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ears out and not a ‘‘serious'' proposal。 An impudent poor fellow with no prospects had asked her。 An impudent rich man from fashionable New York had hung after her and had presently abandoned whatever dark projects he may have been concealing and had married in his own set； ‘‘as they always do； the miserable snobs；'' raved Mrs。 Gower； who had been building high upon those lavish outpourings of candy； flowers； and automobile rides。 Mildred； however； had accepted the defection more philosophically。 She had had enough vanity to like the attentions of the rich and fashionable New Yorker； enough good sense to suspect； perhaps not definitely； what those attentions meant； but certainly what they did not mean。 Also； in the back of her head had been an intention to refuse Stanley Baird； if by chance he should ask her。 Was there any substance to this intention； sprung from her disliking the conceited； self…assured snob as much as she liked his wealth and station？ Perhaps not。 Who can say？ At any rate； may we not claim credit for our good intentionsso long as； even through lack of opportunity； we have not stultified them？
With every natural advantage apparently； Mildred's failure to catch a husband seemed to be somehow her own fault。 Other girls； less endowed than she； were marrying； were marrying fairly well。 Why； then； was Mildred lagging in the market？
There may have been other reasons； reasons of accidentfor； in the higher class matrimonial market； few are called and fewer chosen。 There was one reason not accidental； Hanging Rock was no place for a girl so superior as was Mildred Gower to find a fitting husband。 As has been hinted； Hanging Rock was one of those upper…middle…class colonies where splurge and social ambition dominate the community life。 In such colonies the young men are of two classesthose beneath such a girl as Mildred； and those who had the looks； the manners； the intelligence； and the prospects to justify them in looking higher sociallyin looking among the very rich and really fashionable。 In the Hanging Rock sort of community； having all the snobbishness of Fifth Avenue； Back Bay； and Rittenhouse Square； with the added torment of the snobbishness being perpetually ungratifiedin such communities； beneath a surface reeking culture and idealistic folderol； there is a coarse and brutal materialism； a passion for money； for luxury； for display； that equals aristocratic societies at their worst。 No one can live for a winter； much less grow up； in such a place without becoming saturated with sycophantry。 Thus； only by some impossible combination of chances could there have been at Hanging Rock a young man who would have appreciated Mildred and have had the courage of his appreciation。 This combination did not happen。 In Mildred's generation and set there were only the two classes of men noted above。 The men of the one of them which could not have attracted her accepted their fate of mating with second…choice females to whom they were themselves second choice。 The men of the other class rarely appeared at Hanging Rock functions； hung about the rich people in New York； Newport； and on Long Island； and would as soon have thought of taking a Hanging Rock society girl to wife as of exchanging hundred…dollar bills for twenty…five…cent pieces。 Having attractions acceptable in the best markets； they took them there。 Hanging Rock denounced them as snobs； for Hanging Rock was virtuously eloquent on the subject of snobbishnesswe human creatures being never so effective as when assailing in others the vice or weakness we know from lifelong； intimate； internal association with it。 But secretly the successfully ambitious spurners of that suburban society were approved； were envied。 And Hanging Rock was most gracious to them whenever it got the chance。
In her five years of social life Mildred had gone only with the various classes of fashionable people； had therefore known only the men who are full of the poison of snobbishness。 She had been born and bred in an environment as impregnated with that poison as the air of a kitchen…garden with onions。 She knew nothing else。 The secret intention to refuse Stanley Baird； should he propose； was therefore the more astonishingand the more significant。 From time to time in any given environment you will find some isolated person； some personality； with a trait wholly foreign and out of place there。 Now it is a soft voice and courteous manners in a slum； again it is a longing for a life of freedom and equality in a member of a royal family that has known nothing but sordid slavery for centuries。 Or； in the petty conventionality of a prosperous middle… or upper…class community you come upon one who dreamsperhaps vaguely but still longinglyof an existence where love and ideas shall elevate and glorify life。 In spite of her training； in spite of the teaching and example of all about her from the moment of her opening her eyes upon the world； Mildred Gower at twenty…three still retained something of these dream flowers sown in the soil of her naturally good mind by some book or play or perhaps by some casually read and soon forgotten article in magazine or newspaper。 We have the habit of thinking only weeds produce seeds that penetrate and prosper everywhere and anywhere。 The truth is that fine plants of all kinds； vegetable； fruit； and flower of rarest color and perfume； have this same hardiness and fecundity。 Pull away at the weeds in your garden for a while； and see if this is not so。 Though you may plant nothing； you will be amazed at the results if you but clear a little space of its weedswhich you have been planting and cultivating。
Mildredwoman fashionregarded it as a reproach upon her that she had not yet succeeded in making the marriage everyone； including herself； predicted for her and expected of her。 On the contrary； it was the most savage indictment possible of the marriageable and marrying men who had met herof their stupidity； of their short…sighted and mean…souled calculation； of their lack of couragethe courage to take what they； as men of flesh and blood wanted； instead of what their snobbishness ordered。 And if Stanley Baird； the nearest to a flesh…and…blood man of any who had known her； had not been so profoundly afraid of his fashionable mother and of his sister； the Countess of Waring But he was profoundly afraid of them； so； it is idle to speculate about him。
What did men see when they looked at Mildred Gower？ Usually； when men look at a woman； they have a hazy； either pleasant or unpleasant； sense of something feminine。 That； and nothing more。 Afterward； through some whim or some thrust from chance they may see in her； or fancy they see in her； the thing feminine that their soulsit is always ‘‘soul''most yearns after。 But just at first glance； so colorless or conventionally colored is the usual human being； the average womanindeed every woman but she who is exceptionalcreates upon man the mere impression of pleasant or unpleasant petticoats。 In the exceptional woman something obtrudes。 She has astonishing hair； or extraordinary eyes； or a mouth that seems to draw a man like a magnet； or it is the allure of a peculiar smile