Unveiling a Parallel: A Romance

le ecst

in a pin

Quin

rass to grow, the flowers to bloom; for, of all the seasons, I

lly perfect buildings, public and private, but in its shaded avenues, its parks,

us feature and another. Of course there were some streets which were not beautiful, but he avoided those as much as possible,-as I have done my

ime,-we only got the scraps, the remnants. When she was with us she relaxed, as though we were in some sort a recreation. She amused herself with us just as I have seen a busy father amuse himself with his family for an hour or so of an evening. And I think we really planned our little theatricals of evening conversation for her,-at least I did. I saved up whatever came to me of thought or i

e piece of property and another, and to make plans and see that they were carried out according to her ideas. And she was just as conscientious in the discharge of her official duties. She was constantly devising means for the betterment of the schools, both as to buildings and methods of instruction. I believe she knew every teacher pers

ociety,-the right only of a guest in her house,-to the

hese things upon herself

s she would say, a need of them. It is an internal hun

's nature," I retorted. "It is a habit which she h

never much disposed to argue about his

gs for women to do. Why does she not give her time and

these weighty matters and devote herself to

n his laug

she is so charming, she brings so much into our conversati

red. "She gleans her ideas fr

as-well, as the delicious flavor

uld not have much flavor, my friend,

r in which our own thoughts expand and take shape an

s the camellia beside the rose? Elodia is the rose. She has severa

vor. We were walking toward a depot connected with a great railway. For the first time I was to try the speed of a Mar

minating silence

evenings, to any extent. What

he goes to her club. Fo

ntary to you and

tacles to bear upon

not be coerced by any other. It is as though souls were stars suspended in space, each moving in its appointed orbit. No one has the right to disturb the poise and equilibrium of another, not even the one nearest it. T

ers of attraction in this case are feeble. Is t

tain

men here h

t it,-I wonder I had not thought of it before! But those things are disturbing;

ry one?" I asked, though I

elves informed about what is going on in the world. It is the only way you can keep up with the times, I think, for no one can read everything. They have games and various diversions. Elodia's clubhous

mean to tell me that these wome

yes,"

rated, allowed,

s a very strong anti-intoxicant element here, but it has no a

of belonging to the upper class of socie

s of these women object,-thei

? We do the same things they

fter their domestic affairs,

ave servants to atte

ius, his point of view concerning the woman question

women on this planet do

replied, "but there is some

lad to

igar?" He passed me his case and we both fired up. The

dded, removing the fragrant weed from

y wh

d valerian root. This mixture when lighted diffuses a kind of vapor, a portion of which they inhale through th

t infernal, diabolical smell that was ever

soothing to the ne

cted that, in passing through the upper hall of the house, I had once or twice

ot to offend others to whom the vapor is unpleasant. Elodia is very delicate in these matters; she is fo

eodorize herself," I returned

maid's busine

jurious to he

frightful diseases, and is s

I should think you would inte

ke, I can't advise with a very good grace. I have a sort of blind faith that these good cigars of mine are not going to do m

art. I was about to spring up the steps

said; "that is th

rizer,-printed in large gilt letters,-

ompany devotes one of these magnificent coaches exclusively to the use

ake haste, or we shall be left; the next car is the smoker; we'll step into that and

, and one of them held in her ungloved hand the little cup with the tortuous stem which my friend had described to me.

thing I ever heard of!" I declared, as

are a very fastidious fellow. I saw you look in

"And I recognized her, too; she is that Madam Claris yo

id you noti

articu

is studded with costly gems; the thing is celebrated, an heirloom in Claris' family. They like to sport those things, the

only the rich and the a

say to imitate. These vapor cups are made in great quanti

atural taste, among

at courage and persistence to continue in it up to the point of liking. There is no doubt that it becomes ve

I mean, how do they carry them about w

erschaum, and drop them into a fanciful little bag whic

air, a kind of swagger, you might say. I felt the mercury in my moral barometer drop down severa

either Frambesco nor any other city on the continent could hold

in an amphitheatre devoted to such purposes; and we decided to look in upon it. I think it was I who suggested it, for I had no litt

ake for respectability. But there was an unmistakable coarseness in most of the faces, or if not that, a curiosity which bordered on coarseness. I was amazed to see women in the audience; but this was nothing to the horror that quivered through me like a deadly wound, when the combatants sprang into the aren

arring match,-a test of strength, prowess, agility. But I recoiled from it with loathing, and feeling myself grow sick and faint, I muttered something to Severnius and rushed o

, the intolerable abomination of these commingled smells that affected me, for I experienced a physical as well as moral

rnius, as I was wont to discuss other matters with him. There was one

nce the barbarity as emphatically as I could denounce it,-and more sweepingly, for she included mal