satin slippers, completed the poetic and splendid costume. Never had Muriel appeared more fascinating than in this attire, which showed the full perfection of a form, straight, supple, tall and strong, whose every rounded outline was elegance, and whose free strength was harmonized in grace and beauty. “By Jupiter!” cried Wentworth, “I never see Muriel in that costume, without thinking that the long skirts are a tremendous shame. There’s a figure for you!” “Yes, but please remember,” said Emily, “that there are some of us women who are not endowed with such fine forms as Muriel.” “Oh, I’m pretty well,” said Muriel, with a light laugh. “But it’s mainly due to my life-long muscular exercise, Emily.” “Indeed, Muriel,” replied Emily, “nature must have contributed largely in the first instance, to a form like yours.” “Thanks for compliments,” said Muriel gaily, doffing her plumed cap and bowing. “You’re inclined to underrate muscular exercise, Emily,” said Harrington, laughing. “Well, perhaps so, John,” she replied, with a slow smile. “And yet,” he pursued, “I’m not sure, that to make women a race of gymnasts, wouldn’t be one of the surest ways of securing their social enfranchisement.” “Why, John,” returned Emily, laughing, “do you want to make us athletic enough to get our rights by the strong hand?” “Oh, no,” he rejoined, amusedly. “But men could not help respecting women, if women were on a grander scale, and justice might be born of that respect. And, to make women all they latently are, gymnastics are a very important instrument. I am inclined to think physical training the foundation of all noble culture. You get from it health, strength, beauty of form, grace of carriage, dexterity of movement and action, a very potent safeguard against all diseases, mental vigor, cheerfulness, courage, self-reliance, a spirit that nourishes and promotes self-respect, independence, generosity, moral purity, heroic desires, large sympathies; in fact, all the virtues. I do not say that gymnastics bestow the great intellectualities and moralities; but they encourage, develop, and sustain them. You know what Dr. Johnson said—‘a sick person is a scoundrel;’ and I think a pretty large sermon might be preached from that text, in these days. At all events, I am quite sure that you will see grander and more womanly women, and an increase of social happiness, when a vigorous muscular training is made part of women’s culture.” “Bravo!” cried Muriel. “I feel inspired. The foils, Harrington—the foils!” Harrington-who had been admiring while he spoke, the free, beautiful figure—started and went to the wall to take the weapons down. “First, some exercise to get the muscles in order,” said Muriel.