to see me vote;" and there was a pathetic
quiver in the old voice inexpressibly sweet to the ear of one
believing in true love.

After Grandma Clay there was myself--a widely different type of voter.
In one way it did not matter whether I voted or not. Neither candidate
had a clear-cut policy to rescue public affairs from their chaotic
state. The electors themselves had no definite idea what they
required, but this was in no way alarming--all the materials for
national prosperity were at hand, presently matters would evolve, and
the demand for able statesmen would be filled when the demand grew
clearly defined.

Which man would do most for women and children was also immaterial;
the mere fact of women no longer being redressless creatures, but
invested with rights of full citizenship, was even at that early stage
having its effect. Politicians were trimming their sails to catch the
great female vote by announcing their readiness to make issues of
questions relative to the peculiar welfare of the big bulk of the
human race represented by women and children. Inspired by women's
newly-granted power of electing a real representative of their
demands, would-be M.P.'s were hastening in one session to insert in
their platform planks which much-vaunted "womanly influence" had been
unable to get there during generations of masculine chivalry and
feminine disenfranchisement.

Let the women vote!

As Grandma Clay expressed it, "It ain't what things actually are, it's
all they stand for." For this reason I meant to exercise my right.

A sovereign in itself may not be much, but to a starving man within
reach of shops see what it means in twenty shillings' worth of food.
Similarly the right to vote in a self-governed country meant many a
mile in the upward evolution of mankind.

Countless brave women and good men had sacrificed all that for which
the human heart hankers, that women should be raised to this estate,
and what a coward and insolent ignoramus would I be to lightly
consider what had been so dearly bought and hard fought! And so
thinking I presented my right, received my ballot-paper, and though
not bothering to meddle with either candidate's name, I folded it
correctly, and for the sake of all that stood behind and ahead of the
right to perform this simple action, dropped it in the ballot-box.

It closed at six o'clock, and then came a lull till the first returns
should have time to come in. The candidates were no