Bride of the Rockies by Angela Breidenbach

Author:Angela Breidenbach
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781957132044
Publisher: Angela Breidenbach

CHAPTER 7

July 7, 1893

* * *

Bettina's knees trembled faster than a lady's fan flickered on a blistering day. She knew her talk was well received. She'd answered every discussion question from the audience with aplomb, according to her father. He'd said it with his chest puffed out while Mama beamed on his arm. Yet her heart rat-a-tatted like the drummer in the John Phillips Souza concert Luke had taken her to last week. Had she impressed Reverend Doctor Kelsey enough to win the position at Oberlin?

First he shook hands with her father, congratulating him on raising a fine young scientist. Then he turned to her mother and praised her skills of turning out such a gracious child. Then, finally, he addressed Bettina.

"Young lady, you have a quick mind and very thorough research methods. You've worked hard to create a possible plan to help the masses."

She brightened. He saw her vision, her—

"But I see a flaw in your theory."

Her stomach hit her boots and the blood in her body followed it. "A flaw?"

"You focus too much on the overview to bring about results because of the intensity of your passion to save the poor right now. Would you consider coming at your research from a more practical angle?"

Practical? Wasn't that the entire basis of her theory? That it could be put to use for practical solutions? "Please, sir, where might I improve?"

His face relaxed into an inviting smile. "That's exactly the question I wanted to hear. It shows me you're open to criticism that will help you grow as a scientist and as you undertake this project long-term."

"But the flaw?"

"Your vision will give you the passion to keep working toward your goal. However…"

Flaw. However. She hung on his words, leaning in to understand.

"…I'd advise you to focus not en masse, but the on the exponential. Study the cause at its root or we cannot repeat the result intentionally. Do you look over a field of wheat and say it grows because of the sun?" He pulled the boutonnière from his lapel. "If I dissect this flower and glean all I can from it, but I haven't grown it and observed it in various situations how can I say what I observed will be repeatable?" He replaced the button mum. "By starting with one I can determine how and why it thrives best. Then, once I understand how the flower flourishes I can expand to help it and others like it prosper. Understand the organism at its most elemental level and you'll be able to build outward from there. Would you consider it wise to include observations from others? Consult with those who work the crops. What have they observed year after year? You have much work to do yet."

His wisdom opened her eyes to the flaw. She didn't have enough information to guarantee success yet. "Yes, I understand. Thank you, sir."

"I came because your application stood out. Rarely do I see such high marks in laboratory work. With your parents approval, I’m extending an invitation to be part of my team.

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