Unleavened Bread eBook

Robert Grant (novelist)
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 449 pages of information about Unleavened Bread.

Unleavened Bread eBook

Robert Grant (novelist)
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 449 pages of information about Unleavened Bread.

She observed intently the meeting between Mr. Lyons and Mrs. Taylor.  He was deferential, complimentary, and genial, and he made a suave, impressive offer of his personal services, in response to which Mrs. Taylor regarded him with smiling incredulity—­a smile which Selma considered impertinent.  How dared she treat his courtly advances with flippant distrust!

“Are you aware, Mr. Lyons,” Mrs. Taylor was saying, “that one of the present members of the school board is a milkman, and another a carpenter—­both of them persons of very ordinary efficiency from an educational standpoint?  Will you co-operate with us, when their terms expire next year and they seek re-election, to nominate more suitable candidates in their stead?”

“I shall be very glad when the time comes to investigate carefully their qualifications, and if they are proved to be unworthy of the confidence of the people, to use my influence against them.  You may rely on this—­rely on my cordial support, and the support of these ladies,” he added, indicating Mrs. Earle and Selma, with a wave of his hand, “who, if you will permit me to say so, are no less interested than you in promoting good government.”

“Oh, yes, indeed.  We thought we were making an ideal choice in Miss Luella Bailey,” said Mrs. Earle with effusion.  “If Mrs. Taylor had seen more of her, I feel sure she would have admired her, and then our Institute would not have been dragged into politics.”

Mrs. Taylor did not attempt to answer this appeal.  Instead she greeted Selma civilly, and said, “I was sorry to hear that you were against us, Mrs. Littleton.  We were allies once in a good cause, and in spite of Mr. Lyons’s protestations to the contrary, I assure you that this is another genuine opportunity to improve the existing order of things.  At least,” she added, gayly but firmly, “you must not let Mr. Lyons’s predilection to see everything through rose-colored spectacles prevent you from looking into the matter on your own account.”

“I have done so already,” answered Selma, affronted at the suggestion that she was uninformed, yet restrained from displaying her annoyance by the sudden inspiration that here was an admirable opportunity to practise the proselytizing forbearance suggested by Mr. Lyons.  The idea of patronizing Mrs. Taylor from the vantage-ground of infallibility, tinctured by magnanimous condescension, appealed to her.  “I have made a thorough study of the question, and I never could look at it as you do, Mrs. Taylor.  I sided with you before because I thought you were right—­because you were in favor of giving everyone a chance of expression.  But now I’m on the other side for the same reason—­because you and your friends are disposed to deprive people of that very thing, and to regard their aspirations and their efforts contemptuously, if I may say so.  That’s the mistake we think you make—­we who, as Mr. Lyons has stated, are no less eager than you to maintain the present high character of everything which concerns our school system.  But if you only would see things in a little different light, both Mrs. Earle and I would be glad to welcome you as an ally and to co-operate with you.”

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Unleavened Bread from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.