weaker sex has only come into its full flowering in the past few years. Man through the ages has hit, pummeled, and kicked woman when she proved recalcitrant, and often when she did not, and boy unchecked will do the same. Alice knew this; all mothers who are not willfully blind or sentimental know this, and when it happens just in play it doesn't seem worth while to pay attention to it—there are so many things one has to pay attention to.
Tom Marcey had no doubts concerning the righteousness of his views. Chivalry was what that hulking boy of his was going to learn, even if he had to be taught chivalry with a club. Alice heard him teaching it in tones of righteous indignation and she also heard Robert say indignantly:
"She told me to try and see if I could kick her when she ran past. How could I know she was going to turn around and light with her stomach on my toe?"
Her sympathies were all with Robert, especially when she saw Sara peacocking off with her father, her head affectedly on one side, the conscious virtue of self satisfaction radiating from her for having come out on top. Alice realized then and there how sex antagonisms had begun. She realized also why Cain killed Abel.
Sara was insufferable the rest of the day. She told her mother, before Robert, that she was a good girl.
She was nauseously good; she was as offensive as little heroines of our grandmothers' day, who prayed freely that their parents' souls might be saved.
"Jamie kills rose bugs, he squashes them," she remarked in superior accents. "I wouldn't!"
"You used to," grumbled Robert.
"I don't now," she replied, smiling sweetly.
"You did yesterday," said Robert.
