The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-16

she was pitied. There was no other al
tentative for her. OF course these eight
years have made a vast difference. women
can actually practise professions and
are not regarded as revolutionary. but
even to-day they have not the 50 me
status as the married woman. Sweden
and other countries have been far ahead
Of liz in this particular.
There Is one. thing to remember.
when u %hidebound conservative changes
finally-after terrible mental struggles
bis point of view he is apt to be just as
determined and revolutionary in that
change as he was in the former stand he
maintained. That was the way with my
father. and in relating our history l am
really telling YOU the history OF many Of
my countrywomen, which differs little.
only in details. not in fundamentals.
Il went on taking q course in domestic
science and preparing for q teachers
career. Naturally | became interested
in woman suffrage. | did nc dare speak
Of it in my home. but the wireless messages
of thought are sure. l was convinced
that my father knew. for his watchfulness
was %unceasing and his interest in my
work and my ideas and my sincerity OF
purpose was evident. One day he sur
prisel me. i am going to make you of
age he told me. l "a then 10; by law
I would not have legal rights for two
years unless my parents shortened that
period. / thanked him. and not to have
any insincerity told him frankly what
that would mean to me-freedom to live
a. l wanted to. to follow out my own ideas
OF what a woman stood for in this life
released from the hampering Of tradi-
tions-to he an individual, not an echo.
He said nothing. but did as he promised,
and from that time until | told him Of my
contemplated visit to America nothing
was put in the way Of my complete indie
p%endence.
Following the teaching that I UNDER
took after my graduation from the school
Of domestic science | went to London
as secretary. / wanted to perfect my
English and | wanted to be in the move-
ment.' lost my place during the Boer
war because | was a Dutch woman and the
Dutch were not keenly acceptable to the
English at that time.
Il returned and took W teaching again.
but the spirit OF unrest and curiosity
came again and again. America. ! said.
is the goal Of the spirit struggling for
freedom. 1t is there that one can 20
and on to the millennium OF perfect lib-
erty, where tradition is nausht. where
convention does no hampei. where in
absolute equality men and women work
for the good of humanity and happiness
uhounds. so l determined to make another
drop in the current OF Old World human
ity sweeping toward Those shores on sim
brands bent.
1t is so vast said father, sweep
ing his band with a gesture that really
to frame our whole tiny country.
that is 80 ridicllousiy small compared
with yours. What win you do there?'
| told him what ! had learned. that a
could do the most humble, mental
work and preserve her social standing.
and that | wanted to be one OF those
humble workers and ally myself with
all the forward. educational. progressive
in my spare moments.
Il had me. some people from Brooklyn
when I was in England, They were loud
in praise of the wonderful institutions
of their native country. When l think
the matter over o l see that their
remarks were more general in nature than