The Press., 1893-06-01

long read V, ich led up to luncheon, and had even go. so far as to fasten his gold en pince-nez on to his thin, high bridged nose. when he heard scrunching of gravel, and looking over the top of his paper saw Mrs. Westmacott coming up the garden walk She was still dressed in the singular costume which offended the sailors old fashioned notions of pro- priety, but he could not deny as he looked at her that she was very fine woman. In many climes he had looked upon women of all shades and ages, but never upon a more clear cut, hand some face, nor more erect, supple and womanly figure. He ceased to glover as he gazed upon her, and the frown was smoothed away from his rugged brow.
 "May come in?' said she, framing herself in the open window, with back ground of greensward and blue sky. T feel like an invader deep in an enemy's country"
 ssIt is very welcome invasion, ma'am," :" said he, clearing his throat and pulling at his collar. "Try this garden chair. What is there that I can do for you? Shall l ring and let Mrs. Denver know that you are hereY' @
 "Pray do not trouble, admiral. l only looked in with reference to our little chat this morning. wish that you would give us your powerful support at our coming meeting for the improvement of the condition of woman"
 "No, ma'am. I can't do that" He pursed up his lips and shook his grizzled head.
 s'And why not?"
 Against my principles, ma'alh"
 "But why?'
 Because woman has her duties, and man has his. may be old fashioned, but that is my view. Why, what is the world coming to? I was saying to Dr.. Walker only last night that we shall have woman wanting to command the Channel fleet next"
 ''That is one of the few professions which cannot be improved" said Mrs. Westmacott, with her sweetest smile. s'Poor woman must still look to man for protection"
 s'I don't like those new tangled ideas, ma'am. Itell you honestly that don't. like discipline, and think every one is the better for it. Women have got a great deal which they had not in the days of our fathers. They have univer- sities all for themselves, am told, and there are women doctors, hear. Surely they should rest contented. What more can they want?' 2.
 "You are sailor, and sailors are al ways chivalrous. If you could see how things really, are you would change your opinion. What are the poor things to do? There are so many of them and so few things to which they can turn their hands. Governesses? But there are hardly any situations. Music and draw ing? There is not one in fifty who has any special talent in that direction. Med icine? It is still surrounded with difi- culties for women, and it takes many years and small fortune to qualify. Nursing? It is hard work i'll paid, and none but the strongest can stand 1t. What would you have them do then. admiral? Sit down and starve?'
 'Tut, tut! It is not so bad as that"
 "The pressure is terrible Advertise
  week, which is less than cooks wage, and see how many answers you get. There is no hope, no outlook, for these struggling thousands. Life is 8 dull sordid struggle, leading down to cheer less old age. Yet when we try to bring some little ray of hope, some chance, however distant, of something better we are told by chivalrous gentlemen that it is against their principles to help" The admiral winced, but shook his head in dissent.
 surgery, government offices, the civil service, ali these at least should be thrown freely open to women if they have brains enough so compete successfully for them. Then if woman were unsuccessful it would be her own fault, and the major ity of the population of this country could no longer complain that they live under different law from the minority, and that they are held down in poverty and serfdom, with every road to inde- pendence sealed to them"
 "What would you propose to do, ma'am?'
 "To set the more obvious injustices right, and so to pave the way for 8 re- form. Now, look at that man digging in the field. I know him. He can neither read nor write, he is steeped in whisky, and he has as much intelligence as the potatoes that he is digging. Yet the man has vote, can possibly turn the scale of an election and may help, to decide the policy of this empire. Now, to take the nearest example, here am I, a woman who has had some education, who has travelled, and who has seen and studied the institutions of many countries. ] hold considerable property, and I pay more in imperial taxes than that man spends in whisky, which is saying a great deal. and yet I have no more direct influence upon the disposal of the money which pay than that fly which creeps along the wall. Is that right9 Is it fair?'
 | The admiral moved uneasily in his chair. "Yours is an exceptional case, '' said he.
 "But no woman has voice. Consider that the women are 8 majority in the na- tion. Yet if there was question of leg islation upon which all the women were agreed upon one side and all the men upon the other, it would appear that the matter was settled unanimously when more than half the population were op- posed to it. Is that right?'' - Again the admiral wriggled. It was very awkward for the gallant seaman to have handsome woman opposite to him bombarding him with questions to none of which he could find an answer. Couldn't even get the tompiens out of his guns" as he explained the matter to the doctor that evening.
 "Now, those are really the points that we shall lay stress upon at the meeting. The free and complete opening of the pro fessions, the final abolition of the zenana, call it, and the franchise to all women who pay queens taxes above certain sum. Surely there is nothing unreason-