Esq. (of Hinson & Tarbell, mourning goods), and Mr. Alexander H.
Juddson was her brother. When Mr. Tarbell died, his widow told her
family and friends that she was going to read law.

Mrs. Tarbell had always been a woman of progressive notions, but this
was going too far. Her family and some of her friends were short-sighted
enough to attempt to argue the general question,--namely, ought women to
have Rights? When Mrs. Tarbell proved to them that they were both unfair
and illogical, they then said that, though they had no objection to
other women making lawyers of themselves, they did not see the necessity
in her case.

Mrs. Tarbell replied that she must get a living; and it was quite true
that the late Tarbell had failed a few months before his death, leaving
his widow rather poorly off; for he had not put his property in her name
before making an assignment. And Mrs. Tarbell went on to say that, as
she could not be a nurse, and would not be a governess or keep a
boarding-house, she would read law. It was reported at the time that Mr.
Juddson said he hoped his sister would go and read law, if anywhere, in
Colorado, for which State it was he, of course, who was the
commissioner; but, whether this report were true or not, Mrs. Tarbell
stayed at home and pursued her studies under his direction.

After going through all sorts of examinations, at which she flung
herself determinedly, and which she kept on passing with the greatest
credit, after meeting with innumerable disappointments and delays, after
being politely told by one judge after another that she was a woman, and
therefore could not be a man,--hence, _a fortiori_, she could not be a
lawyer,--after six years, I say, Mrs. Tarbell succeeded. Her name went
on the list of attorneys. The court-clerk gave her a certificate, and