The Disagreeable Woman

was to give his lecture. We all gazed at him with more than ordinary interest. The old Professor, gray and grim-visaged, sat

As she could not do without masculine attention I suspect that this arrangement was promp

of. Poppendorf's lecture!" she sa

oking forward to it. I fancy it will

is a learned m

ly-in certai

am going to ask

I was beginning to have some anxiety ab

yman," I said, s

don't like to go to the lecture alone.

g

asure," I

not intellectual, but she had a fresh, country face and complexion; she came from Pomfret, Connecticut, and was

I shall look forward to

y. Do you expect to u

ve much thought to the 'M

d as much about the subjec

Now I have great faith in

g

ned. He certainly ha

yman l

arned men are han

having so little learning. Do you think

y I attended was frightfully plain; but I am sure she was le

answered the Pr

d the lecture, Miss Bla

I have agreed

the lecture, offered her a ticket and her [Pg 33]company, both being thankfully accepted. So that a

tion room, a small and very narrow room on one side of the hall, and waited for the ladies to appear. Among those who seated themselves there was the Disagreeable Woman

propose to hear Prof.

it. But I found Miss

l[Pg 34] more about the Material a

much as the Professor himse

re no hero worship

to the Profess

hero of thi

so. We

uttoned around his spare figure. There was a rose in his buttonhole. I had never seen one there before, but then this was a special occasion. He

owed by Ruth Canby. The widow was quite radiant. I can't undert

an surveyed her with a contemptuous glance, and no doubt mentally contrasted her plainness with her own showy apparel. Bu

" said the widow, as we emerged into the

her dress or her

, to

spect that is dictated by econ

g

face of a

ere were any peas

what I mean. She looks

but is that a

ry girls a

uch for style as for good

very old-fashioned. In that respect y

sk whether your husba

. Wyman, with an ostentatious sigh. "I wa

l probability she became a widow at twenty-nine or thirty. B

g

ted to marry again?" I essaye

t would be right?" said the wido

who was congenial to you

married again I would select a profe

and my danger and

nsider Prof. Poppendorf a 'pr

Who would marry s

the Professor d

sfied me that should I desire[Pg 38] to marry her there would be no violent opposition on her part. But, truth to tell, I wou

walk. It was a small hall, looking so

rcely a hundred persons, all told, in the audience. The men, as a general thing, were shabbily dre

ch frights, Doctor?"

stylishly dressed

n looked

9] the words material and immaterial occurred at frequent intervals. There may

tand him?" I a

" she answer

ile, for she looke

that much that we call material is immaterial, while per co

onclusion," I remarked

she answer

ention, my friends," said

applause, in w

all rose and quietly left the hall. I walked o

he lecture, Miss Bl

as you did," she

hink of the Pr

deal that isn't worth k