we? You'll hardly find an American that isn't proud of it."

"Then," said the Altrurian, "if your women are generally better schooled
than your men, and more cultivated and more thoughtful, and are relieved
of household work in such great measure, and even of domestic cares, why
have they no part in your public affairs?"

I laughed, for I thought I had my friend at last. "For the best of all
possible reasons: they don't want it."

"Ah, that's no reason," he returned. "Why don't they want it?"

"Really," I said, out of all patience, "I think I must let you ask the
ladies themselves," and I turned and moved again toward the hotel, but the
Altrurian gently detained me.

"Excuse me," he began.

"No, no," I said.
"'The feast is set, the guests are met,
May'st hear the merry din.'
Come in and see the young people dance."

"Wait," he entreated; "tell me a little more about the old people first.
This digression about the ladies has been very interesting, but I thought
you were going to speak of the men here. Who are they, or, rather, what
are they?"

"Why, as I said before, they are all business men and professional men;
people who spend their lives in studies and counting-rooms and offices,