Vashti's Fate — page 112: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DISCUSSION ON BOARDING-SCHOOLS. 104 Miss Margery, as might have been expected, put her veto on the whole proceeding. : “Tt was unsuitable every way,” shesaid. ‘‘ Girls learned nothing but mischief at boarding schools. They were much better off at home, especially these girls,” ““And why /hese girls? Vashti condescended to ask, in high dudgeon. ‘* Because you are not fit to mingle with the outside world. You are of an entirely different metal. You are a race of yourselves, and are safer kept by yourselves.” Poor Nora had no need to ask why; she understood too well what Margery meant; but Vashti said: “‘Aunt Margery, how strangely you talk! Do you sup- pose that, for no better reason than that, we are going to consent to be mewed up here forever? Do you suppose we can content ourselves, we Everleighs, with the plain education we are getting at present? I cannot, for one; and I should like to know, since you are to talk and act for yourself and mamma, too—lI should like to know why we cannot have accomplishments as well as other folks?” ‘““What do you mean by accomplishments? You can have the necessary teachers here—no need to go from home for that.” ““Why not go from home? Are we never to see any- thing but Everleigh all our lives? Why not go from home?” ‘“For a reason that I gave you once, Vashti; you are too much like gunpowder—too explosive to be handled by strange hands,” A fire blazed up in Vashti’s eyes at this allusion, Her lips parted to speak, but turning to her mother angrily, she said ; - J 4} reco) eee | g comicbooks