Unveiling a Parallel: A Romance

air, as flesh

ortrait of bri

kye withouten

mixture of co

eks the vermei

n a bed of l

**

es two living l

ens

than any I have seen in our country,-when a person alighted from a carriage in the porte cochere and, instead of entering the house, came to meet us. It was a woman. Though it was not left to her dress, nor her stature,-she was nearly as tall as myself,-to proclaim that fact; her grace and carriage would have de

ul woman in your night shirt. Especially if you fancied you saw something in her eyes which made you suspect that she thought you cut a ludicrous figure. Of course th

e which lets nothing escape, which is as quick to grasp a humorous situation as a sublime truth

re on the complexion. You have seen ladies in a room where the light

times, without suspecting it had ever made so strong an impression upon me that in a case like this I should accept its evidence without other testimony. They were brother and

ladies and gentlemen in that country have no perfunctory titles, like Mrs., or Mr., they

s told me so, and I was piqued. It seemed unfair that, simply because she could not account for me, she should set me down as inferior, or impo

re weighty matters in hand. I knew, later on, that she waived me as a topic of conversation when her brother insisted upon talking abo

cimeter-shaped leaf from a bough overhead. Quicker than thought I sprang at the bough and snapped off the leaf in advance of her, and presented it with a low obeisance. She drew herself up with a look of

ting that sort of an air. You had to take her as seriously as you would the Czar. I saw this in her brother's attitude toward her. There was none of that condescension in his manner th

with us, and divided the h

e dining-room, the service, the whole thing! It su

hough I was hungry enough!-but t

rb; gold and silver, crystal, fine china, embroidered linen, flowers. And the food, served in many courses, was a happy combination of the substantial and the delicate. There w

ecessary exchange of words and opinions about everyday matters which must take place in families periodically, concerning fuel, and provisions, and servants, and water-tax, and the like. It took a much higher range. The faces of both were animated, their eyes beamed brightly upon each other. It was clear that the broth

hat between brothers and sisters anywhere. Still, we have a way with our near women relations which never ignores the distinction betwee

qually. And there was a charming camaraderie between them, the same a

ir tastes were dissimilar. For one thing, Elodia had not her brother's fine religious sense. She seldom

that I was a person not altogether beneath her intelligence, I devoted myself, mind an

ounced the one and accepted the other. He was a man "appointed by Almighty God to stand for a fact." And I never knew him to weaken his position by defending it. Often we spent hours in the observatory together. It was a glorious thing to

whirling round the planet with such astonishin

ersation. He agreed, and I saw no one. I believe that in those weeks of quiet study, observation, and close co

to speak, even to Elodia. It was a great s

ut our world. Elodia turned her delightful gaze upon me so frankly and approvingly that I felt myself

a moment felt myself an intruder in her home,-she apparently took no great interest in

ok I was reading, a rath

astonishing pro

best of instruct

, he likes you. And then of course he is not wholly

wanted somehow to get the conversat

, "though I am not an astronomer. I should

, as a goddess, not a woman. Her entire lack of coquetry prevented me from making love to her, or would have prevented me if I had dared to have such a thought. If there could have been anything tender between us, I

y amusement or conversation. She seemed to dignify with her presence whatever happened to be going on, and made it worth while. Not that she distinguished herself in speech or act; she had the effect of being infinitely greater than anything she did or said

er, she was keenly and delightfully alive. Her manners were perfect, and yet she seemed careless

spend several hours down town every day

business interests, and looked

rnius was equally surprised at me.

course, in our early years according to our respective talents. At our parents' death we inherited their fortune in equal shares. Elodia was prepared to take up my father's busi

a banker

tronomy, and I have been employed, ever since I

employ your ca

which she makes. I use my dividends largely in the interest of sci

th her surplus,-your sister, I mean,

ises she is connected with,-railroads, lines of steamers, mining and manufacturing operations. And besides, she is public-spirited. She is much interested in the cause of education,-practical educ

zement arreste

?" he asked. "Do not your

ys, but there are very few of them who have large business interests, and they are not entrus

es not quite understand. "Would you mind telling me

d to be careful about the sort of impressions I gave out. It was as if I were on the witness' stand, under oath. Facts must tell the story, not opinions,-though personally I have

s have been circumscribed, and I believe they lack the inclination to assume grave public du

ays my standar

suggested Severnius, "and they have grown

ty alone, more than a hundred and seventy thousand women suppor

deed! b

wo

ean se

selfrespecting women; teachers, cl

greeable, and easier, for them to

oney. They have a horror of speculation, and shrink from taking risks and making ventures, the failure of which would mean loss or ruin to others. A woman's right to make her living is restricted to the powers within herself, powers of brain and hand. She is a beginner, you know. She has not yet learned to make money by t

setting his reason to work and searching out explanat

such as sight and hearing, but remarkably acute intellects. They let no statemen

side, as you say, by their work simply, they must receive princely wages,-and

s the average of women's wages-leaving out domestic service and unskilled labor-as five

nt, no doubt. Here in Thursia that would no more than fight off the wolf, as we say,-the hunger and cold. It would afford

ns are much the same

ch conditions,-do they not try

y-that work of the hands cannot compete with work of machines, and that trained brains are better capital than trained fingers. So, slowly but surely, they are reaching up to the higher callings and working into places of honor and trust. The odds are against them, because the 'ins' always have a t

fitting for?" a

s, writers. The enormous systems of public schools in my own and other countries

ement and directorsh

ses, and dictate the policy of the schools!" I retorted. "But they teach them; you can h

down. I think I neglected to say that we were taking a long tramp into the country, as we often did. In order to change the conver

republic also,"

ered. "A republic is the only natural governmen

with progress and high civilization. But I let it

sked. "What are your qualif

y citizen may vote on all public

onstitutes

l they have lived as long under the government as it takes for a child to come of age. It is thus,

nderstand you to say that your w

ly. Do n

masculine instinct of supe

He adjusted them carefully o

me just now that your

d that women are our poli

ation and interrogatio

e it,-how, for instance, can

laughing. "When they do, we simply t

they are here. Our government, you see, rests upon a system of taxation. We tax all property to defray governmental expenses, and for many other purposes tending t

that. We have a great many very rich women,-women

of course h

can't make a disti

empt their prop

ourse

for whatever purpose, you choose, without allowing the owner he

"so what is the difference? We men manage the govern

ply looked at me. I think that at that moment I suffered

he had adopted in this conversati

other than in the school boa

lf our offices ar

iscrimination in t

ings considered. A woman, the same as a man, is governed by her taste and inclination in

rchies. There have been a good many w

ey successf

e, some

proves that your women

men are very superior; we treat them more as

of resentment, and knew that

I got a wrong impression from your statements.

that he was in earnest. His brows we

ups of frowsled, petticoated beings, laughing, joking, swear

smiling. "That was a figure of s

state of things came about, this subjection of a part of your people. I cannot understand it,-these subjects being of your own flesh and blood. I should think it would

conscious that my accent was traitorous

She is unusual even here. I ha

o you

responsible as a man; s

women inco

e they have always been relieved of responsibility, and I assure you the large majorit

es

ive "yes," and I made n

l centuries. They seem to have no ideas about personal rights, or liberties, as pertaining to themselves, and no inclination in that direction. It always struck me as being the most pathetic feature of their condition that they and everybody

ns of fair faces radiant with the joy of living. But these were quickly followed by other pict

rupted Severnius. "You spoke of the wor

y used to be. There has been, for a great many years, more or less chaffing a

re waking u

thinks of it, seeing they have no power to enforce their 'rights', and can never attain the

ear sir, I think they h

magnificence of the trees that hedged every little patch of farm land, and threw their protecting arms around houses and cottages, big and little; and with the many pellu

out under their trees a great deal, and the shade of them has protected the heads of many generations, and they have become hallowed through sacred memories a

d me suddenly wit

is your theory o

of his ribs fashioned woma

lake in the mountain region of a country called Caskia, in the northern part of this continent. They were only animals,

ng legend

At that time it was impossible for me to comprehend it, and I can only convey it