"Uncle
Jonas," said she, "asks him because we like him; and would do so
too if he kept the store in Broadway. But if he did keep the store
perhaps we should not like him."

"I trow not," said Miss Petrie.

Livy was much more comfortable in her tactics, and without consulting
anybody sent for a hairdresser. "It's all very well for Wallachia,"
said Livy,--Miss Petrie's name was Wallachia,--"but I know a nice
sort of man when I see him, and the ways of the world are not to be
altered because Wally writes poetry."

When Mr. Glascock was announced Mrs. Spalding's handsome rooms were
almost filled, as rooms in Florence are filled,--obstruction in every
avenue, a crowd in every corner, and a block at every doorway, not
being among the customs of the place. Mr. Spalding immediately caught
him,--intercepting him between the passages and the ladies,--and
engaged him at once in conversation.

"Your John S. Mill is a great man," said the minister.

"They tell me so," said Mr. Glascock. "I don't read what he writes
myself."

This acknowledgment seemed to the minister to be almost disgraceful,
and yet he himself had never read a word of Mr. Mill's writings.
"He is a far-seeing man," continued the minister. "He is one of
the few Europeans who can look forward, and see how the rivers of
civilization are running on. He has understood that women must at
last be put upon an equality with men."

"Can he manage that men shall have half the babies?" said Mr.
Glascock, thinking to escape by an attempt at playfulness.

But the minister was down upon him at once,--had him by the lappet
of his coat, though he knew how important it was for his dear niece
that he should allow Mr. Glascock to amuse himself this evening after
another fashion. "I have an answer ready, sir, for that difficulty,"
he said. "Step aside with me for a moment. The question is important,
and I should be glad if you would communicate my ideas to your great
philosopher. Nature, sir, has laid down certain laws, which are
immutable; and, against them,--"

But Mr. Glascock had not come to Florence for this. There were
circumstances in his present position which made him feel that he
would be gratified in escaping, even at the cost of some seeming
incivility. "I must go in to the ladies at once," he said, "or I
shall never get a word with them." There came across the minister's
brow a momentary frown of displeasure, as though he felt that he were
being robbed of that