Something like a gleam of saturnine humor appeared in the Earl's eyes at this, but he only replied, dryly. "Perhaps it is not wholly my fault, madam, that I find myself alone in my old age."
At that moment the door opened, and young Washington stood upon the threshold.
[to be continued.]
[A GIRL IN TRAINING.]
BY MARY TAYLOR BISSELL.
There are three things which every girl would undoubtedly wish for if she believed they were within her reach. First, to be healthy, so that she might enjoy life with zest; second, to be graceful, for beauty's sake; and third, to be skilful, physically accomplished; and it is probable that if she knew that a certain training in life would give her these qualities she would follow it gladly.
Unfortunately there is no royal road to health or to skill any more than to learning. These are only gained by a little effort here and a little more there. It is known to every one, however, that training will do wonders in the way of improving and making over the human body.
Every girl who has a brother at college knows how ruddy and muscular and alert the college teams become when they have been in training for a season, and no one imagines that any miracle has been worked for their benefit. It is only that every man in the team is so devoted to the idea of being strong and skilful that he is faithful as the sun to the rules which regulate his eating and sleeping and exercise and bathing, so that he comes out of this so fortified that no ordinary exertion can fatigue him, and he enjoys life and its occupations with a zest which no weakling can imagine.
Of course this is the experience of men who are already healthy. Even greater differences could be shown between the condition of persons in originally poor health before and after they had adopted a suitable course of training. Now if girls of fourteen or fifteen would only agree among themselves to go into training for about four years, what fine types of young women we might hope for!