d we can
dispense with writing, at least till that fellow is asleep again. When
you have disposed of him, we will find out how many aims it is necessary
for one woman to have, and what arrangement of them it is best to make.'

The baby stayed awake obstinately, but I was reconciled to the fact, for
our discussion might have become hot, and the writing ended for that
evening quite as effectually as the baby had done it.

Night came again, and this time John opened the subject, by placing
before me a large package of foolscap, and a new gold pen.

'I have brought some paper for you to spoil, Helen,' he said, 'for I
foresaw how it would end. Do your best, and I will do mine in the matter
of beginnings. I cannot write easily, you know, but I can suggest and
dictate, when you wish it; and you have been my amanuensis for a year
and more, so it will all seem very natural.'

He looked down, as he spoke, at the scarred right hand and its missing
fingers, carried away eighteen months before by a rebel bullet, and a
little shade passed over his face.

'No, John,' I said, 'don't look there now; look at my two hands waiting
to do the work of that, and tell me if two are not better than one. We
will write an article which shall astonish the critics, and bring
letters from all the magazines, begging us to become special
contributors at once; and we will not quarrel as to who shall have the
glory, but make it a joint matter. And now I am ready to begin, and
propose to speak upon a subject which I wonder greatly no one has taken
up in detail before. Your words last evening brought out some dormant
ideas. 'We do our share in aggravating the people we meet daily,' you
said, and I have been reflecting upon the matter ever since, till now I
am prepared to give my opinions to the world.'

So saying, I arranged the table properly, took out some sheets of the
smooth, white paper, filled my pen, and waited for the dawning of an
idea. To which it came first, I shall not tell you. The results are
before you: which part is John's, which mine, you will never learn from
us. It will be of no avail for you to write to the editors, for they
don't know either, and will not be told. It will be a useful exercise
for you to dissect the article, and set apart the masculine from the
feminine portions. The critics will for once be quite at a loss how to
abuse it, probably. I foresee a general distraction in the minds of our
readers, and already hear our