thrive, for each
and all of them will have their principles dictated by Shylock and his
partners."

"Why, you talk as if you were a politician yourself. But why are you
sorry for our young women?"

"That was a hasty remark. I am sorry for those who will grow weary and
fall by the wayside. The majority of them, and the best of them, will
make themselves useful in thousands of ways, and new industries will
spring up for their benefit. They will become workers, and, being
workers, they will be independent of the men, and finally begin to look
down on them as they should."

"Well!" exclaimed Silas, and then he sat and gazed at the lady for the
first time with admiration. "Where'd you learn all that?" he asked after
awhile.

"Oh, I read the newspapers, and such books as I can lay my hands on, and
I remember what I read. Didn't you notice that I recited my piece much
as a school-boy would?"

"No, I didn't," replied Silas. "I do a good deal of reading myself, but
all those ideas are new to me."

"Well, they'll be familiar to you just as soon as our people can look
around and get their bearings. As for me, I propose to become an
advanced woman, and go on the stage; there's nothing like being the
first in the field. I always told my husband that if he died and left
me without money, I proposed to earn my own living."

"You told your husband that? When did you tell him?" inquired Silas with
some eagerness.

"Oh, long before he died," replied the lady.

Silas sat like one stunned. "Do you mean to tell me that your husband is
dead?"

"Why, certainly," replied Mrs. Claiborne. "What possible reason could I
have for denying or concealing the fact?"

Silas straightened himself in his chair, and frowned. "Then why did you
come here and pretend--pretend--ain't you Ritta Rozelle, that used to
be?"

"There were two of them," the lady replied. "They were twins. One was
named Clarita, and the other Floretta, but both were called Ritta by
those who could not distinguish them apart. I had reason to believe that
you hadn't treated my sister as you should have done, and I came here to
see if you would take the bait. You snapped it up before the line
touched the water. It was not even necessary for me to try to deceive
you. You simply shut your eyes and declared that I was your wife and
that I had come."

"You are the sister who was going to school in--wasn't it Boston?"

"Yes; that is why I am broad-minded and free from guile