The Washington herald., 1913-01-19

I they don't want to. but to those who hav,
looked into the matter there is no punish.
| ment too severe for those miserable mer
| who deal in womanhood. Perhaps hoggins
will serve the purpose. but II We women
| had our way We would tear them &c
pieces. I understand that now. since the
new act against them has been passed
they are fleeing from the country. to save
| their miserable skins"
She sat up very straight as she said all
this, her eyes bluely flashing and her
cigarette discarded on the tray.
AROUSED FROM THEIR FRANCES
Several mild little ladies. deep in the
morning papers in their various corners
OF the room. blinked out through clouds of
smoke, for Mime. Grand had raised her
voice and it had reached further than she
intended.
Nothing happened. though: the old
ladies settled down to their papers again
and Mime. Grand prodded a sofa cushion
gently, as she continued, in lower tones
well. this act will do ,luch to stay the
iniquity anyway. and now that women are
really opening their eyes to all that con-
Germs them the outlook is hopeful"
You were one OF the first openly
avowed feminists. weren't you?" I asked,
forgetting that this might seem to imply
greater age than the novelist would care
TO admit. but somehow I've always
thought Of her as a sort Of pioneer Of
woman's rights. in the biggest sense. not
just suffrage. but much more. Haven't
you?
A TOUCH OF GloATINo.
NO. I wasn't one of the first feminists
by any means. but certainly got most of
the abuse" Then she frowned a little,
though her lips still smiled. as she con-
tinued: Every one had some criticism to
make of me and of my work, and those
criticisms make good reading nowadays.
when the reaction has set in and women
can say what they think and act as their
common sense dictates"
You notice tremendous changes, then.
in the position OF English women?'
Yes. indeed. We command respect
now from our men folk instead Of merely
admiration of our points Why, do you
know. when I was a girl, We could not
go out alone in London without being in
suited. We were never allowed to 60
anywhere without governess or chaperone.
The girl OF to-day doesn't have to toler-
ate that sort of espionage. She goes any
where she wishes, and often quite unac-
companied. OF course. the opening Of
occupations for women has accomplished
this change. Nowadays, young women de-
mand freedom. and they insist upon being
self-supporting. and an excellent thing 1t
is" declared Mime. Grand. with con-
vincing shake of her head.
AND THEN-THE BALLOT.
1T must be gratifying to you to have
seen this come to pass, when you believed
in it and worked for 1t long before there
was any real hope of it." said 1.
1T is. indeed" affirmed the novelist In
her crisp, positive way. Now. the next
step is the vote
"oh, yes; the vote" repeated. really
didn't want to talk about the vote In the
only the rights and wrongs OF
women. but I realized there was no turn
ing back now. We were in for It We
had reached the vote question. and It
would have to be thrashed out. An Eng
lish suffrsgist is Hike dog with bone
when she gets hold of the word vote She
Jumps at 1t. seizes It, plays with It.
1t. and gets out Of II all the
good there Is in It"
Nina Grand lean~koInnA ma sn~