A THOUGHTLESS YES

By Helen H. Gardener

Author Of

"Men, Women, and Gods;" "Sex in Brain;" "Pulpit, Pew, and Cradle;" "Is this Your Son, my Lord?" "Pushed by Unseen Hands," "Pray you, Sir, whose Daughter?" "An Unofficial Patriot," and "Facts and Fictions of Life."

Tenth Edition.

Copyright, 1890,

Dedication.

To the many strangers who, after reading such of these stories as have before been printed, have written me letters that were thoughtful or gay or sad, I dedicate this volume.

These letters have come from far and near; from rich and from poor; from Christian and from unbeliever; from a bishop's palace and from behind prison walls.

If this collection of stories shall give to my friends, known and unknown, as much pleasure and mental stimulus as their letters gave to me, I shall be content.

HELEN H. GARDENER.

Contents

Dedication.

CONTENTS

PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION.

AN OPEN LETTER.

A SPLENDID JUDGE OF A WOMAN.

THE LADY OF THE CLUB.

I.

II.

III.

UNDER PROTEST.

FOR THE PROSECUTION.

I.

II.

III.

A RUSTY LINK IN THE CHAIN.

THE BOLER HOUSE MYSTERY.

THE TIME LOCK OF OUR ANCESTORS.

FLORENCE CAMPBELL'S FATE.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

MY PATIENTS STORY.

I.

II.

III.

PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION.

In issuing a new edition of this book, it has been thought wise to state that an unauthorized edition is now on the market, and it is desirable that the public shall know that all copies of this book not bearing the imprint of the Commonwealth Company are sold against the will and in violation of the rights of the author.

Since some persons have been puzzled to make the connection between the title of the book and the stories themselves, and to apply Colonel Ingersoll's exquisite autograph sentiment more clearly, a part of "An Open Letter," which was written in reply to an editorial review of the book when it first appeared, is here reprinted, in the hope that it may remove the difficulty for all.

AN OPEN LETTER.

I have, this morning, read your review of "A Thoughtless Yes." I wish to thank you for the pleasant things said and also to make the connection—which I am surprised to see did not present itself to your mind—between the title and the burden of the stories or sketches.

It is not so easy as you may suppose to get a title which shall be exactly and fully descriptive of a collection of tales or sketches, each one of which was written to suggest thoughts and questions on some particular topic or topics to which people usually pay the tribute of a thoughtless yes. With one—possibly two—exceptions each sketch means to suggest to the reader that there may be a very large question mark put after many of the social, religious, economic, medical, journalistic, or legal fiats of the present