The Odd Women

his eldest daughter on the coast-downs by Clevedon, 'I sha

known to speak in the domestic circle about his pecuniary affairs. He seemed to be the kind of man who would inspire his children with affection: grave but benign, amiably diffident, with a hint of lurking mirthfulness about his eyes and lips. And to-day he was in the best of humours; professional prospects, as he had just explained to Alice, were more encouraging than hitherto; for twenty years he had pract

old hymn says, "'tis their nature to." I should grieve indeed if I thought my girls would ever have to distress themselves about money ma

her and daughter sighed as they recalled her memory. A sweet, calm, unpretending woman; admirable in the domesticities; in speech and thought distinguished by a native refinement, which in the m

ss, life has been rather an uphill journey with us. But the home must be guarded against sordid cares to the last possible moment; nothing upsets me more than the sight of those poor h

that tasted of ocean, heightened his natural cheerines

but the day will come. Human beings are not destined to struggle for ever like beasts of prey. Give them time; let

re humanitarianism had prompted the choice in his dreamy youth; he became an empiric, nothing more. 'Our poet,' said the doctor; Clevedon was chiefly interesting to him fo

omfortably contain. Of the sisters, next in age to Alice came Virginia, a pretty but delicate girl of seventeen. Gertrude, Martha, and Isabel, ranging from fourteen to ten, had no physical cha

ks of life, and resolved, always with postponement, to make some practical provision for his family; in educating them as well as circumstances allowed, he conceived that he was doing the next best thing to saving money, for, if a fatality befell, teaching would always be their resource. The thought, however, of his girls having to work for money was so utterly repulsive to him that he could never seriously dwell upon it. A vague piety supported his courage. Providence would not deal harshly with him

on, with Dr. Madden for medical adviser, and in this way the girl became friendly with the Madden household. Its younger members she treated rather condescendingly; childish things she had long ago put away, and her sole pleasure was in intellectual talk. With a frankness peculiar to her, indicative of pride, Miss Nunn let it be known that she would have to earn her living, probably as a school teacher; study for examinations occupied most of her day, and her hours of leisure were frequently spent either at the Maddens or with a family named Smithson-people, these latter, for whom she had a profound and somewhat myste

uired the doctor, with grave facetiousness, when

I wanted to ask you, Do you think

after due consideration. 'If they a

ir of vexation, whilst the others were good-naturedly laughing. 'M

you that there's a nightinga

e friend. His daughters would not have ventured to express an opinion on such topics when he was present; apart with Miss Nunn,

n mouth. Dr. Madden was thinking how happy they made him, these kind, gentle girls; how his love for them seemed to ripen with every summer; what a delightful old age his would be, when some were married and had children of their own, and the others tended him-they whom he had tended. Virginia would probabl

ways been too much alone, whence their shyness

father,' said his eldest girl, who had

e volume, and he selected 'The Lotus-Eaters.' The girls grouped themselves about him, delighted to listen. Many an hour of summe

little while our lips are dumb. Let us alone. What

farmer over at Kingston Seymour had been seized w

ll James to put the ho

ing at full speed, alone in his do

ould walk along the sea-front in the hope of a meeting with Mr. Smithson and his daughter. Mrs. Nunn was not

Alice ventured to ask. The gi

her say what sh

nuousness which threw some

anging a quiet remark. A tap at the door scarcely drew their attention, for they supposed it was the maid-servant coming to lay supper. But when the door

k to you, p

with the tidings that Dr. Madden, driving back from Kingston Seymour, ha

me fatality; the horse stumbled and fell, and its driver was flung head forward into the road. Some hours later they brought him to his home, and for a day or two there