The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-06-29

and pulling at his high collar. "Try
this garden chair. What is there that
[ can do for you? Shall ring and let
Mrs. Denver know that you are here"'
Pray do not trouble, Admiral.
only looked in with reference to our lit
tie chat this morning. [ wish that you
would give us your powerful support
at our coming meeting for the improve
ment of the condition of woman
mo, ma am, I can't do that" He
pursed up his lips and shook his griz-
Zled head.
: "And why nOt?"
Against my principles, ma'am."
''But why?"
Because woman has her duties and
man has his. I may be oId-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 a woman wanting to COM
mand the Channel Fleet next"
THAT is one of the few professions
which cannot be improved, said Mrs.
Westmacott, with her sweetest smile.
poor woman must still look to man for
protection"
II don't like these new-fangled ideas,
ma am. I tell you honestly that l
every one is better for it. Women have
got a great deal which they had not in
the days of our fathers. They have
universities all for themselves, I am
told, and there are women doctors,
hear. Surely they should rest content
ed. What more can they want?'
''YOu are a 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
drawing? There is not one in fifty who
has any special talent in that direction.
Medicine? 1t is still surrounded with
difficulties for women, and it takes
many years and a small fortune to
qualify. Nursing? It is hard work i'll
paid, and none but the strongest can
stand it. What would you have them
do then, Admiral? Sit down and
starve?"
Tut, tut! 1t is not so bad as that"
"The pressure is terrible. Advertise
for a lady companion at ten shillings a
week, which is less than a cooks wage,
and see how many answers you get.
There is no hope, no outlook, for these
struggling thousands. Life is a dull,
sordid struggle, leading down to a
cheerless 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 gen.
tlemen that it is against their princi-
pies to help
The Admiral WINGED, bat shook his
head in dissent.
There is banking, the law, veterin-
airy surgery, government offices, the
civil service, all these at least should
be thrown freely open to women, if
they have brains enough to compete
successfully for them. Then if woman
were unsuccessful it would be her own
fault, and the majority of the popula-
ton of this country could no longer
complain that they live under a differ
ent law to the minority, and that they
are held down in poverty and serfdom,
with every road to independence sealed
to them"
What would you propose to do,
ma'am?"
ITO set the more obvious injustices
right, and so to pave the way for a re-
form. Now look at that man digging
in the field. I know him. He can
neither read nor write, he is stepped in
whisky, and he has as much intelli-
gence as the potatoes that he is dig
ging. Yet the man has vote, can pos
sibly turn the scale of an election, and
may help to decide the policy of this
empire. Now to take the nearest eX-
ample, here am /, a woman, who have
had some education, who have travelled,
and who have seen and studied the in
situations of many countries. [ hold
considerable property, and 1 pay more
in imperial taxes than that man spends
in whisky which is saying great deal,
and yet 1 have no more direct influence
upon the disposal of the money which
I pay than the fly which creeps along
the wall Is that right? Is it fair?"
The Admiral moved uneasily in his
chair Yours is an exceptional CASE
said he
But no woman has a voice. Consider
that the women are a majority in the
nation Yet if there was a question of
legislation upon which all women We're
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 opposed to it. Is that right?''
Again the Admiral wriggled 1t was
very awkward for the gallant seaman
to have a handsome woman opposite