of Vassar College, recently thrown open to young women, which he
declared was only a place where they transformed a girl into a boy.

"Never go there, Coz, if you wish to retain an iota of your womanhood."

"Prejudice, prejudice;" she retorted. "I do believe in the higher
education of women and I am certainly going to Vassar, if I can persuade
my mother to part from me so long."

"Why not take her with you?" Mrs. Stanton was saying, when horror of
horrors, there appeared at the side door of the large sitting-room
a flushed and tangled-looking creature, tottering and righting up
alternately. All eyes were turned upon him, and every voice was dumb.
Steadying himself within the door, he slowly surveyed the young faces
grouped there, till his bloodshot gaze fell upon Ruth's white, wondering
countenance. Perhaps she reminded him of the wife who had repudiated
him. Perhaps some dawning instinct was at work. He staggered up to the
girl, who never once turned her eyes, and placing a hand upon her head,
said in the words of Childe Harold: "Is thy face like thy mother's, my
fair child?"

Tears sprang to every eye; but Ruth, first gasping as with a revelation
from some long-dormant recess of her brain, arose, and catching his hand
as it fell powerless, burst out:

"_Who_ are you? Are you my--father? Oh, tell me!" she appealed to
the group about her--"my father?" and stood breathless before him.

The word seemed to sober him with a mighty shock. He sank upon his
knees, her hands still clasping his, and burying his hot face in her