ful?" said Mrs. Hollister. "Sallie will be massacred as
sure as fate--that's the end of missionaries. I had a second cousin who
went and both she and her husband were victims. I wouldn't allow a child
of mine to marry one. Let him stay in his own country, but to drag a
young girl out into those heathen places--it's an outrage."

"Well, our Ohio Camp Fire will resolve itself into only half, I fear,"
said Nora. "There's poor Mattie, Miss Kate, Sallie and Mollie from right
there. I wonder who's going to take their places."

"Perhaps," said Ethel, "little Mollie Hastings if she's pronounced cured.
It may be of great benefit to her. Let's see what can be done."

"Dorothy Kip might become an Ohio girl and spend her summers up there
with us too," suggested Nora. "And if Dr. Bigelow goes with the Scouts
Nannie can join."

"We'll see," replied Ethel. "It's quite a few months before next summer.
'Sufficient unto the day, etc.'"

Ethel was getting along famously at Barnard.

"What profession shall you follow--the law or ministry?" Harvey would ask
jokingly.

"Something that shall enable me to become self supporting," Ethel would
reply seriously.

"There's where you make a mistake," said Harvey. "A woman was made to be
supported by a man--not to support herself."

"Why not?" asked Ethel. "How many wives today support their husbands?
Have you any idea of the number?"

"Oh, well, then it's because the men are lazy or sick. No decent,
self-respecting man would allow it."

"Supposing a woman can not marry. She can't propose to a man. What can
she do in that case--starve? No, Dr. Bigelow, you can't even argue. Every
woman should have in her hand, say, a weapon or trade with which to take
care of herself. Then when the time comes she's ready to start in the
battle of life, and not sit around helpless while others do for her, or
become dependent upon charity, or worse. The day of Elsie Dinsmores has
gone. In her place we have strong, capable, broad-minded women. Seldom do
we hear of a woman fainting today, yet look back sixty years and recall
the Lydia Languish females with long ringlets and wasp waists, who
invariably carried smelling salts. I'm proud to belong to the women of
today--healthy, strong, athletic, and brave--women who _do_ and are not
ashamed of it. Look at Aunt Susan. There's a woman who is an example. I
hope I may amount to as much as she before I die."

"Ethel, I fear you are strong-minded," laughed Harvey.