The Preliminaries, and Other Stories

l when Associate Professor Charleroy (of the Midwest Universi

ttle east porch of the Charleroy home. There was no ice in the refrigerator, the house-cleaning w

ess of vision and fluency of speech which her husband, with justice, had learned to dread. Indeed, she dreaded it herself. In such moods she often created for hersel

ironing a shirt-waist. The door was open into the little kitchen beyond, whe

ave to get these waists ready to wear, and a gingham dress {131} ironed for Marvel. The

chairs in front of the window. Small changes in the household arrangements were likely to discompos

woman do that iro

r iron and confront

in the Midwest University is fourteen hundred dollars a year. When steak was a shilling a pound {132} and eggs fifteen

was still hot enough to scorch, upon its stand. Then he arranged, in a glass, the hand

ook. When we married, Clarissa, I thought your own little income would be sufficient to protect you from

t I would n't mind, if we could go to Chicago for a week of music and theatres in the spring. But we can't do anything but live--and that is n't living! Somet

e and all its powers warning that she did not purpose to live indefinitely under such an

ill start his ice-wagons to-morrow," suggested her husband anxiously. He had very definite reasons fo

tails do help," admitted Clari

g," he continued very gently. "And I will uncover the roses and rake the beds this

d first.--I hate to clean closets! I hate to cook, to sew, to iron, to dust, to scr

k less oratorically. We are not in an

ne-sided effect. She just escaped being pretty and precise and reliable-looking by a narrow margin, but escape she did. She was, instead, disturbing, distracting, decidedly lovable, not a little pathetic. Her face w

asy to be uncivil when one is so uncomfortable. But I have been thinking about these matters for a long time. I have been forming my r

o-

m at the end of the nineteenth century, anyhow. It is time women had the courage of their

1

you would r

One's own individual makeshifts do not affect that. But if it is ever to be solved, some woman must solve it. Men never will. Sacrifices wil

eceived this statemen

ts would be greatly reduced, and the surplus {138} could be applied to developing the higher life of the members of the group. It would be quite practicable, even in ou

ecture you delivered before the Satu

e Home--What?" was a sensitive subject. She a

ss with Ibsen or Olive Schreiner or Sonia Kovalevsky! No, nor with the American women who are going to work {139} out their ideas. I don

heories seemed stronger than they were. She ironed shirt-waists badly, and the starch stuck to the irons, but she could make the worse appear the better reason with deftness and disp

the people who don't think and don't read, and yet have influence. That shall be my métier. I can do it. I can do it well. I will do it for a living wage and put my heart and soul into doing it. Without going outside a v

expression on her husband's face. When great thoughts were {141} astir in Clarissa s brain, her high imperturbability, her

haps, had he done so, there would have been no story, for like most women with

th a fine head and brown eyes of the gentle, faithful kind. Conscientious, persistent, upright, he perfectly fitted that old-fashioned description our fathers loved, "a scholar

me?" he inquired in a voice that wa

ee that he had turned white, but she did notice that

m with a fin

nly very miserable," she said. "There is so much antagonism b

cumstances?" inquired the professor. His voice was controlled now, but cutting. "Also,

y. He was stunned to se

y ideas, and I see more definitely what I want. I

it's impossible. You're my wife. I've done my best. Some day I shall do bet

nful hand. Her blue eye

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realize that I can do good work for humanity? Everybo

ng really happened? Did it crush them all like this? How did they keep up hope, decency, honor? How did they preserve their interest in the game and make life worth living afterward? Already he felt

1

e only said, "And Marvel? Is M

tion of Marvel did, indeed, puzzle even her faci

er present age--the young-animal stage of her development. All a child under twelve years needs is to be properly fed, and clothed, and taught the elementary things. It has all been standardized, and is a matter for experts, anyhow. Your sister Josephine {146} would be a better mother for her for

e shallowness, the sheer indecency, of discarding one's human relations as if they were old clothes, he could not make her see it. Was it only half an hour ago that he had come do

was one of acquiescence. Sooner

ds. I shall always be as much interested in your welfare as in my own.--Yes, more. I should never dream of marrying again, myself, but in time I think it might be well for you to divorce me and do so." Her mobile face became introspective, absorbed. "Ruth Lawr

d perceived to his utter amazement. He shivered with

c, flashed there in its stead. It was neither mirth nor malice, yet approached both. He set his boyish-looking mouth firmly

thing you have said this {149} afternoon," h

elongings. Her round eyes were fear-struck and her quick glance curiously hostile, but she slipped silently from the room. Her presence there was soon