hool duties, while her leisure is fully occupied. At present
I know with whom she associates. As I understand it, these girls form
themselves into a Company with a Guardian or Leader. They wear certain
uniforms with emblems on the waists and sleeves, as well as a ring and
bands of beads on their heads, all of which savors of conspicuousness,
and it seems to me ridiculous."

"But, Aunt Bella," replied her niece, "think of what it makes of these
girls. It teaches them to take care of themselves. They very often
sleep out of doors for two months and get an honor for it."

"Yes, imagine a delicate girl like Ethel doing that," rejoined Mrs.
Hollister. "Why, she'd contract pneumonia or consumption right away."

"But if she were delicate she wouldn't be allowed to do so unless by the
advice of a physician. Then for one month she's obliged to give up sodas
and candies between meals."

"Yes, and isn't that silly? Why, any girl can do that without belonging
to a society."

"Well, they become healthy and strong; they play all kinds of out of
door athletic games; they swim, dive, undress in deep water, paddle or
row twenty miles in any five days; they learn to sail all kinds of boats
for fifty miles during the summer, ride horse back, bicycle, skate,
climb mountains, and even learn how to operate an automobile."

"There, Kate, stop; you make me nervous. Now what good is all such
exercise to a girl?"

"Why, it gives her the splendid health so necessary to every woman, and
oh! if only you'd read about it. You won't listen, but they learn how to
cook, how to market, to wash and iron, and keep house, how to take care
of babies,--and don't you see if a girl marries a poor man she can be a
help to him and not a hindrance? Then they have to be kind and
courteous, to look for and find the beauties of Nature until work
becomes a pleasure and they're happy, cheerful and trustworthy. They
give their services to others and learn something new all the time."

"My dear Kate," said her aunt, "nowadays a girl has all she can possibly
do to fit herself for her future position in society; that is, if her
family amounts to anything socially. Why should a girl learn to cook and
market unless she intends to marry a poor man, and I don't propose that
Ethel shall ever do that. And as for being so athletic, I don't approve
of that either. It's all right for a girl to ride. Ethel is a good
horsewoman; she learned from a splendid riding master. She