CHAPTER XXIII.
A VISIT FROM BARKER AND BROOKES.
About ten o'clock the next morning after the party, Mr. Herne was in the front yard, superintending some work, when he saw a buggy coming towards his house and he recognized the occupants as being Mr. Herbert Barker and Mr. Stanley Brookes, of Roseland. When the team stopped in front of the house. Mr. Herne was there to receive the two gentlemen.
After shaking hands and exchanging a few pleasant words, Mr. Barker asked: "Are Penloe and Stella here?"
Mr. Herne said: "Yes, they are, come in, gentlemen," and gave them seats in the parlor, saying, "You had better stay to dinner, and I will have a man take care of your team," an invitation which they gladly accepted. Mr. Herne entered the sitting-room to tell Penloe and Stella that Barker and Brookes were in the parlor waiting to see them. Since those two gentlemen had become Stella's co-workers for sex reform consequently they had seen much of each other, and had come to a mutual understanding that they would lay aside all formalities and act as brother and sister; therefore, instead of addressing each other as Mr. or Mrs., they called each other by their given names.
When Penloe and Stella entered the parlor, the two gentlemen rose from their seats and came forward to tender their congratulations to the newly married couple. After a lively social chat, Stanley Brookes made known the object of their morning call in the following words. Looking at Stella, he said: "Since you were with us last in Roseland, we have been receiving information through various channels concerning certain persons, in a number of towns and cities, who may be considered advanced enough to profit by our literature. In most cases the persons receiving it have written for more, to circulate among their friends. Since sending a second lot, we have been in receipt of a number of letters, like the following, and here Brookes took one from a large package of letters, and read it to Penloe and Stella. It was as follows:
"Los Angeles, Cal.
"Stanley Brookes, Esq.,
"Roseland, Cal.:
"Dear Sir: The literature which you kindly sent me I placed where I knew it would do the most good. It gives me pleasure to inform you that the California idea is gaining ground here, and interest is growing faster than I anticipated. I was not aware there were so many ready for the sex reform thought; but in talking with some of the more advanced, they said that they had done a little thinking along this line for some time, but their ideas were only half formed, and this reading matter was just what they needed to let the light into their minds. They are all now anxious to have a meeting, and want to know if you could get Penloe and Stella to come here and speak. They think the largest hall in this city would not hold the crowd that would want to hear and see those two much-talked-of-and-written-about persons. I will see that all their expenses are paid, if you will see to getting them here. I know if they come it will give the movement a big lift. Write as soon as you know if they are coming.
"Yours for Reform,