore silver, then double the circulation per capita 
 within five years, and America will see a season of 
 prosperity such as the sun has never looked down 
 upon since the world began. 
 
 2. PROHIBITION. 
 
 Ha! see where the wild, blazing grog-shop appears, 
 
 As the red waves of wretchedness swell; 
 How it burns on the edge of tempestuous years 
 The horrible light-house of hell! 
 
 "Important as is the money question to America, 
 the liquor question is more so. It touches us at every 
 angle of our national life, only to blight, wither and 
 curse. And yet for many years the politicians have 
 cried, Moral suasion, moral suasion! The liquor 
 question is one that properly belongs to morals, and 
 should not be lugged into politics! I>ut to my mind it 
 is the greatest political question of the age. When 
 we consider that there are in round numbers 250,000 
 saloons in America, which annually scoop into their 
 tills |1,500,000,()00 more than enough to pay the en
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 187 
 
 tire public debt of the nation it is treason to our 
 higher interests to keep the saloon question out of 
 politics. The dominant parties of the country have 
 quarreled over the tariff for many campaigns. Stump 
 orators have shouted themselves hoarse over the tar 
 iff, tariff, tariff! And yet it is a small question com 
 paratively. A matter of only $278,000,000 in 1S94, or 
 less than one-fifth the amount directly involved in the 
 saloon question. It is to the interests of brewers and 
 distillers to keep up this everlasting talk about the 
 tariff, for it serves well as dust with which to blind 
 the eyes of voters. No matter if there is but five 
 per cent difference between the Mills and McKiuley 
 bills, let them saw away, tweedle-dee and tweedle 
 dum, so long as the sacred interests of the still house 
 are not tampered with! 
 
 "Few realize the enormity of this evil. Ex-Gov 
 ernor St. John estimates the number of drunkards 
 who annually fill untimely graves in this country at 
 150,000. Think of it! During the civil war both 
 sides lost 500,000 men. It was a calamity never to be 
 forgotten. Yet in the same length of time we are 
 now burying more victims of the wine cup, and this in 
 a time of peace, arid in a Christian land! Aside from 
 this are to be considered the tens of thousands of 
 sad-faced wives and ragged children, the blear-eyed 
 poverty and hideous ignorance, and all the awful 
 crimes caused by intemperance. In one year 3,000 
 wives lost their lives by the cruelty of drunken hus-
 
 188 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 bands. Ex-Governor Dix was not far wrong when he 
 said, Intemperance is the undoubted cause of four- 
 fifths of all the crimes, pauperism and domestic mis 
 ery in the state of New York/ Gladstone declares 
 that Intemperance has injured the Anglo-Saxon race 
 more than war, pestilence and famine. And Leo 
 pold, Duke of Albany, once asserted that drink was 
 the only enemy England had to fear. What is true of 
 the mother country in this respect is true of her giant 
 offspring. AYhile drinking continues, said Mr. Live- 
 SOA", so long ago as 1831, poverty and vice will pre 
 vail; and until this is abandoned no regulations, no 
 efforts, no authority under heaven can raise the con 
 dition of the working classes. It is worse than a 
 plague or pestilence, and the man is no friend to his 
 country who does not lift up his voice and proclaim 
 his example against it. 
 
 "We take great pride in our public schools, and 
 well we may. The little red schoolhonse is the ar 
 biter of our destiny, the assurance of our prosperity 
 in a very practical sense. And whatever power, so 
 cial, political or ecclesiastical, that would threaten 
 our school system should be summarily shorn of its 
 head. We have millions invested in our school prop 
 erties. And yet if to-night some wanton fiend from 
 an unknown world should sweep across the continent 
 with a mighty torch in hand and fire every public 
 school building in the land, the drink bill of the 
 country for lifty-two weeks would restore all with 
 abundant interest !
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 189 
 
 Protection or free trade, hard money or greenbacks, 
 if the saloons of America were closed to-morrow, 
 never again to open, there would not be a loaf of 
 bread, a pound of meat, or a suit of clothes left in the 
 shops "of the land when Saturday night came. There 
 is no such thing as overproduction. Such a state 
 ment is a travesty on truth, a lie invented by political 
 tricksters. Outlaw the whisky business, and legiti 
 mate trades would immediately experience the great 
 est revival in their history. 
 
 "But who is to blame for this state of affairs? 
 
 "Least guilty, the poor drunkard, whose depraved 
 appetite drives him on from bad to worse, against 
 reason, revelation and everything that is good and 
 true. 
 
 "Next guilty, the saloonkeeper, brewer and dis 
 tiller, who are all in it for the money. I d rather be 
 a thief than a dealer in liquors. A thief steals your 
 watch, but he cannot harm your character, nor rob 
 you of your ability to earn another watch. But the 
 liquor dealer beats you out of your money, be 
 smirches your character, chokes the life out of am 
 bition, and generally damns both soul and body. A 
 highway robber is a gentleman as compared with a 
 man who makes or sells intoxicating beverages. The 
 average murderer is a saint as compared with the 
 fiend who deals out death poison over the bar ef a 
 grog shop, and slowly but surely kills his hundreds 
 of victims.
 
 190 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 "Most guilty, the voter who casts his ballot for 
 license! I care not how pious you may be, and 
 your liberality may be proverbial, but so long as you 
 pray, Thy will be done/ and vote with license par 
 ties and for license men, Satan will have the cinch 
 on your deluded soul. Crusades may be all right in 
 their places; but I have little confidence in them. 
 Resolutions to Congress, as a rule, are not worth the 
 paper on which they are written. The need of the 
 hour is for men to vote as they pray. Whisky men 
 care more for one adverse ballot than for a thousand 
 prayers without the ballot. Pray right and vote 
 right, and any evil can be controlled. The only con 
 sistent ground for a Christian nation to take is pro 
 hibition, absolute, imperative, perpetual! And it is 
 a question of life or death. Nearly all the great na 
 tions of antiquity died drunk. Can we hope to es 
 cape their fate much longer under existing condi 
 tions? Right is right. Saint or sinner, Christian or 
 infidel, the man who loves his country will hence 
 forth vote for prohibition. 
 
 3. EQUAL SUFFRAGE. 
 
 " Consistency, thou art a jewel. We whipped 
 England because she sought to enforce taxation 
 without representation. And yet for a century we 
 have perpetuated the same gross wrong in debarring 
 the gentler sex from the rights of citizenship! It is
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 193 
 
 certainty one of the marvels of this enlightened age 
 and nation that so palpable an injustice should be 
 tolerated so long. 
 
 "But men say that woman cannot reason; that 
 she has no business ability; and that politics is not 
 her sphere anyhow, and therefore she should not be 
 permitted to vote and hold office. This is a slander 
 on history, to say nothing of the present. When has 
 the world seen greater rulers than Marie Stuart, 
 Elizabeth and Mary, Queen of Scots? And has not 
 Victoria presided acceptably for fifty-five years over 
 the greatest monarchy in the world? Did not De 
 borah turn the captivity of Israel into freedom and 
 victory when there was not a man among the tribes 
 capable of leading the hosts? Woman s achieve 
 ments in science, literature and the arts is sufficient 
 argument in the affirmative on the question as to her 
 ability to reason. But even if she be considered 
 man s inferior in this respect, she is his superior in 
 intuition. Her sympathies are nearly always on the 
 side of the right. It was a woman who designed the 
 stars and stripes. It was a woman who wrote Uncle 
 Tom s Cabin, a work that did more to free the slaves 
 than all the speeches, resolutions and legal meas 
 ures of a century. It was a woman who first dared 
 to banish the wine cup from the White House. And 
 as to business ability, nine men out of ten owe their 
 success in life to the economy, foresight and courage 
 of their wives.
 
 194 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 A few years ago Senator Ingalls insisted that 
 woman ought not to have the ballot, because she 
 couldn t fight! His domestic experience has been a 
 happy one, free from broken broomsticks and dis 
 heveled hair, and he is therefore to be forgiven for 
 so reckless an assertion. But in the good days com 
 ing, when women will be as strong as men, there 
 will be no room for this objection. However, there 
 will be no occasion for woman s shouldering a mus 
 ket and marching out to war, when she has the bal 
 lot, for she will arbitrate. And that is better. 
 
 "Mr. Ingalls says that equal suffrage is coming, 
 much as he deplores it. He fears that politics will 
 not do woman any good. Perhaps not; but woman 
 will do politics good! Whatever woman has touched 
 in the march of the centuries she has purified. It 
 has always been her mission to clean up cobw r ebs 
 and scrub. Give her a chance in the halls of legis 
 lation and some ugly laws now T in force will be re 
 moved forever from the statute books of civilization. 
 In Delaware and South Carolina, for instance, the 
 age of consent is ten. In Wyoming and Kansas, 
 where women have limited rights at the polls, the 
 age of consent is eighteen. What she has accom 
 plished under cramped privileges in these states 
 she will duplicate with abundant interest in every 
 state when she has an equal chance. 
 
 "Equal suffrage is coming. It is in the air. The 
 best men of all parties admit it. Abraham Lincoln
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 195 
 
 said, I go for all sharing the privileges of the gov 
 ernment who assist in bearing its burdens, by no 
 means excluding women. Charles Sumner declared 
 that In the progress of civilization woman suffrage 
 is sure to come. Why not? For, as William H. 
 Seward said, Justice is on the side of woman suf 
 frage. Some time before his death the beloved 
 Whittier wrote, For over forty years I have not hesi 
 tated to declare my conviction that justice and fair 
 dealing, and the democratic principles of our gov 
 ernment, demand equal rights and privileges of cit 
 izenship, irrespective of sex. I have not been able 
 to see any good reasons for denying the ballot to 
 woman. In this he accorded perfectly with the 
 great Wendell Phillips, who said, I take it Arnerica 
 never gave any better principle to the world .than 
 the safety of letting every human being have the 
 power of protection in its own hands. I claim it for 
 woman. The moment she has the ballot, I sha41 
 think the cause is won. 
 
 "Give woman the ballot and the sacred interests of 
 her home and family will impel her to vote right on 
 all great moral questions. The party that gives wom 
 an this just privilege will do a service for humanity 
 not excelled in the annals of time. If we hope to live 
 as a nation through our second century the sooner 
 we discard all discrimination of sex, in religion, bus 
 iness and politics, tHe better.
 
 196 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 4. THE RACE QUESTION 
 
 Is a simple one, 1 hough broad and important. It 
 should not be confined to the negro. Xor yet the 
 Ohinaman. America is the natural asylum for the 
 depressed and oppressed of every land. So long ;i s 
 men come here with good intentions, so long should 
 they be welcome, irresjM ctive of color, religion or 
 social position. The black man has as good a right to 
 America as the white; the same is true of the yellow 
 man, the red man and the Asiatic. But. whoever 
 asks admission at our gates, East or West, and is 
 unwilling to conform to our habits, learn our lan 
 guage and become naturalized and patriotic Ameri 
 can citizens, should be unceremoniously dismissed. 
 The springing up of immense foreign colonies in our 
 midst, where our language is despised, our Bible 
 scoffed at, our Hag trailed in the dust, and our in 
 stitutions generally demeaned, is a menace of mighty 
 magnitude. No party should be so anxious for votes 
 as to wink at these things. Strict immigration laws 
 should be enacted and enforced to the letter. Amer 
 ica for Americans should be the watchword of all. 
 "Oh, let us have done with playing government! 
 Vast interests are at stake. We are making history. 
 The welfare of millions in other lands, as well as 
 our own, aye, the welfare of billions yet unborn, 
 should incite us to action, quick, noble, sure. Im 
 ploring every voter to do his duty at the polls next
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 197 
 
 Tuesday, 1 would conclude with the gifted Holland s 
 grandest sonnet : 
 
 " Cod give us men! A time like this demands 
 
 Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and ready hands! 
 
 Men whom the lust of office does not kill; 
 
 Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; 
 
 Men who possess opinions and a will; 
 
 Men who have honor men who will not lie; 
 
 Men who can stand before a demagogue 
 
 And scorn his treacherous flatteries without winking. 
 
 Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog 
 
 In public duty and private thinking! 
 
 For while the rabble with their thumb-worn creeds, 
 
 Their loud professions, and their little deeds, 
 
 Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps, 
 
 Wrong rules the land, and trailing justice sleeps! " 
 
 As she retired an avalanche of roses was hurled 
 upon the platform, and thunders of applause shook 
 the great building. Frequently during the address 
 the brave and beautiful speaker had been inter 
 rupted with rounds of applause. But now it was 
 simply deafening, irresistible, long-continued. It is 
 safe to say that no such a scene had ever been en 
 acted in that auditorium. Men cheered themselves 
 hoarse and women waved their handkerchiefs. It 
 was like a mighty cloudburst of enthusiasm, in which 
 I found myself as deeply immersed as the rest. 
 
 At last the band struck up "My Country, Tis of 
 Thee," and with one impulse the vast audieno? -irose 
 arid joined in that soul-stirring hymn. It was
 
 198 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 spontaneous and irregular, but the effect was elec 
 trical and far-reaching. When the verses had been 
 sung, the people retired, many weeping from depth 
 of feeling and holy emotions. 
 
 I crowded my way toward the stage, hoping to 
 meet my loved one. Whea within a few feet of a 
 side entrance I happened to glance toward one of 
 the boxes, when whom should I behold but Sidney 
 Vincent and Banker Brown. They were evidently 
 waiting for somebody. My heart sunk within me, 
 every happy resolution was subdued, and, without 
 waiting to see any iiiorej I turned and luf t the build 
 ing.
 
 AMONG THE ROCKIES.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 AMONG THE ROCKIES. 
 
 "Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural 
 scenery." RUSKIN. 
 
 "Round its breast the rolling clouds are spread; 
 
 Eternal sunshine settles on its head." 
 
 GOLDSMITH. 
 
 "See the mountains kiss high heaven, 
 And the waves clasp one another." 
 
 SHELLEY. 
 
 It was perhaps foolish in *ne to leave the opera 
 house so abruptly. How did I know that they were 
 engaged? I surmised so, but perhaps I was mis 
 taken. I could not blame Vincent for following her 
 about and seeing as much of her as possible. And 
 yet I wished he were in Guinea, and I had a monop 
 oly of the attentions of Miss Grace Thome, niy study 
 in bloomers. 
 
 Much dejected and worn with the long ride of the 
 previous night and day, I threw myself into bed im 
 mediately upon reaching my room. And as I was 
 now in the best of health,, brown as a berry and as 
 strong as a mule, I slept at once and soundly. It 
 was late when I arose the next morning. I dressed 
 leisurely and went down to breakfast, philosophiz 
 ing on fate and kindred subjects.
 
 204 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 "Here s your morning paper, sir! All about the 
 big speech by the woman in bloomers. Paper? 
 
 "Yes, I ll take one. Here, boy!" 
 
 And I read. Column after column (for it was a 
 long and carefully prepared report) I digested with 
 the avidity of a starving Arab. The waiter brought 
 iny order, and gently called my attention to it twice 
 before I concluded. And (hen so keen was my in 
 terest thai all relish for my food was gone. 15ut I 
 went through the motion, mechanically bolting a 
 good supply of beefsteak and hot rolls. Then I 
 walked into the office and inquired for a time-card. 
 When I arose my tirst impulse had been to hunt up 
 the frowns and Miss Thome and spend the day 
 with them in viewing the sights of the capital city. 
 But the paper stated that they had all left shortly 
 after the address in Mr. Sidney Vincent s private 
 car for a short tour through the South. So I de 
 cided to see Mount Vernon, and perhaps ascend 
 Washington Monument, and then return to my work. 
 
 At I en o clock I caught a steamer and enjoyed an 
 hour s ride on the beautiful Potomac. Landing at 
 Mount Vernon, 1 visited the tomb of our nation s 
 greatest hero, 
 
 "The first, the last, the best, 
 The Cincinnatus of the West." 
 
 As I stood within a few feet of the sarcophagus 
 
 containing his bones I was moved as never before 
 with mingled feelings of patriotism, gratitude and
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 205 
 
 hope. Visiting the old home of the General, whom 
 Napoleon declared to be the greatest warrior of his 
 age, I went reverently from one room to another, 
 reading all the inscriptions and examining all the 
 relics with a minuteness and pleasure I had never 
 experienced in a similar study. Mount Vernou is the 
 Mecca of Americans, and thanks to the women 
 of the land, the sacred property is in a good state 
 of preservation. 
 
 So deeply impressed was I with a tribute from the 
 pen of Dr. Andrew Reed of England, which was ex 
 posed in one of the rooms, that I copied it, and can 
 not forbear reproducing it here: 
 
 WASHINGTON, 
 The brave the wise the good ; 
 
 WASHINGTON, 
 Supreme in war, in counsel, and in peace; 
 
 WASHINGTON, 
 Valiant, without ambition; 
 Discreet, without fear; 
 Confident, without presumption. 
 
 WASHINGTON, 
 
 In disaster, calm; in success, moderate; 
 In all himself. 
 
 WASHINGTON, 
 
 The hero; the patriot, the Christian; 
 The father of nations, the friend of mankind, 
 
 WHO, 
 
 When he had won all, renounced all, and sought 
 in the bosom of his family, and of nature, 
 retirement, and in the hope of religion, 
 immortality.
 
 206 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 The following day I departed for Chicago. Many 
 dear friends, tried and true, met me at the depot, 
 and the following Sunday I preached to the largest 
 audiences in the history of my pastorate. Every 
 thing had gone well in my absence, my assistant 
 having proven the right man in the right place. Even 
 the old sexton was contented, and once more I en 
 tered into the details of my exacting profession with 
 a zest of which I had imagined myself incapable. 
 
 The second Sunday I was surprised, upon enter 
 ing my pulpit, to see the Browns once again in their 
 accustomed pew, and with them Grace Thome! At 
 the close of the service none were more cordial in 
 their greetings than these dear friends. 
 
 "Why, Doctor, how stout you are! And how well 
 you look!" exclaimed Miss Thorne. 
 
 "The very picture of health," echoed Mrs. Brown. 
 
 "Shooting must agree with you," said the banker. 
 "You must come over to dinner to-morrow and tell 
 us all about it." 
 
 I agreed, and faithfully kept my promise. I gave 
 a full account of my wanderings, and then after 
 dinner insisted upon a similar service on the part of 
 my study. The banker and his good wife begged to 
 be excused, stating that when inviting me to spend 
 the evening with them they had forgotten a promise 
 already made to attend an anniversary celebration 
 in a distant part of the city. 
 
 "But perhaps Miss Grace can entertain you just
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 207 
 
 as well as if we were present," said Mr. Brown, with 
 a wink at his companion. 
 
 "I will do my best," replied Miss Thome, inno 
 cently. 
 
 "And when she does her best at anything she al 
 ways succeeds," said Mrs. Brown. 
 
 I fear the color rose to the very roots of my hair. 
 Certainly this was a pleasure unexpected. Now if 
 Sidney Vincent don t come poking his unwelcome 
 head in, thought I, ungenerously. 
 
 He didn t come, and for three hours we had the 
 house all to ourselves. Blessed hours! 
 
 Miss Thorue was, contrary to the usual rule, as 
 good a conversationalist as she was public speaker. 
 Drawing her rocker close to the easy chair I was 
 occupying, she looked me pleasantly in the face and 
 began : 
 
 "Now you wish me to tell you about the Rockies, 
 do you? Grand old mountains! It was one of the 
 most delightful trips of my life. Mr. Vincent has 
 been very kind to me. liis private car is a palace 
 on wheels, provided with every luxury, and he has 
 been generous enough to extend me several invita 
 tions, together with my relatives and friends, to ac 
 company him on various jaunts through our beauti 
 ful country. 
 
 "We left for the West September first, and were 
 absent just a month. We went out by the northern 
 route, taking in the Red River country and the great
 
 208 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 grazing districts of Montana. Diverging to the 
 south, we spent several days in the Yellowstone 
 National Park, that wonderland of creation. Then 
 continuing, we visited the thriving cities of Helena, 
 Spokane Falls, Seattle and Tacoma. A ride on glor 
 ious Puget Sound was a pleasure that will linger in 
 memory as long as I live. At Portland we stopped 
 two days. We took a steamer and ran up the Co 
 lumbia as far as The Dalles. On the left as we as 
 cended was the great state of Washington, which 
 contains more iron than Pennsylvania, more forests 
 than Maine, and greater agricultural resources than 
 Illinois. Mount Kanier, Mount Hood and other lofty 
 peaks showed their snowy heads, while on the right 
 Mount Shasta and the rugged gorges of the Cascade 
 range attracted the eye. I was deeply interested in 
 the fish wheels, which, revolving by the force of the 
 current, scooped up vast quantities of salmon, with 
 which the tables of the East are supplied the fin 
 est tisli in the world. Portland is perhaps tin- 
 wealthiest city of its population in America, but not 
 so pretty to my mind as some others. 1 spoke to the 
 ladies of the city one night on my hobby, dress re 
 form. The papers were kind enough to compliment 
 the meeting and the address. However, Doctor, 1 
 am not sure that this means much. For just as oft^n 
 the dailies of the country are on the wrong side of a 
 question as the right, and their antagonism is frc- 
 (jiientlymore of a compliment than their commenda 
 tion.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 209 
 
 "Leaving Portland, we passed up the beautiful 
 Willamette Valley, dotted here and there with 
 happy little towns, between which lay some of the 
 prettiest, farms in the world. Also the Rogue River 
 and Sacramento valleys are dreams of rural loveli 
 ness. And for splendid feats of engineering, the 
 road across the Siskiyou range presented some sam 
 ples hard to excel. 
 
 "We spent four days at San Francisco, metropolis 
 of the Wesl. We usually think of this city as the 
 jumpingoff place, and yet so vast in area is the 
 Uniicd States that if we count in Alaska, San Fran 
 cisco in just half Avay across from New York!" 
 
 All of which I knew quite as well as she, but so 
 charmed was I with her easy, running chat that I 
 saw it in a new and better light than ever before. I 
 had not spoken till now, when, feeling that I ought 
 to say something, I meekly inquired: 
 
 "Did you visit Chinatown?" 
 
 "Indeed we did, a large party of us, under the di 
 rection of an experienced guide and two policemen. 
 We spent several hours exploring the dives and dens 
 of this horrible locality, the like of which is nowhere 
 else to be seen, I suppose, under the folds of the 
 American flag. To think of 45,000 people huddled to 
 gether in the space of a few blocks, living like vermin! 
 What with gambling, opium smoking and other evil 
 habits contracted from so-called Christian nations, 
 together with his natural propensities to vice, the
 
 210 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 poor Chinaman seems well nigh doomed both for this 
 world and the world to come. And yet a strict en 
 forcement of the excellent laws already existing 
 would do much toward removing the unpleasant 
 features of Chinese immigration. 
 
 "We visited the Presidio Military Reservation one 
 morning and witnessed a grand, full dress parade. 
 Here Uncle Sam s soldiers appear at their best, you 
 know. It is one of the largest posts in the country, 
 and the fort is one of the strongest in the world. The 
 hills about the Golden Gate are literally lined with 
 mighty guns, and I do not believe all the navies in 
 the world combined could run the gauntlet of our 
 splendid defenses at the entrance of San Francisco 
 Bay, which is the pride of our Western coast, and 
 undoubtedly the finest harbor in the world. 
 
 "The parade was beautiful and exciting. The 
 perfect marching of the infantry, the methodical 
 movement of the artillery, the rhythmic action of the 
 cavalry and the stirring music of the regimental 
 band electrified me, and for a moment I could not 
 restrain my tears. But when I thought of the awful 
 meaning of real war I said: Ah! what a mistake isall 
 this. It seems a sin to spend millions in the support 
 of an army and navy, when tens of thousands of our 
 fellow-citizens are begging for honest work and 
 bread. Of course, we have a small army as com 
 pared with those of European nations. But what of 
 it? War has become almost an impossibility, so de-
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 211 
 
 structive have become its munitions. How much bet 
 ter for a burdened humanity if the nations of the 
 earth would lay down their arms and arbitrate all 
 disagreements. What right have I to kill uiy brother 
 just because he refuses to agree with me? Might 
 never made right, but the world has been slow to 
 think so. 
 
 "Yes, we visited Golden Gate Park, Sutro s Gar 
 dens and Bath House, and the new Cliff House, 
 where we watched the seals for an hour or more. It 
 was a charming sight to see the big fellows sunning 
 themselves on the huge rocks, while the waves of the 
 mighty ocean played about them. 
 
 "Leaving San Francisco we traveled south through 
 the far famed San Joaquin Valley, and, reaching Los 
 Angeles, tarried a day or two before running on to 
 San Diego and the Mexican Line. The Cit} of the 
 Angels is well named. To my mind it is one of the 
 prettiest, as it is certainly one of the most prosper 
 ous, cities on the continent. I like Southern Cali 
 fornia. It is our Italy. Its blue skies, equable cli 
 mate, luxurious fruits, beautiful flowers and pro 
 gressive people combine in making it one of the most 
 highly favored spots in the Western hemisphere. 
 Southern California is the flower garden of the 
 world. To see calla lilies blooming out doors the 
 year round; to revel in the fragrance of orange blos 
 soms perpetually, while enjoying the fruit; to dwell 
 in a pretty upland home where frost and fog are un-
 
 212 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 known, and where the wild flowers wreathe the hills 
 with a prodigality possible only to nature when in 
 her happiest mood, are some of the privileges of this 
 fairyland, which, however, is too far from the hub of 
 civilization to suit one of my temperament if I were 
 seeking a permanent home. , 
 
 "It is a great country for alfalfa, a sort of hay 
 which grows six or eight crops a year if the ground 
 is well irrigated. Speaking of this, reminds me of a 
 story I heard on a tall, lank, lantern-jawed Missour- 
 ian, who was visiting California for the first time, 
 and had not yet become familiar with the state s vo 
 cabulary. Sitting with a party of men in a hotel 
 lobby one evening, he was expressing his dislike for 
 the country in many uncomplimentary terms, and 
 \vound up by remarking, No, gentlemen, Californy 
 isn t in it with old Missoury. Why, they can t raise 
 anything out here but alpaca, and they have to irri 
 tate that! A year in one of the excellent public 
 schools of this wonderful state would doubtless im 
 prove his knowledge in several particulars. 
 
 "Doubling back a few hundred miles, we visited 
 the wonderful Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa 
 big trees. Somebody, a globe-trotter, once said, See 
 all the rest of the world before visiting Yosemite, 
 for afterward everything else will seem tame in com 
 parison. You have been there, have you not, Doc 
 tor?" 
 
 "Yes," was the reply. "I spent a week there three 
 summers ago."
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 213 
 
 "Then you will readily excuse me from attempting 
 to describe this really indescribable place. When I 
 saw the Mulinomah Falls in Oregon, 850 feet high, 
 I was speechless in admiration. But Multnomah is 
 but a rivulet, a mere child s plaything, as compared 
 with Yosemite, which seems to start in the clouds, 
 2,000 feet above. 
 
 "Leaving California, we plunged across the desert, 
 a long, tedious ride. When at last we reached Salt 
 Lake City, it was like coming out of a nightmare 
 into the sunshine and sparkling dews of a June 
 morning. We spent a day in the Mormon capital, 
 visiting the great tabernacle and other places of in 
 terest. Running out to (Jarfield Beach in the after 
 noon, we all went bathing. It was rare sport, and no 
 danger of drowning in this great inland sea, which 
 is phenomenal in that it is almost one-fourth salt. 
 However, salt or no salt, sister and I are both good 
 swimmers, an exercise which I have greatly enjoyed 
 for years as I have had opportunity. That s another 
 of my new- woman ideas, Doctor; I think every lady 
 should learn to swim. It is not only a healthful and 
 exhilarating sport, but might sometimes prove a use 
 ful accomplishment." 
 
 "Agreed," said I. "Go on." 
 
 "I was glad to note that Gentile enterprise is at 
 last dominating Utah, and that Morrnonism promises 
 to be a mere relic of the foolish past at no very dis 
 tant day. How tolerant are the good people of our
 
 214 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 
 
 land! They will lot anybody practice anything if 
 they will only declare it to be their religion. This 
 is not liberty, but license, and it is high time our 
 statesmen were opening their eyes to some other 
 evils as bad as polygamy. 
 
 "From Salt Lake City we proceeded into the Rock 
 ies proper. Up the (Jrand River, over Tennessee 
 Pass and down the Arkansas we flew, drinking in 
 the glorious scenery on every hand. We stopped an 
 hour at the Royal Gorge, and in awe studied the lofty 
 walls above us and the angry current beneath. Of 
 course, w r e visited Manitou and the Garden of the 
 Gods. Yes, and climbed Pike s Peak, that stalwart 
 captain of them all. We entered the grand cavern 
 and speculated on the age of stalagmites and stalac 
 tites like real scientists. We climbed, and climbed, 
 and climbed, till each gained an appetite sufficiently 
 ravenous to please the most ambitious health-seeker. 
 It was a glorious trip from first to last, and now, lest 
 I weary you, I will conclude by saying that we spent 
 a day in Denver, the Queen City of the Plains, and 
 then sped homeward, crossing the much-abused 
 state of Kansas, where there is more of the true, in 
 telligent, patriotic reform spirit that you know I so 
 much admire than in any other state of the Union." 
 
 "I have been delighted with your narrative," said 
 I, "and you are certainly to be congratulated, not 
 only for the opportunities afforded you by this trip, 
 but for the excellent manner in which you improved 
 the same."
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 215 
 
 We chatted on about other things for awhile, until 
 [ began to grow nervous. Not one word could I in 
 duce her to speak of Vincent by any of the subtle 
 arts of conversation. I was almost dying to know 
 whether they were engaged, and yet I did not dare 
 ask her. Somehow I doubted it, and yet I was mor 
 ally certain that this had been the railroad mag 
 nate s purpose in planning the trip. 
 
 "How well you look, Doctor!" said she, abruptly 
 changing the tide of conversation. "It does me good 
 to note your improvement." 
 
 "Yes," I replied, feeling somewhat flattered, and yet 
 I knew that she was sincere. "I am as firm a bicycle 
 fiend as you dare be now. And as to Indian clubs, 
 rowing, putting the shot and all the other arts of 
 working up muscle, color and appetite, I am almost 
 a Sandow." 
 
 "Good!" said the dear girl, clapping her hands in 
 unfeigned delight. "Speaking of Sandow, I ve been 
 told that he was once a weak man, inclined to con 
 sumption. But attention to the laws of health and 
 perpetual exercise, has made him one of the strong 
 est men of the age. Do you know, people would be 
 better off if instead of running to the doctor with 
 every little ill they would eat proper food, take 
 proper exercise and bathe much in the pure oxygen 
 of heaven s great outdoors. And we are advancing. 
 More attention is being paid to these matters now 
 than ever before. Already the average age of human
 
 216 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 life has increased three years the past ten. Another 
 century of progress and it will be very common for 
 people to live one hundred years and more." 
 
 Still nothing about Vincent. Oh, why did she not 
 say something that would reveal the facts in the 
 case? If I could only be assured that there was 
 nothing between them I would propose at once, 
 whether for weal or woe. But I hesitated. 
 
 She was attired in a suit of brown brown bloom 
 ers, brown waist, brown hose and pretty little slip 
 pers tied with brown ribbon. She wore a bunch of 
 forget-me-nots at her breast. All this I had observed 
 a hundred times during the evening, and each time 
 with increasing admiration. With my added strength 
 had come greater love for this woman of all women 
 to me, and I longed to fold her to my bosom and 
 speak words of ardent love into those pretty ears 
 which nestled, half hidden, beneath the rich folds 
 of her beautiful hair. But I hesitated, thinking that 
 that might be a privilege which belonged by right 
 of conquest to a bolder man than I had been. 
 
 Glancing at my watch, I saw that it was almost 
 time for the Browns to return, and remarked that I 
 must be going. We chatted a few minutes longer 
 and then I started. She accompanied me into the 
 hall, where we lingered another ten minutes. As I 
 looked down into those wondrous eyes I thought I 
 detected my own image there, not as when one looks 
 into a mirror, but as when you look into the soul of
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 217 
 
 one whose heart beats in unison with your own. For 
 a moment I was spell-bound. It seemed now that my 
 fond hopes must be fulfilled, and that I must clasp 
 her to my heart, smother her sweet face with kisses 
 and call her my own. But Vincent s ghost came to 
 mind. What if she had already promised him? Then 
 what a fool I would be! 
 
 "Oh, I came nearty forgetting to ask you how long 
 you intend tarrying in the city this time? said T. 
 feeling that I should smother if I didn t say some 
 thing. 
 
 "Only a day or two." 
 
 "Indeed! I m sorry. I had hoped to see more of 
 you." 
 
 "Then accept my most cordial invitation to spend 
 the holidays at our home," said she. "You will need 
 a little rest again by that time, and we will all be de 
 lighted to have your company through the gala week 
 of the year." 
 
 "I will come," I said, surprised, flattered, filled 
 with a new hope. 
 
 I took her soft, warm hand in mine, and she was 
 not quick to withdraw it. Certainly she thinks more 
 of me than of him, I thought. And yet, perhaps, this 
 is one of her little arts to deceive they may be en 
 gaged after all. 
 
 "Good night, and good-bye till Christmas."
 
 DISAPPOINTMENT.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 DISAPPOINTMENT. 
 
 "The best-laid schemes o mice and men, 
 
 Gang aft a-gley, 
 And leave us nought but grief and pain, 
 
 For promised joy." 
 
 BURNS. 
 
 It was Thanksgiving evening. Grace Thorne and 
 Sidney Vincent were seated in the library in the lat- 
 ter s home at Smithville. Vincent had arrived from 
 Chicago the day before, and side tracked his private 
 car for three days stop at the little Wisconsin town 
 where lived the lady he loved above all others. He 
 had been remarkably successful in his business 
 deals for several months past and was now quoted 
 among the millionaires in railroad circles. And still 
 he was unmarried. He felt that the time had fully 
 come for him to select a companion and establish a 
 fashionable home. So calling his chief clerk into 
 his private office, he quickly arranged matters for a 
 short vacation, and then scribbled the following tel 
 egram : 
 
 Chicago, Nov. 27, 1896. 
 
 Miss Grace Thorne, Smithville, Wis. 
 
 Your gracious invitation to spend Thanksgiving 
 accepted. Will come to-morrow. 
 
 SIDNEY VINCENT.
 
 222 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 There was no special excitement at the Thome 
 residence over the expected guest, for they were hos 
 pitable people, and were always extending invita 
 tions to their friends, and among all their acquaint 
 ances none seemed more deserving of the favors of 
 the season than Sidney Vincent, whose close atten 
 tions and innumerable kindnesses for six months 
 past had made the whole family his debtors. 
 
 The forenoon after his arrival was a pleasant one. 
 The sun shone brightly, and, in company with Miss 
 Grace and her sister, the railroad magnate took a 
 long drive. At two o clock dinner was ready. Henry 
 Thorne, with his wife and babies, had run up from 
 St. Louis to eat turkey and pumpkin pie once again 
 at the old home. Other relatives were present, and 
 one or two of Josephine s school friends. It was a 
 pleasant party, not too large, not too small, and 
 everybody in the best of humor, as they should be on 
 this blessed day. 
 
 After dinner came music, conversation, laughter 
 and an all-round good time. During the afternoon 
 the mercury had fallen twenty degrees and the wind 
 soughed and moaned among the trees in a way to 
 suggest most forcibly the advisability of staying in 
 doors. The guests departed early, fearing a severe 
 blizzard, and the man kindled crackling fires in the 
 grates. Vincent and Miss Grace finally pre-empted 
 the library, and, drawing chairs close to the fire, sat 
 down for a quiet, uninterrupted chat.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 223 
 
 "Miss Grace," began Vincent, with that keen busi 
 ness look in his steel-grey eyes which had so often 
 pierced the motives of his associates on change to 
 his advantage, "I have desired for a long time to 
 speak with you on a subject that will concern you, I 
 hope, as deeply as it does myself." 
 
 He stopped a moment to note the effect these 
 words might produce. But the face of the lady re 
 mained unchanged. She met his glance squarely and 
 innocently, as she calmly said: 
 
 "Proceed, Mr. Vincent. You are well aware of my 
 weakness for talk. It is a common failing with my 
 sex. Science has recently declared that this failing, 
 if it must be called such, is owing to a difference in 
 the brain tissues of man and woman. Be that as it 
 may, I am ready to hear what you have to say, with 
 interest and pleasure, I trust." 
 
 "I had thought to speak to you during our West 
 ern trip," he continued, in the same tone as before 
 her philosophic reply, "but there were so many in the 
 party, and our time so constantly occupied with 
 sight-seeing when we were not at rest, that I had no 
 good opportunit} 7 . Miss Thome Grace since our 
 first meeting in the city several months ago I have 
 been infatuated with you and have long been wait 
 ing anxiously for the moment when I could declare 
 my love. At last the moment has come, and I now 
 offer you my all Grace darling will you be my 
 wife?"
 
 224 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 He had arisen from bis chair and knelt politely on 
 one knee just beside her, and now held out his fat, 
 jeweled hands imploringly. She did not scream, nor 
 faint, but with slightly heightened color, which the 
 keen-eyed Vincent thought greatly enhanced the 
 beauty of her snowy neck and luscious cheeks, she 
 quietly replied: 
 
 "Mr. Vincent, I trust you will not think me un 
 grateful, for I sincerely appreciate your every kind 
 ness and respect you as one of my dearest friends, 
 but I cannot accept your gracious offer." 
 
 Non-plussed, astonished, dazed, the rich, confident, 
 imperious man almost lost his self-control. Scores 
 of anxious mothers in the swellest of swell circles in 
 various cities had set their traps for him again and 
 again, but all to no avail, for the present daughter 
 was the only one he had ever seen for whom he cared 
 enough to bow the knee. And now to think she re 
 fused! It was indeed stunning. But in a moment 
 he regained his staggered composure and was as 
 cool as if manipulating a gigantic deal in the inter 
 ests of his corporation. 
 
 "Oh, Miss Thorne Grace dearest one you do 
 not refuse me! It cannot be possible that I have 
 read your .heart wrongly as I have time and again 
 studied the expression of those charming eyes? Why 
 can you not accept my offer, sweet lady? Is it be 
 cause you do not love me?" 
 
 "That is the only reason a true woman dare sug-
 
 HE HAD RISEN FROM HIS CHAIR, AND KNELT 
 POLITELY ON ONE KNEE, JUST BESIDE HER, AND 
 NOW HELD OUT HIS FAT JEWELED HANDS IM- 
 PLIRINGLY. Page 224.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 227 
 
 gest under such circumstances, Mr. Vincent," was 
 the earnest reply. 
 
 "But why do you not love me?" he asked, almost 
 petulantly. 
 
 "Take your seat again, Mr. Vincent, and I will tell 
 you," she said. 
 
 Mortally chagrined, the haughty wooer seated him 
 self again and remained at a respectable distance 
 from the object of his affections, while she began 
 calmly to analyze him to himself with a gentleness 
 and directness most humiliating. 
 
 "In the first place, Mr. Vincent and you will par 
 don me for speaking plainly, for I ana your friend 
 because you are an infidel. While I do not pose as a 
 saint, and know that my life is far from perfect, I am 
 a believer in God and the Bible. I think Christ of 
 Nazareth the world s only hope, and could never be 
 happy with a husband who thought otherwise. These 
 are great fundamental truths, and I feel that I 
 would be risking my happiness here and my soul 
 hereafter if I should accept your hand, knowing as 
 I well know from your oft declared unbelief, that you 
 have been a scoffer at all these things I hold sacred, 
 for the greater part of your life." 
 
 "But, my dear Miss Thome, I will gladly agree to 
 hold my tongue forever on all these questions, and 
 promise you upon my word and honor that your re 
 ligious convictions shall never be impugned by me. 
 Only be my wife, dearest Grace, and I will make you
 
 228 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 happy, if granting your every request will do it. 
 But I confess that I do not believe in religion, and 
 will not deceive you by promising that I will try to 
 do so." 
 
 "Why do you not believe?" inquired the now fully 
 aroused young lady. Her natural love for argument 
 and investigation asserted itself, and, anyhow, she 
 much preferred a battle with logic just now to a 
 battle with disappointed love. 
 
 "Because I cannot," said Vincent. 
 
 "But that is an unsatisfactory answer, Mr. Vin 
 cent. Perhaps you have never tried. It is quite pop 
 ular in certain circles nowadaj s to doubt, and I am 
 positive that many persons are trying infinitely 
 harder not to believe than they are to believe. It is 
 a dangerous fad which has bred a vast litter of 
 skeptical books, insipid addressess and free-and-easy 
 society organizations. I surmise that it is a recoil 
 from the ultra-orthodoxy of past generations; but 
 because our ancestors were unwise in their adher 
 ence to certain inconsistent tenets it is no reason we 
 should swing to an extreme of unfaith ten times 
 more so. Christianity has met every test success 
 fully for nearly two thousand years, and its own 
 history is a vindication of its genuineness." 
 
 "How about the Dark Ages, Miss Thorne? Would 
 you undertake to defend the horrors of the Inquisi 
 tion, and the martyrdoms of a thousand years of 
 church rule?"
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 229 
 
 "By no means. Every good thing is counterfeited, 
 and the crimes enacted by a corrupt church should 
 not be attributed to the religion of Jesus. Church- 
 ianity and not Christianity is to blame for the blood 
 of martyrs. The great trouble is that many do not 
 wish to endorse the lofty principles of Xew Testa 
 ment religion, for it would hurt their business. And 
 so they read the depraved ranting of foul-mouthed 
 agnosticism with a relish, thereby steeling their 
 hearts against the gentle pleadings of the gospel. 
 Nine professed infidels out of ten are woefully unfa 
 miliar w r ith the Bible; and as to standard works on 
 Christian evidence, they do not care to know they 
 exist." 
 
 "Oh, of course some kind of a religion is perhaps 
 necessary," interjected Vincent, who w as only too 
 weary of the discussion; "but why not that of 
 Buddha, or Confucius, Mohammed, or Zoroaster? 
 Why insist on the Bible in preference to the Talmud 
 or the Koran? So far as 1 have been able to see 
 there is about as much truth in one as another." 
 
 "But the facts are against you, Mr. Vincent. The 
 history of true civilization is the history of Chris 
 tianity. All religions contain truth, some more, some 
 less; but the Christian scriptures are the essence of 
 all truth, for they reveal what no other sacred work 
 does man s real relationship to an Omnipotent, 
 All-Wise and All-loving Being. Professor Lowber, 
 in his great work entitled Cultura/ says; It is a
 
 230 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 fact that idolatrous nations have never been able to 
 extricate themselves from idolatry. Truth had to be 
 presented from without, and that truth was the gos 
 pel of Christ as contained in the Bible. You find no 
 nation highly civilized which does not believe in the 
 Bible. The Bible and civilization go together. Man 
 is so constituted that he will worship, and he be 
 comes assimilated to the character of that which he 
 worships. " 
 
 "But, Miss Grace," urged Vincent, "brilliant minds 
 differ on these things. So why should you and I 
 give ourselves such earnest concern about them until 
 they are setlled? 
 
 "I grant you that brilliant minds differ," contin 
 ued Miss Thorne, "but the really great minds of the 
 world agree in favor of Christianity as against ir- 
 religion. Mr. Gladstone says: The greatest of all 
 questions of the day is that of the gospel. It can and 
 will correct everything needing correction. All men 
 at the head of great movements are Christian men. 
 During the many years I was cabinet officer I was 
 brought in association with sixty master minds, and 
 all but five of them were Christians. Daniel Web 
 ster was once asked what was the greatest thought 
 he ever had. He replied: My personal responsibil 
 ity to a personal God. When James Russell Lowell 
 was our minister to England he was once present 
 at a dinner in London when some of the speakers 
 present expressed their contempt for Christianity,
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 231 
 
 declaring that they could get along without if, and 
 depreciating its influence upon men. Mr. Lowell vol 
 unteered a caustic reply to their sophistries, a por 
 tion of which, with your permission, I would like to 
 read." 
 
 Stepping to the book shelves, Miss Thorne took 
 therefrom a volume, and standing beneath the chan 
 delier, quickly turned to the place she desired, and 
 read the following words: 
 
 "I do not think it safe," said the distinguished 
 poet, statesman and scholar. "I am formulating no 
 creed of my own; I have always been a liberal 
 thinker, and have, therefore, allowed others who dif 
 fered from me to think also as the} 7 liked; but at the 
 same time I fear that when we indulge ourselves in 
 the amusement of going without a religion, we are 
 not, perhaps, aware how much we are sustained at 
 present by an enormous mass, all about us, of re 
 ligious feeling and religious conviction; so that 
 whatever it may be safe for us to think for us who 
 have had great advantages, and have been brought 
 up in such a way that a certain moral direction has 
 been given to our character I do not know what 
 would become of the less favored classes if they un 
 dertook to play the same game. The worst kind of 
 a religion is no religion at all; and these men, living 
 in ease and luxury, may be thankful that they live 
 in a land where the gospel they neglect has tamed 
 the beastliness and ferocity of the men who, but for
 
 232 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 Christianity, might long ago have eaten their car 
 casses like the South Sea Islanders, or cut off their 
 heads and tanned their hides like the monsters of 
 the French Revolution. 
 
 "When the microscopic search of skepticism, 
 which has hunted the heavens and sounded the seas 
 to disprove the existence of a Creator, has turned 
 its attention to human society, and has found a place 
 on this planet, ten miles square, where a decent man 
 can live in decency, comfort and security, supporting 
 and educating his children unspoiled and unpol 
 luted; a place where age is reverenced, infancy pro 
 tected, manhood respected, womanhood honored, 
 and human life held in due regard when skepticism 
 finds such a place ten miles square on this globe 
 where the gospel of Christ has not gone and cleared 
 the way, and laid the foundations, and made decency 
 and security possible, it Avill then be in order for the 
 skeptical literati to move thither, and there ventilate 
 their views. But so long as these very men are de 
 pendent upon the religion that they discard for 
 every privilege they enjoy, they may well hesitate 
 a little before they seek to rob the Christian of his 
 hope, and humanity of its faith in that Savior who 
 alone has given to man that hope of eternal life 
 which makes life tolerable and society possible, and 
 robs death of its terror and the grave of its gloom." 
 
 As she replaced the book, Vincent s eyes followed 
 her every movement with a longing inexpressible
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 233 
 
 He had been more charmed with her reading than 
 with what she read. Never had she seemed so 
 queenly to him as now. He loved her with all the 
 love a man of his sordid make-tip could love, and 
 felt that he could not possibly brook defeat in his 
 purpose to have her his wife. Feeling that to argue 
 with her was absolutely useless, he sought to change 
 the tide of affairs by an appeal to vanity. She had 
 resumed her seat and was looking thoughtfully at 
 the cheerful fire when he began 
 
 "I do not care to argue with you, Miss Grace, for 
 on religious subjects you are clearly beyond my 
 reach. I confess that I have never read the Bible 
 through, and have given little attention to evidences 
 of any kind, for or against Christianity. I have been 
 a strictly business man for years, and have succeeded 
 handsomely. Today I am rich, popular, powerful. 
 I want a wife who is my equal and you are the 
 only lady who can fill the bill. If you will accept 
 me, my fortune is at your disposal, and I promise you 
 that I will not hinder you in the exercise of any of 
 your whims, social, political, or otherwise. This is 
 no light matter, Miss Thorne, and I trust you will 
 consider it with the good sense for which you are 
 eminently noted. Mind you, my skepticism shall 
 never be mentioned in your presence, and if that is 
 your only objection, it seems to me that you ought to 
 give me your hand right here and now." 
 
 And once again he assumed the attitude of pe-
 
 234 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 titioner, kneeling at her side, and gently soliciting 
 her hand. 
 
 "But there are other objections, Mr. Vincent," said 
 she. 
 
 "And pray, what can they be?" pleaded the now 
 thoroughly awe-struck lover. To have been com 
 pelled to assume the defensive was a thing he had 
 not expected nor prepared for. 
 
 "To be frank, yet I hope not unkind, Mr. Vincent, 
 some of your personal habits. I would almost as soon 
 be the wife of an infidel as to link myself for life with 
 an habitual user of tobacco and strong liquors." 
 
 And she looked the astonished suitor squarely in 
 the face, as his countenance changed from one ex 
 pression to another and back again with a rapidity 
 quite exciting. 
 
 "Why, Miss Thome!" he implored. "I am aston 
 ished that your demands of a husband should be so 
 excessively strict. It is true that 1 smoke just like 
 other men, some better and some worse than myself, 
 and that I occasionally partake of stimulants. How 
 can one avoid it when in society? But w r hat harm is 
 there in sipping a little champagne, or, for that mat 
 ter, in taking a little alcohol when over-burdened 
 with work, as I am at times. But I have never been 
 the worse from liquor and would scorn the thought 
 of excess in that direction." 
 
 "Oh, certainly," remarked Miss Thome, somewhat 
 coolly, Vincent thought. "All moderate drinkers
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 235 
 
 say the same. But it s all wrong. Liquor is a poison, 
 and no human being is excusable for taking it into 
 the stomach as a beverage under any circumstance 
 whatever. Nor can it be done without injury to a 
 greater or lesser extent. Though you can easily con 
 trol your appetite at present, the time might not be 
 far distant when drinking would become a disease 
 with you, and then my life, if I were your companion, 
 would be miserable, no matter how elegant our home, 
 nor how heavy our bank account." 
 
 "But your Bible says to take a little wine for the 
 stomach s sake, does it not?" asked Vincent, think 
 ing to parry her blows somewhat. 
 
 "Certainly, and I should probably say the same 
 thing under similar circumstances. The Apostle 
 Paul was addressing a sickly young preacher and did 
 right in recommending the pure, unfermented juice 
 of the grape as a food and tonic for his jaded body. 
 But if Timothy could have consumed a barrel of the 
 kind of wine his superior recommended it would 
 not have intoxicated him. Not so with your fer 
 mented champagnes and nineteenth century 
 whisky." 
 
 "But I can easily give up liquor of every descrip 
 tion for you if necessary; I cannot understand why 
 you should be so foolish about smoking, however, 
 for it seems to me a simple, harmless habit, in which 
 most men of all ranks and conditions indulge." 
 
 "Because," continued Miss Thome, and every word
 
 236 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 was like a dissecting knife to the man at her side, 
 who had now resumed his seat, and who, chin in hand, 
 was philosophically studying the hickory log in the 
 glowing grate before him, "tobacco is also a poison, 
 and ncarty every reason that can be urged against 
 the use of liquor can be urged against the use of to 
 bacco. Both are narcotics of the worst type. The 
 plant from which your cigars are made is one of the 
 most deadly known to botany. No one can absorb 
 nicotine into the system without bad results. To 
 bacco slowly murders its tens of thousands of vic 
 tims every year and blights the lives of hundreds 
 of thonsandsof others with disease. It causes paraly 
 sis, heart trouble, cancer of the throat, neurasthenia., 
 dyspepsia, blindness, stunted growth, consumption, 
 and time would fail me to name the multitude of 
 evils created or augmented by the use of the obnox 
 ious weed. Horace Greeley, speaking of the smell 
 of tobacco smoke, once said: It is a profane stench. 
 And Webster facetiously remarked: If those men 
 must smoke, let them take the horse shed. Killed 
 by too much cavendish would be a far more appro 
 priate epitaph for many tombstones than some of 
 the exotic eulogies we see in every cemetery. Smok 
 ing pollutes the teeth and breath, dulls the mental 
 faculties, inflames the baser nature, and wills to 
 heredity an abnormal makeup which often dishon 
 ors a beneficent Creator." 
 
 "You ought to be a spectacled professor in some
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 237 
 
 ladies college," was the only reply Vincent at 
 tempted, as a sickly smile crept over his features. 
 
 "Never," insisted Miss Thome, "for I am a believer 
 in co-education of the sexes." 
 
 "Another hobby?" asked Vincent, the smile slo\vly 
 expanding. 
 
 "Yes, these new women of whom you read so much 
 have many hobbies. The men have had it all their 
 own way so long, however, that they ought not to 
 object to us having a little of the sport, too, in these 
 dissipated days. Especially when our hobbies are 
 sensible, and make for the betterment of the race." 
 
 Vincent s smile now broke into a short, hoarse 
 laugh. Then shifting his position a little, he coyly 
 inquired: 
 
 "And have you any other objections to 3 T our 
 adorer?" 
 
 "Yes, Mr. Vincent," she replied, "it is one not often 
 urged in this material age, and yet it is of vast im 
 portance with me. You love money too well." 
 
 "That is indeed a strange objection for a woman 
 to urge against a prospective husband," said Vin 
 cent. "Money seems to be the chief requirement 
 with most women, and it is certainly a very useful 
 adjunct to married life. I know your Bible says that 
 money is the root of all evil, or something to that 
 effect; but I have observed that most church mem 
 bers dig for it about as anxiously as we wicked men 
 of the world. You seem to be an all-round excep-
 
 238 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 tion, however." And he coughed a little cynical, 
 business-like cough. 
 
 "No, Mr. Vincent, the Bible does not say a word 
 against money. It says that the love of money is the 
 root of all evil. That s a very different thing. Money 
 is power, and I rejoice to see it accumulated in 
 the hands of generous, philanthropic persons. But 
 when money is amassed simply for money s sake, it 
 becomes a curse. Milton spoke incisivety when he 
 wrote : 
 
 Mammon led them on, 
 Mammon, the least erected spirit that fell 
 From heaven. 
 
 It is painful to witness the terrible scramble for gold 
 to-day. Men of every rank and station in life have 
 been led into the struggle, so fascinating has it be 
 come. It is a mania which shuts out all growth in 
 other directions, fostering selfishness, deceit, cruelty. 
 Hood very aptly described the present condition of 
 things in America when he wrote: 
 
 Gold, gold, gold, gold, 
 
 Bright and heavy, hard and cold, 
 
 Molten, graven, hammered, and rolled; 
 
 Heavy to get and light to hold; 
 
 Hoarded, bartered, bought and sold; 
 
 Stolen, borrowed, squandered, doled; 
 
 Spurned by the young, but hugged by the old 
 
 To the very verge of the church-yard mold; 
 
 Price of many a crime untold, 
 
 Gold, gold, gold, gold.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 239 
 
 The great Master said: Ye cannot serve God and 
 Mammon, and so many men with one accord seem 
 in these days to be choosing the latter." 
 
 "But have I not been liberal with my money?" in 
 quired Vincent, apparently somewhat hurt. 
 
 "Oh, yes! With yourself and those you admire. 
 Personally I shall never be able to repay your many 
 kindnesses. But you have not been liberal with the 
 poor and needy around you. There are hundreds of 
 poor fellows working on your lines for a scanty nine 
 dollars a week, and a family of four, six or nine to 
 support. And yet twice a year your stockholders 
 meet and declare mighty dividends. In your own 
 city are thousands who do not know the meaning of 
 good clothes and a square meal from one year s end 
 to another, and yet your name has never appeared in 
 the lists of public benefactors. By your own admis 
 sion to me in a conversation held some months ago, 
 these constant appeals on the part of philanthropic 
 schemers fatigue you, and you generally instruct 
 your clerk to tell them you are out when they call 
 on you for donations. Out of a vast income you give 
 but a mere pittance to lift up the fallen, when you 
 could easily found a hospital, endow an industrial 
 school, and establish a friendliness between capital 
 and labor as it comes under your control which would 
 bring joy to the burdened hearts of thousands. 
 Hence I could never consent to be your wife and live 
 iit ease aiid ia luxury while I reajised tbat others
 
 240 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 less favored deserved the money all this cost much 
 more than I." 
 
 "And what else?" asked the millionaire, appar 
 ently anxious to conclude the examination. "Have 
 you any other reason for refusing my offer? I may 
 as well know them all." 
 
 "You are too old, Mr. Vincent," said she sweetly. 
 "While I am but twenty-five, you are forty-one. A 
 difference of sixteen years is too great in the mar 
 riage relation. I am aware that in many instances 
 where the difference has been even greater the cou 
 ple has gotten along nicely, to all appearances. Bui, 
 it is unnatural, and what is unnatural is unwise. 
 You should prefer a wife nearer your own age. In 
 fact, you should have married fifteen years ago. All 
 this talk about marriage being a. failure has been 
 provoked by unnatural marriages. Persons rush 
 into this, the most sacred relation of life, without 
 due thought or preparation, and the result is tin- 
 happiness, and the institution itself is blamed when 
 the silly incumbents ought to be. Wealth, blood, 
 fame, and such like elements should always be con 
 sidered secondary in the choice of a partner for life. 
 Love should rule. Love marriage s are the great 
 need of the hour." 
 
 The fire had burned low, and the room was becom 
 ing chilly. The hands on the mantel clock pointed 
 the hour of eleven. Vincent felt that he must now 
 bring this unsatisfactory discussion to a close, and
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 241 
 
 resolved to make one last, frantic effort. "The third 
 time s the charm," he thought, as once again he 
 knelt at Miss Thome s feet. 
 
 "Grace darling pride of my heart and life I 
 cannot live without you. Do not cast me off. Help 
 me to be the man you would have me to be. Become 
 my wife and I will endeavor to conform to your 
 every ideal. Refuse me, and T cannot vouch for the 
 consequences." 
 
 And he took her hand in his and pressed it to his 
 lips before she had time to answer. But gently 
 withdrawing it, she quietly answered : 
 
 "Mr. Vincent, the worst policy a woman could 
 possibly pursue is to marry any man to reform him. 
 Many have tried it, and not one in ten thousand ever 
 completes the task. There are worse men than 
 you, a hundred times over. I shall be glad to count 
 you among my warmest friends while life lasts if 
 you will let ine^ but marry you I cannot. There is 
 one reason I have kept till the last, and which I 
 think will move you to retreat in this vain pursuit." 
 
 "One more?" exclaimed Vincent. "And tell me, 
 what can it be?" 
 
 "My heart is not my own. I love another man."
 
 UNDER THE MISTLETOE.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 UNDER THE MISTLETOE. 
 
 "I rest content; I kiss your eyes, 
 I kiss your hair in my delight: 
 I kiss my hand and say, Good-night. " 
 
 JOAQUIN MILLER. 
 
 "She was good ES she was fair. 
 None none on earth above her! 
 As pure in thought as angels are, 
 To know her was to love her." 
 
 ROGERS. 
 
 Sidney Vincent did not stay three days. He left 
 the following morning for Milwaukee, where he vis 
 ited twenty-four hours at the home of a millionaire 
 brewer and proposed to his youngest daughter, a but 
 terfly maiden of nineteen summers. Of course, he 
 was accepted, for he was a warm acquaintance of the 
 old gentleman and had attended several fashionable 
 receptions at his home in bygone days. For several 
 years it had been one of the fondest dreams of Mrs. 
 Millionaire Brewer to marry her Miss Isabel to this 
 wealthy and popular railroad magnate. So arrange 
 ments were promptly effected, and the affair set for 
 Christmas-tide. It was considered a royal match by 
 the gossips, for it enhanced the wealth and worldly
 
 246 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 prospects of both sides in the bargain and insured to 
 society another aristocratic establishment. 
 
 All this, and much more, I learned upon good au 
 thority some time after it occurred. Well, generally 
 speaking, folks are sooner or later assorted accord 
 ing to affinity, and it is quite proper. 
 
 As the holidays approached I could scarcely wait 
 for the hour of my departure for Smithville. Sev 
 eral friendly letters had passed between myself and 
 Miss Thorne. But as yet I was no wiser than I had 
 been concerning the real status of affairs between 
 herself and Vincent. Nor was Mrs. Brown. Al 
 though a most intimate friend of the latter s, the fair 
 young lady had never divulged her intentions matri 
 monially. She was a wise general who kept her 
 own counsel in this matter. 
 
 "But I cannot believe that Miss Grace will ever 
 marry Mr. Vincent," said the banker s wife one day 
 as we were talking over the subject. "She will marry 
 whom she loves when she does marry, and I have 
 never heard her say anything which would warrant 
 one in concluding that she loved the railroad man." 
 
 This gave me hope, and I firmly resolved that I 
 would not return from her sweet presence this trip 
 without knowing my fate. Time did not lessen my 
 love for her, but it seemed to deepen, heighten, 
 broaden with each passing day and hour. I felt 
 that no other could ever take her place in my affec 
 tious, and often wondered what would become of me
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 247 
 
 if after all she should wed Vincent. I longed to 
 settle the question forever; and yet I feared the out 
 come. As Madame de Stael says, "Where we really 
 love, we often dread more than we desire the solemn 
 moment that exchanges hope for certainty." And 
 Sir Philip Sidney spoke truthfully when he said: 
 "They love indeed who quake to say they love." 
 
 At last I was on the way. A heavy snow had fallen 
 the night previous and my train was two hours late 
 in reaching Smithville. But Miss Grace and her 
 good father were at the depot awaiting my arrival. 
 This surprised me almost as much as it pleased me, 
 for the hour was w r ell into the night. 
 
 "We are happy to welcome you again, Doctor," 
 said Miss Thome, as she extended her little gloved 
 hand, warmly. "And you are looking so well." 
 
 "Yes," I replied, more than pleased, "I am in per 
 fect health. Of course, I find the Thornes all well, 
 for it is the natural order of things?" 
 
 "Exactly," remarked Mr. Thorne, as he drew a 
 heavy robe about us and gave the mare a gentle cut. 
 
 They had come for me in a sleigh. It was a crisp, 
 starry night, and as we skimmed over the snow to the 
 merry jingle of bells I felt with Tennyson that 
 "Love could walk with banished Hope no more." 
 
 After a cup of hot water, a piece of buttered toast 
 and a half hour s conversation, I retired. The next 
 forenoon was spent in pleasant visitation, and the 
 afternoon in sleigh riding. We drove out to the villa
 
 248 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 and made an interesting call on the old butler and 
 his wife. Jim was present, and at my request fav 
 ored me with a couple of games at checkers, in both 
 of which he worsted me ignoininiously, and then 
 added insult to injury by saying: 
 
 "Revner, if you can t preech beiter n you play 
 checkers, I pity the folks as comes to hear yer!" 
 
 The hearty laugh which followed was entirely at 
 my expense, r.nd I only partially parried the at hick 
 by asking Jim if he had seen (he ghost at Myers 
 bridge lately. Aunt Martha insisted on us remain 
 ing to dinner, saying that she had on a Christmas 
 goose. But we excused ourselves on account of Miss 
 Grace having an engagement at the church that 
 evening. The Sunday-school had an old-fashioned 
 Christmas tree, and she promised her boys to be 
 present. She kept her promise and saw that each of 
 them received a handsome and useful gift. I accom 
 panied her to the services, and was never more 
 pleased with the dear girl than on this occasion, 
 when her face fairly shone with delight as she moved 
 here and there among the happy throng, adding little 
 touches to the arrangements, without which the ex 
 ercises of the hour would have been much less suc 
 cessful. 
 
 "To-morrow we will make some calls," she said as 
 we walked home. "You remember that T promised 
 you once that 3 r ou might accompany me on one of my 
 rounds among the poor. T would not think of making
 
 ONE OF THE MANY HOMES IN SM1THVILLE WHERE 
 MISS THORNE IS A WELCOME VISITOR.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 251 
 
 such a proposition to others at this gala season, but 
 I know your interest in this sort of work/ 
 
 "Yes, Miss Grace, I shall be only too glad to go 
 with you," I assured her. "When we are most happy 
 ourselves we should be the more willing to share it 
 with others less fortunate; and as Christmas comes 
 but once a year, those who can should make it mean 
 much to the sorrow-stricken and downcast about 
 them." 
 
 During the day Miss Josephine had decorated the 
 Thorne home with mistletoe and holly and Mrs. 
 Thome and Bridget had prepared a wealth of tempt 
 ing delicacies for the morrow s spread. It was al 
 most midnight when we all retired, after a jolly 
 evening in the best room. The girls played and sang, 
 the man made some cider and brought it fresh from 
 the press, ice cold, and little eight-year-old Nellie, 
 who had come from the city to spend holida} r s u ith 
 grandpa and grandma, spoke a piece or two. Then 
 the head of the household took down the old Book 
 and read Luke s account of the Saviour s birth, and 
 we all knelt in prayer. In a few well-chosen words 
 he thanked the Father for the many blessings of 
 the hour, petitioned mercy for the poor and needy 
 everywhere and committed the souls of all to His 
 tender care. There was nothing stiff about it, but a 
 simple, sweet, devotional spirit that charmed me be- 
 3 ond expression. Verily, I thought, David was right 
 when he said : "The ways of religion are the ways of 
 pleasantness."
 
 252 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 Enjoying the pleasures of such a fireside, my muse 
 was thoroughly aroused, and I found it difficult to 
 sleep for an hour or more after retiring. I thought 
 of Mulock s words: 
 
 "It is the Christmas time; 
 And up and down twixt heaven and earth, 
 In the glorious grief and solemn mirth, 
 The shining angels climb." 
 
 It was quite late the following morning when Miss 
 Thome and I started out for twenty calls among I he 
 poor. But it was a bright day, and our hearts were 
 light. The man drove us about in a double- seated 
 sleigh, in which had been packed twenty baskets, 
 each filled with good things. There was no formal 
 ity about this self-appointed missionary s calls. She 
 went into the homes of her Hock like a sunbeam. It 
 was : 
 
 "Good morning, Mrs. Muggins! How are you? And 
 how is that dear little baby and the rest of the chil 
 dren? A merry Christmas to you ail!" 
 
 Or, 
 
 "Hello, Hobby! Hello, Sally! Did Old Santa Glaus 
 bring you anything this year? What, no! Then we ll 
 see about that. Ho, there, William (calling to the 
 man), bring in that little basket, please." 
 
 And everywhere she was royally welcomed. Sad- 
 faced mothers brightened up, and ragged children 
 fairly danced with glee as she opened up the bas-
 
 UNDER THE MISTLETOE,
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 255 
 
 kets and dispensed gifts which she had thoughtfully 
 provided for one and all. 
 
 As we drove from place to place, some of the 
 church bells rang, and a number of well-dressed, 
 cultured-looking people might be seen wending their 
 respective ways to the church of their choice. Where 
 upon Miss Thorne remarked: 
 
 "It is all very nice for those to go to church this 
 morning who have been abundantly blessed with 
 the good things of this life; but somebody must think 
 of the poor unfortunates. But I do love to hear the 
 bells. It reminds me of one of Longfellow s stanzas: 
 
 I heard the bells on Christmas Day 
 Their old, familiar carols play, 
 And wild and sweet 
 The words repeat 
 Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 
 
 And, yet, Doctor, there is so much formality about 
 our churches to-day. It keeps the masses out. When 
 will our spiritual leaders learn that acceptable serv 
 ice of God does not consist in conforming to cer 
 tain ritualisms, and in always doing the same thing 
 in the same stiff way; but in fulfilling the law of 
 Christ, the crowning principle of which is love. To 
 my mind the greatest verse in the New Testament is 
 this: Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the 
 least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto 
 me. He best serves God who best serves humanity. 
 The Bible tells us how."
 
 256 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 And thus she chatted on, throwing out here and 
 there nuggets of golden truth which would have 
 done credit to the profoundest thinkers of history. 
 She had certainly been much with books, and yet she 
 was not bookish at all. Mingling daily with the 
 great work-a-day world about her, she had kept her 
 brilliant mind and sympathetic heart free from cob 
 webs and moss. 
 
 It was a merry Christmas dinner indeed that we 
 sat down to at two o clock. Six courses, interspersed 
 with hearty good cheer made the hour one long to 
 be remembered. 
 
 "Let s go skating!" suggested Miss Josephine, as 
 we arose from the table. 
 
 "What do you say, Doctor?" asked Miss Grace. 
 "I m willing." 
 
 "I should enjoy going," said I. 
 
 And we were soon off. The man drove us over to 
 the lake at the villa, where the skating was excel 
 lent. It was one of my favorite sports, as it seemed 
 to be with the girls, and we spent two very pleasant 
 hours at it. 
 
 Returning home b}^ dusk, I was left alone awhile. 
 Throwing myself into the big easy chair in the par 
 lor, where I had so often sat before, I wondered 
 whether the terrible suspense I was undergoing 
 would ever come to a satisfactory end. Two days 
 had passed, and not a word on the subject nearest 
 my heart, Vincent s name had not been mentioned,
 
 THE SKATING WAS EXCELLENT. Page 256.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 259 
 
 which appeared to me a favorable omen, for, I rea 
 soned, if she were engaged to him, she could not 
 keep it, strong-minded and cautious though she be. 
 
 Presently the object of my long, heartfelt study 
 came inj attired, as everj in bloomers. During the 
 day she had worn a navy blue suit, heavy and warm, 
 with leggins and cape to match. Miss Josephine 
 had worn a suit of brown, similarly made, and was 
 almost as fascinating as her sister. As we skated I 
 remarked more than once the eminent superiority of 
 such a costume for the exercise we were enjoying 
 over the old, troublesome skirts. 
 
 Miss Grace had gone to her room upon our return 
 and exchanged the navy blue for a lighter suit of 
 plaited creton. The waist was cut lower in the neck 
 than usual, revealing just a little of her plump square 
 shoulders and broad, well-rounded chest, which a 
 little gold chain and sparkling pendant set off most 
 winsomely. The sleeves were large and open, sug 
 gesting ease and good fellowship. There were no 
 leggins over the thick, firmly-knit dark hose, and 
 her boots had given place to a pair of slippers that 
 for ease and beauty combined would have made Cin 
 derella wild. The hair had been rearranged, and 
 from head to foot she now appeared to me more than 
 ever before a dream of womanly perfection. 
 
 "Papa and mamma have gone out for the evening," 
 she said, as she closed the door and drew the low 
 divan a little nearer the grate, "and sister has re-
 
 260 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 tired to her room to write some letters. So I guess 
 you and I will be obliged to entertain ourselves as 
 best we can, Doctor." 
 
 "Well, Miss Thome, I think we are equal to the 
 emergency, do you not?" I asked, as I drew 7 my chair 
 a little nearer the fire, and in easy conversing dis 
 tance. 
 
 "We talked of books, music and the various reforms 
 as usual, concluding with divorce. On this subject 
 Miss Grace w r as very pronounced. 
 
 "It is a shame," she said, "that the divorce laws of 
 our country are so loose. Why, in Missouri, I am told, 
 there are eleven different legal loop-holes for separa 
 tion. There are thirty thousand divorces a year in 
 the United States. Chicago alone contributes nearly 
 1,000 to this list. No wonder marriage is considered 
 a failure by some disappointed old bachelors and 
 spinsters and wrecked mariners on the matrimonial 
 sea. Swift says, The reason why so many marriages 
 are unhappy is because young ladies spend their time 
 in making nets, not in making cakes. But he should 
 not have omitted to score the other side by suggest 
 ing that club life among men often sours the taste 
 for a natural and felicitous domesticity. Tennyson 
 declares that 
 
 Marriages are made in heaven. 
 
 This is true of genuine love marriages, perhaps, but 
 not of all matrimonial contracts, for many are made 
 in the counting room in this practical age."
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 263 
 
 She stopped, and, looking me pleasantly in the 
 face, seemed to be waiting for me to say something. 
 My heart fluttered, and the blood must have rushed 
 to my cheeks, for I felt them tingling as I endeavored 
 to reply. It was awkward, but I said: 
 
 "But you are theorizing. Possibly you may marry 
 some day yourself, and find things very much as 
 others do after the honeymoon. Or, do you ever ex 
 pect to marry what is the doctrine of the new 
 woman on this question?" 
 
 "Indeed, I hope to marry, for to wed and bring up 
 children is the highest mission of womankind." 
 
 Again she paused, and I felt that my time had 
 come. But I hesitated. Oh, tongue! Why art thou 
 silent? said my heart. Why do you not speak your 
 love, for willing ears await your burning words. 
 
 But I could not speak. In my pulpit, or in the so 
 cial circle I had never been known to lack for words; 
 but in the presence of this heavenly creature I had 
 often found myself speechless. The silence was 
 dreadful to me, and I was glad when she broke it 
 again by a simple little question, simply put: 
 
 "Do you ever expect to marry, Doctor?" 
 
 My heart beat so powerfully that I feared she 
 would hear it, and my face was growing so red that I 
 instinctively turned it slightly away from her steady 
 gaze as I answered, meekly: 
 
 "It is mv fondest ambition."
 
 264 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 Scarcely had the words left my lips till she shot 
 another question more terrible than all the rest: 
 
 "Who?" 
 
 Now I knew my time had come, and I fairly 
 clutched the arms of my big chair as I tried to frame 
 a reply. Now or never! said a voice within. Hut 
 again I hesitated, and possibly would have been a 
 lonely wanderer in some unknown land to-day had 
 not Grace Thorne had the good sense and courage to 
 throw custom to the winds, break overfall restraint, 
 and act upon her better impulse by answering for 
 me : 
 
 "Me, of course. Doctor, I love you, and know that 
 you have loved me this long, long time. But brave 
 and good as you are in all other things, you are 
 timid in this. Hence my boldness. Do you want my 
 hand?" 
 
 It seemed for a moment that a thousand electric 
 wires had been wrapped about me, and a mighty 
 current turned on. Arising from my chair, I took 
 the sweetly proffered hand, and, sitting beside her 
 on the low divan, broke forth in expressions of love 
 and gratitude certainly sufficiently pronounced to 
 meet all demands. 
 
 "A thousand times YES, Miss Thorne Grace- 
 darling one. Oh, how good you are, how brave and 
 true! I thought perhaps you loved Vincent, and 
 hence have delayed speaking to you on this subject 
 for, lo, these many months. But I have loved you
 
 L r ID 13 
 
 FULLY ONE-HALF THE WOMEN NOW WEAR 
 BLOOMERS. Page 271.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 267 
 
 almost from the first with a love unspeakable. But 
 can you really love me?" 
 
 Her answer was easily discernable as she gave me 
 a look of infinite trust, and framed her pretty mouth 
 for a kiss. Our lips met once, twice, thrice, linger 
 ing longer together each time in a rapture trans- 
 cendently blissful. It seemed that we had been 
 caught up to the third heaven, so happy were we. 
 My arm stole slyly around her yielding waist, and I 
 pressed her close to my heart. As I did so her beau 
 tiful head nestled fondly on my breast, and I kissed 
 her very hair in mad delight. 
 
 I do not know how long we continued so. It may 
 have been ten minutes, and it may have been an 
 hour. We talked little, for, as Havergal says, 
 
 "Love understands love, it needs no talk." 
 
 The moments were steeped in bliss, and each pas 
 sionate touch of curl and dimple only added to my 
 joy. 
 
 At last she gently withdrew from my arms, and, 
 sitting hand in hand, we told the old, old story. 
 Pointing to the mistletoe which hung just above our 
 heads, she said: 
 
 "I had all this in view when I drew the divan so 
 close to the grate this evening, Doctor." 
 
 "Call me Frank, please, darling," said I. 
 
 "Well, dear, old, timid Frank, then," she said, with 
 a merry twinkle in her eyes, and a warmer press of
 
 268 THE MODEL NEW WOM AN. 
 
 the hand, "I ve loved you a long time, you precious 
 boy, and could not await your tardy declaration any 
 longer." 
 
 "You are a brave, sweet girl. I feel unworthy of 
 you, indeed I do. But, oh, how I do love you! And 
 how happy I am! I now feel with Bayard Taylor 
 what I have never felt before that 
 
 Love is rest. 
 
 And do you really love me, Grace?" 
 
 "Yes, Frank; in the language of the same poet, I 
 can truly say, 
 
 I love thee, I love but thee, 
 With a love that shall not die 
 
 Till the sun grows cold, 
 
 And the stars are old, 
 And the leaves of the Judgment Book unfold. " 
 
 Twice the fire had to be replenished, as we talked 
 and loved, and loved and talked. It was long after 
 midnight when we said "Good night" at the foot of 
 the stairs, with many a fond embrace and nectarine 
 kiss. 
 
 We were married the following May. In the in 
 terim we paid each other several visits, I running 
 out to Smithville occasionally and, she running into 
 the city. Mrs. Brown was almost beside herself 
 with delight and she was closely seconded by the
 
 FRANK, JUNIOR, AND GRACE, THE YOUNGEST. 
 Page 272.
 
 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 271 
 
 banker himself. The Thornes were all favorable to 
 the union, and my people soon became reconciled to 
 bloomers, and were as happy as the rest. 
 
 After the wedding we began housekeeping imme 
 diately, and spent our honeymoon in the bosom of 
 our parish, which grew more prosperous every day. 
 Nei&ier of us favored a honeymoon trip, another 
 curse which fashion has inflicted upon a longsuf- 
 fering world. But after twelve months spent quietly 
 at home, getting well and happily acquainted with 
 each other, we went abroad for six months, visiting 
 almost every place of interest in the Old World, and 
 especially the city of London, the home of Queen 
 Victoria. 
 
 Five years have rolled by. Our church now num 
 bers over three thousand members, thoroughly or 
 ganized on the institutional plan, and constantly ex 
 tending its influence for good. Mrs. Charlton still 
 lectures occasionally, and is president of the Ameri 
 can Dress Reform Society, which now has branches 
 in almost every city and town on the continent. Fully 
 one-half of the women of the land now wear bloom 
 ers, and the other half cannot hold out much longer. 
 Bicycling is as common among women as walking, 
 and many specialists in diseases peculiar to women 
 have been compelled to quit their profession and go 
 to farming for a, living, Silver was restored in 93
 
 272 THE MODEL NEW WOMAN. 
 
 and equal suffrage granted by voice of the people in 
 1900. The tariff question has been settled by Hi, 
 appointment of a bureau of non-partisan experts, 
 and the liquor question is to be the chief bone of con 
 tention in 1!)04. Already the battle is being set in 
 array, with every prospect of a sweeping victory for 
 the advocates of national prohibition. Times are 
 good, the people of the land are becoming more rev 
 erent, and America promises to be more than ever 
 before a "missionary among the nations, 1 diffusing 
 light, liberty and love. 
 
 Two little ones have come to bless our home 
 Frank, junior, and (trace, the younger. Sometimes 
 the busy cares of life almost overwhelm the soul, but 
 an hour in the bosom of my little family after the 
 day s work is done dispels every mist, and a thousand 
 times I have thanked heaven for that sweet NEW 
 WOMAN, who still wears bloomers, keeps abreast 
 of the world s development, and proves to all by a 
 wide-awake, up-to-date, whole-hearted devotion to 
 principle that life is worth living. Daily in our home 
 is verified the words of Longfellow: 
 
 "As unto the bow the cord is, 
 So unto the man is woman: 
 Though she bends him, she obeys him; 
 Though she draws him, yet she follows; 
 Useless each without the other!" 
 
 THE END.
 
 University of California Library 
 Los Angeles 
 
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