with the father in controllin' their surroundin's during their entire
youth, and to do this she must have equal legal power or her best efforts
are wasted. That this is just and right is as plain to me as the nose on my
face and folks will see it bom-bye and wonder they didn't before.

"And wimmen who suffer most by the lack on't, will be most interested in
openin' schools to teach the fine art of domestic service, teachin' young
girls how to keep healthy comfortable homes and fit themselves to be
capable wives and mothers. I don't say or expect that wimmen's votin' will
make black white, or wash all the stains from the legislative body at once,
but I say that jest the effort to git wimmen's suffrage has opened hundreds
of bolted doors and full suffrage will open hundreds more. And I'm goin' to
that woman's suffrage meetin' if I walk afoot."

But here Josiah spoke up, I thought he wuz asleep, he wuz layin' on the
lounge with a paper over his face. But truly the word, "Woman's Suffrage,"
rousts him up as quick as a mouse duz a drowsy cat, so, sez he, "I can't
let you go, Samantha, into any such dangerous and onwomanly affair."

"Let?" sez I in a dry voice; "that's a queer word from one old pardner to
another."

"I'm responsible for your safety, Samantha, and if anybody goes to that
dangerous and onseemly meetin' I will. Mebby Polly would like to go with
me." As stated, Polly is as pretty as a pink posy, and no matter how old
a man is, nor how interestin' and noble his pardner is, he needs girl
blinders, yes, he needs 'em from the cradle to the grave. But few, indeed,
are the female pardners who can git him to wear 'em.

He added, "You know I represent you legally, Samantha; what I do is jest