Neither Jeff nor I found it so wearing.
I was so much interested intellectually that our confinement did not wear on me; and as for Jeff, bless his heart!--he enjoyed the society of that tutor of his almost as much as if she had been a girl--I don't know but more.
As to Terry's criticism, it was true.

These women, whose essential distinction of motherhood was the dominant note of their whole culture, were strikingly deficient in what we call "femininity." This led me very promptly to the conviction that those "feminine charms" we are so fond of are not feminine at all, but mere reflected masculinity--developed to please us because they had to please us, and in no way essential to the real fulfillment of their great process.

But Terry came to no such conclusion.
"Just you wait till I get out!" he muttered.
Then we both cautioned him.

"Look here, Terry, my boy! You be careful! They've been mighty good to us--but do you remember the anesthesia?
If you do any mischief in this virgin land, beware of the vengeance of the Maiden Aunts! Come, be a man! It won't be forever." To return to the history: They began at once to plan and built for their children, all the strength and intelligence of the whole of them devoted to that one thing.

Each girl, of course, was reared in full knowledge of her Crowning Office, and they had, even then, very high ideas of the molding powers of the mother, as well as those of education.
Such high ideals as they had! Beauty, Health, Strength, Intellect, Goodness--for those they prayed and worked.
They had no enemies; they themselves were all sisters and friends.