e wasn't one of the swells there, was there?"

"Dr Smalley and Dr Tinker both was."

"Yes; but I mean the wimmen: an' how on earth did old Tinker ever get
away from Mrs Tinker for that length of time? You'll never see one of
them kind of wimmen at anythink that makes for progress. That's the
way they make theirselves superior to the likes of you an' me--by
never doin' nothink only for theirselves. 'Oh, we've got all we want
as it is, an' don't want the vote; a woman's place is home,' they say
if you ask 'em. It's all very fine for them as has a man to keep them
like in a band-box; they would have found it different if they had to
act on their own like me. I'm sick of this intelligence in women they
make a fuss about all of a sudden. I've rared a family and managed me
business better than a man could; and what's there been all along to
prevent a woman from stroking out a name on a paper I never could see.
And it never seems to me much difference which name was struck out,
for they're mostly a lot of impostors that only think of featherin'
their own nests. You'll always hear of wimmen not bein' intelligent
enough to do this and that, and these things is only what men like
doin' best theirselves, and the things they make out God intended
women to do is them the men don't like doin'. You don't ever hear of
them thinkin' women ain't intelligent enough to do seven things at
once." Grandma was in great form that night, and not only led but
maintained the conversation.

"I rather like this young feller, but he ain't no sense much either.
All he thinks of is buttoning for the railway people, and it's the
people on the land that ought to be legislated for first. They are the
foundation of everythink; other things would work right after. Every
one can't live in Sydney, an' that's what they're all makin' for now.
Every one is getting some little agency--parasite business. They've
got sense to see the people on the land is the most despised and sat
upon. You don't hear no squallin' about they'll protect the farmer.
No, he's a despised old party that them scuts of fellers on the
railway would grin at and think theirselves above, and scarcely give
him a civil answer if he asked a question about his business what he's
payin' them fellers there to do for him, and which only for the
prodoocers wouldn't be there at all. Things is gettin' pretty tight on
farms now. It means about sixteen hours hard graft a-day to make not
half what a ra