The Odd Women

ailing, and took rather a gloomy view of the situation she had lately reviewed with such courage. Virginia maintained her enthusiastic faith in Miss Nunn, and was prepared to reverence Mi

noon, for not even Monica's prejudice against a house, which in her own mind she

was supported with a spontaneity, a good-natured confidence, which inspired liking and respect. A brilliant complexion and eyes that sparkled with habitual cheerfulness gave her the benefit of doubt when her age was in question; her style of dress, gracefully ornate, would have led a stranger to presume her a wedded lady of some distinction. Yet Mary Barfoot had known many troubles,

o Monica, holding the girl's soft littl

natural thing in the world. Monica blushed

chool in Great Portland Street. In a brief private conversation,

convenience. If, in the end, this occupation doesn't please you, you will at all events have regaine

their leave at a

foot, when she was alone with her friend. '

hat they have done all their lives. The eldest can't teach seriously, but she can keep young child

One of the sa

isn't quite so depres

ttle girl; it seemed a great absurdity to talk to he

ppose

ghting concession a

we don't desire th

ot,' Rhoda admit

our purpose. We have no mission to prevent girls from marrying suitably-only t

re that this girl w

here will be more likelihood of

any man that would dr

not, at

at a disadvantage in the presence of Rhoda, who towered above her with rather imperious stateliness. Her suavity was no match for Rhoda's vigorous abruptness.

branded. They belong to the class we know so well-with no social position, and

garded her frie

rt have you for th

m afraid. My missi

pause, s

faith, I suppose; and it's

sibility to rob them of it,' r

a gesture o

ng at all. But I'm glad'-she laughed scornfu

a compassionate shad

women-one ought to be very tender with them. I don't like your "ragged regiment" phrase. When I grow old and melancholy, I

iling. 'But in the meantime the

e when a servant announced two ladies-Mrs. Smallbrook and Miss Haven. They were aunt and niece; the former a ta

pathetic voice. 'I do so want to ask your advice about an interesting girl who has applied to me. I'm afraid her past w

in question, began to t

Smallbrook still talked loudly and urgently. 'I never said that I was favourably im

who i

y, on charitable people. Just because I said that she must once have

person?' Miss Barf

sely well

ower clas

term, you know. Of

,' put in Miss Haven

s to avoid Mrs. Smallbrook's request. Winifred, a pupil at Great Portland Street, was much liked by both her te

humanity, Miss Barfoot, by the

plied the hostess good-humouredly. 'In the uneducated cla

think-isn't that ju

asses (I must call them lower, for they are, in every sense), let those work

ng to Rhoda, 'we work for the abolition of all

dle with uneducated people, all our schemes and views are unsettled. We have to l

'I aim at the solidarity of woman. You,

y solidarity of ladies with servant girls,' respo

charity falls so far belo

ded the conversation to

f a very positive nature; her abilities were of a kind uncommon in women, or at all events very rarely developed in one of her sex. She could have managed a large and complicated business, could have filled a place on a board of directors, have taken an active part in municipal government-nay, perchance in national. And this turn of intellect consisted with many traits of character so strongly feminine that people who knew her best thought of her with as much tenderness as admiration. She did not seek to become known as the leader of a 'movement,' yet her quiet work was probably more effectual than the public career of women who propagandize f

hoda repaired; they arrived at nine o'clock, and

tion and allied topics served as a circulating library; volumes were lent without charge to the members of this little society. Once a month Miss Barfoot or Miss Nunn, by turns, gave a brief address on some set subject; the hour was four o'clock, and about a dozen hearers generally assembled. Both worked very hard. Miss Barfoot did not look upon her enterprise as a source of pecuniary profit, but she had made the establishment more than self-supporting. Her pupils increased in number, and the working department promised occupation for a larger staff than was at present engaged. The young women in general answered their friend's expectations, b

t in private, and throughout the day remained unusually grave. At five o'clock, when staff and pupils had all

er I should li

een troubling you sin

es

its contents. Her face hardened, and she th

asked the elder woman,

es-with a cheque encl

really meet

meets it, I

rfoot p

letter of despair, and I c

by all means, if you feel compelled to. But yo

point. Why s

riend, 'you will never do any good with her. For another, she

ith deplorable rashness, with infatuation, but I

pathy. She was twenty-two years old-no child-and she acted with her eyes open. No deceit was practised with her. She knew the man had a wife, and she was base enough

a, don't enra

l try

or polygamy. I find it very hard to understand how she could act as she did. But a mistake, however wre

practically agree

ing through curious changes, in several respect

e changed a good deal, no doubt. But I should never have proposed to take her by

ur lips just now, Rhoda

people-men chiefly, but a few women also of a certain temperament-who cry for a reckless individualism in these matters. They would

s she can; she is induced to beggary. Now, in that position a girl is tempted to sink still further. The letter of two lines and an enclosed cheque would as likely as not plunge her into depths from which she could never be rescued. It would assure her that

grew more

us temptation. What temptation?

Miss Barfoot, with her gentlest sm

corn was in this echo. 'Oh, for wh

on which I have never ventured. Do

as if by a suppressed laugh; the colour

with an impatient gesture. 'I understand

dear. Have you ever bee

en I was

he other, shaking her head

Heave

er hand, can judge it with the very largest understanding. Don't s

rl back, and continue t

d with prudence she need never be talke

ak-weak

must act ind

is below the average. Are you so blind as to imagine that any good will ever come of such a person? If you wish to save her from the streets, do so by all means. But to put her among your chosen pupils is to threaten your whole undertaking.

t. She tapped with her

ree couples do in every novel. There is the sexual instinct, of course, but that is quite a different thing; the novelists daren't talk about that. The paltry creatures daren't tell the one truth that would be profitable. The result is that women imagine themselves noble and glorious when they are most near the animals. This Miss Royston-when she rushed off to perdition, ten to one she had in mind some idiot heroine of a book. Oh, I tell you that you are losing sight of your first duty. There are people enough to act the good Samaritan; you have quite another task in life. It is your work to train and encourage girls in a path as far as possible from that of the husband-hunter. Let them marry later, if they must; but at all events you will have cleared their views on the subject of marriage, and put them in a position to judge the man who offers himself. You will have taught

ent for a few ticks of the clock. 'I quite enter into your point of view, but I think yo

offend

e offence at such

grant the forc

riage-and everything of that kind. I think it's a danger you ought to have avoided. True, we wish to prevent girls from marrying just for the sake of being supported, and from

ty of women lead a vain and mise

man fate? A vain and miserable life is the lot of nearly all mortals. Most

for them. Things are changing, and we try

sense. I speak of human nature, n

al. Those views lead only to pes

arfoot

irl back to work here. I will help her in other way

e. The pity is that her degradation can't be

her girl's way of thinking about the destiny of her sex. We must avoid exaggeration. If our friends get to think of us as fanatics, all our usefulness is ov

gained her point. 'But we know several who will not dream of

rfoot l

shed in such a case betwe

eptical to-day,' said Rhod

now and then. Oh, I admire you immensely, Rhoda. You are the ideal adversary of those care-nothing an

She is a good-looking and charming girl, and some one

oney but what she can earn, and such girls, unless they are exce

e she has an offer. Should

in single. They have at all events personal delicacy. But what I insist upon is, that Winifred would rather marry than not. And we must carefully bear that fact in mind. A strained ideal is as bad, practically, as no ideal at all. Only the most exceptional girl will believe it her duty to remain single as an example and support

tle is not only against themselves. The necessity of the case demands what you call a strained ideal. I am seriously convinced that before the female sex can be raised from its low level there will have to

that. Who knows? But it isn't good poli

spect your

ed and sho

reoccupation with their animal nature. We, thanks to our education and the tone of our society, manage to keep that in the background. Don't interfere with this satisfactory state of things. Be content to show our girls that it is their

ll obe

ot. 'Come, let us be off to Chelsea. Did Mi

has gone

iend the antiquary. Two of the girls must

ladies went to their dressing-room and prepared for departure. The people who lived on the premi

, annoyed at the subject that doubtless occupied her fri