t does the woman mean? Has she got no gumption? It's
"ladylike," I suppose, to be a companion, or a governess, or a
music-teacher, or something else in the black-thread-glove way, in
London; but not to sell bicycles for a good round commission. My dear,
between you and me, I don't see it. If you had a brother, now, _he_
might sell cycles, or corner wheat, or rig the share market, or do
anything else he pleased, in these days, and nobody'd think the worse of
him--as long as he made money; and it's my opinion that what is sauce
for the goose can't be far out for the gander--and _vice-versa_. Besides
which, what's the use of _trying_ to be ladylike? You _are_ a lady,
child, and you couldn't help being one; why trouble to be _like_ what
nature made you? Tell Aunt Susan from me to put _that_ in her pipe and
smoke it!'

I _did_ tell Aunt Susan by letter, giving Lady Georgina's authority for
the statement; and I really believe it had a consoling effect upon her;
for Aunt Susan is one of those innocent-minded people who cherish a
profound respect for the opinions and ideas of a Lady of Title.
Especially where questions of delicacy are concerned. It calmed her to
think that though I, an officer's daughter, had declined upon trade, I
was mixing at least with the Best People!

We had a lovely time at the _chalet_--two girls alone, messing just as
we pleased in the kitchen, and learning from Ursula how to concoct
_pot-au-feu_ in the most approved Swiss fashion. We pottered, as we
women love to potter, half the day long; the other half we spent in
riding our cycles about the eternal hills, and ensnaring the flies whom
Lady Georgina dutifully sent up to us. She was our decoy duck: and, in
virtue of her handle, she decoyed to a marvel. Indeed, I sold so many
Manitous that I began to entertain a deep respect for my own commercial
faculties. As for Mr. Cyrus W. Hitchcock, he wrote to me from Frankfort:
'The world continues to revolve on its axis, the Manitou, and the
machine is booming. Orders romp in daily. When you ventilated the
suggestion of an agency at Limburg, I concluded at a glance you had the
material of a first-class business woman about you; but I reckon I did
not know what a traveller meant till you started on the road. I am now
enlarging and altering this factory, to meet increased demands. Branch
offices at Berlin, Hamburg, Crefeld, and Duesseldorf. Inspect our stock
before dealing elsewhere. A liberal discount allowed t