isa-normaladvance-1915-00125

Description: THE NORMAL ADVANCE125flashes. In the shadows sat the man, and velvety his soft eyes seemed neath luscious lowered lashes.But as Jack read on she became interestedin the story. It was surely topsy-turvy. ThePrincess was Jack, and the Prince was Jeanherself, so it seemed. Which was right, to saythat she loved him, or that he loved her ? Sheasked Jack.He stopped reading, and pressed one of thebuttons in the arm of his chair. A table rolledover to him, on which was a little group ofminiature human-like dolls. Jack touched oneof the figures.Homunculus, here, my special pet, will answer you, he said.He pressed a button on the table, and immediately all the little figures began to walkand talk. But soon Homunculus waved hisarms for quiet, and they all seated themselvesaround the edge of the table. Homunculusclimbed upon a little platform in the center.In the empty space around the platform asmoky cloud arose, through which the tinyfigures was barely visible, but his vibrant tonesreached Jean and Jack distinctly, accompaniedby a monotonous humming from the otherdolls. As Homunculus talked, the vaporaround him seemed to be alive all at once, andit seemed to Jean as though it filled the room
and the words she heard grew to an intensitythat seemed to hold her mind:My thoughts are of the days gone by,And now comes forth a long low sigh,As in the darkness and the gloom,Out of the spaces of the room,Come—the ghosts.As in a dream they float on by,Some on low and some on high,In a silent, tuneful song.No what, no how,No then, no now,No when, no where,All empty air,A nebulous swaying throug.An incense rises in the cloud,And the still melody grows louder than loud,And all intermingled in the vaporous whirl,Are the loving, the living, the dead.Love! Life! Death!Mystery everAnd naught to disseverThe invisible thread that binds them together !Homunculus ceased
the clouds faded away,and Jack pressed the button to remove thetable.Was your question answered? he asked.But without waiting for a reply he picked upthe book and read softly, in part _It was ill counsel had misled the girlTo vex true hearts
yet was she but a girl
Let her make herself her ownTo give or keep, to live and learn and beAll that not harms distinctive womanhood.Jean signed.I fear it cannot be, she unconsciouslyquoted the Princess. And he returned thePrinces answer, Dear, but let us type themnowIn our own lives, and this proud watchwordrest of equal . Dear, may we not haveequal rights, you and I, though not the samerights? I know that you alone cannot resolu-tionize the world, but you can do your part.Come back home.She held out her hand for the book, and readslowly: I seemA mockery to my own self. Never, Prince
You cannot love me. Jean!But she went on, this time quoting thePrince, O we will walk this world,Yoked in all exercises of noble end,And so thro those dark gates across the wildThat no man knows . Jean! he repeated. And she nodded,Yes.Anyway, she whispered, a little later,women are tired of politics.Look, he said, all my kissing shields aregone.I like some kinds of germs, she answered.
Source: http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34947
Collection: Indiana State University Archives

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