With the return of her strength, Selma took up again eagerly the tenor of her former life, aiding and abetting Mrs. Earle in the development of the Institute.  The president was absorbed in enlarging its scope by the enrollment of more members, and the establishment of classes in a variety of topics—­such as literature, science, philosophy, current events, history, art, and political economy.  She aimed to construct a club which should be social and educational in the broadest sense by mutual co-operation and energy.  Selma, in her eagerness to make the most of the opportunities for culture offered, committed herself to two of the new topic classes—­“Italian and Grecian Art,” and “The Governments of Civilization,” and as a consequence found some difficulty in accommodating her baby’s nursing hours to these engagements.  It was indeed a relief to her when the doctor presently pronounced the supply of her breast-milk inadequate.  She was able to assuage Lewis’ regret that Muriel should be brought up by hand with the information that a large percentage of Benham and American mothers were similarly barren and that bottle babies were exceedingly healthy.  She had gleaned the first fact from the physician, the second from Mrs. Earle, and her own conclusion on the subject was that a lack of milk was an indication of feminine evolution from the status of the brute creation, a sign of spiritual as opposed to animal quality.  Selma found Mrs. Earle sympathetic on this point, and also practical in her suggestions as to the rearing of infants by artificial means, recommendations concerning which were contained in one of her series of papers entitled “Mother Lore.”

The theory of the new classes was co-operation.  That is, the members successively, turn by turn, lectured on the topic, and all were expected to study in the interim so as to be able to ask questions and discuss the views of the lecturer.  Concerning both Italian and Grecian Art and the Governments of Civilization, Selma knew that she had convictions in the abstract, but when she found herself face to face with a specific lecture on each subject, it occurred to her as wise to supplement her ideas by a little preparation.  The nucleus of a public library had been recently established by Joel Flagg and placed at the disposal of Benham.  Here, by means of an encyclopaedia and two hand-books, Selma was able in three forenoons to compile a paper satisfactory to her self-esteem on the dynasties of Europe and their inferiority to the United States, but her other task was illumined for her by a happy incident, the promise of Littleton to lend her books.  Indeed he seemed delightfully interested in both of her classes, which was especially gratifying in view of the fact that Mrs. Taylor, who was a member of the Institute, had combated the new programme on the plea that they were attempting too much and that it would encourage superficiality.  But Littleton seemed appreciative of the value of