nd varying deductions are obtained by different students, all seeking
these finalities, which you term facts? Then which of them all is the
true fact, and which is mere speculation?"

"I am afraid, Miss Dudley, that you have asked me a question which I
am scarcely qualified to answer. All I can say is, that so long as
matters are in dispute, we can have no knowledge of what is the truth.
In speaking of facts, I only alluded to those proven hypotheses, which
have been finally accepted by all scientists. Those are the facts of
which science boasts."

"Yes, many of them are accepted for a decade, and then cast aside as
exploded errors. But come, I do not wish to argue too strongly against
science. I love it too well. What I prefer to do, is to defend my
other hobby, romance; that which you called fiction. I will give you a
paradox. I claim that there is more fact in good fiction, and more
real fiction in accepted fact, than is generally credited."

"I am afraid I do not comprehend what you mean," said Leon, very much
puzzled. He was growing interested in this girl who talked so well.

"Good," said Agnes. "I will gladly expound my doctrine. The best
exponent of so called fact which I can cite, is the daily press. The
newspapers pretend to relate actual events; to tell us what really
occurs. But let us look into the matter but a moment, and we discover
that only on rare occasions is the reporter present when the thing
happens, of which he is expected to write. Thus, he is obliged to
depend upon others for his facts. Each person interrogated, gives him
a version of the affair according with his own received impressions.
But occurrences impress different persons in very different ways. Thus
Mr. Reporter, when he comes to his desk, finds that he must sift out
his facts from a mass of error. He does so, and obtains an
approximation of the truth. It would be erroneous enough if he were
now to write what he has deduced; but if he is at all capable, as a
caterer to the public taste, he is compelled to serve his goose with a
fancy sauce. He must weave an amount of fiction into and around his
facts, so that the article may have some flavor. And the flavor is
sweet or sour, nice or nasty, in accordance with the known
predilections of the subscribers. What wonder that one who truly seeks
for the facts in the case, endeavoring to obtain them by reading
several accounts, finally throws all the newspapers away in disgust!"

"Bravo, M