laid aside her shawl and hat in the ante-room. The spacious L-shaped Salon was filled with ladies of all and every class and attainment.
Many were young and prepossessing, personally attractive still to the eye of the outer world—some few plain but powerful—many long since escaped from the tender simplicity of "sweet seventeen." From every eye, however, intelligence gleamed; on many a face genius was stamped; on each high brow force was written.
Here and there a few much-overshadowed men were bestowed on corners of couches and edges of chairs. Sub-editors, not yet quite "case"-hardened to the charms of fair women, young doctors who had been prevailed upon to "read a paper," with art critics whose wives thought them safe ensconced at the Club!
Gwyneth's paper created, even in this august company, quite a sensation. The proposal was welcomed with acclaim. Why should not daughters of Eve return to the Garden of Eden, the Graces be ensconced beside the streams, and nymphs explore the woods again?
So it was that Amazona was founded.
Fifty of the fair, whose duties were of such a character that they could be performed at a distance, set forth for the home beside the lake. For each five a cottage had been erected.
A light breakfast and lunch each household prepared as best they could, but dinner, which was veritably "a feast of reason and flow of soul," was partaken of in common in the large weatherboard mess-room, that served also as concert-hall, reading-room, and theatre.
Four cows, a crate of fowls, five acres of land for garden purposes, already ploughed, were apportioned to each party; seeds were supplied, directions given, technical papers read. From the common store each party
