It happened dretful curius, but jest at this time Casper Keeler had had
to go to New York on business. He had to sign some papers that nobody
else couldn't sign.

[Illustration: CASPER KEELER.]

His mother had hearn of a investment there that promised to pay dretful
well, so she had took a lot of stock in it, and it had riz right up
powerful. Why the money had increased fourfold, and more too, and Casper
bein' jest come of age, had to go and sign suthin' or other.

Wall, he went round and see lots of sights in New York. His ma's money
that she had left him made him fairly luxurius as to comfort, and he had
plenty of money to go sight seein' as much as he wanted to.

He went to all the theatres, and operas, and shows of all kinds, and
museums, and the Brooklyn Bridge, and circuses, and receptions, and et
cetery, et cetery.

He wuz a-tellin' me how much money he spent while he wuz there, kinder
boastin' on it; he had went to one of the biggest, highest taverns in
the hull village of New York, where the price wuz higher than the very
highest pinakle on the top of it, fur higher.

And I sez, "Did you go to the Wimmen's Exchange and the Workin' Wimmen's
Association, that wuz held there while you wuz there?"

And he acted real scorfin'.

"Wimmen's work!" sez he. "No, indeed! I had too much on my hands, and
too much comfort to take in higher circles, than to take in any such
little trifles as wimmen's work."

Sez I, "Young man, it is a precious little you would take in in life if
it hadn't been for wimmen's work. Who earned and left you the money you
are a-usin'?" sez I, "who educated you and made your life easy before
you?"

And then bein' fairly drove into a corner, he owned up that his mother
wuz a good woman.

But his nose wuz kinder lifted up the hull of the time he wuz a-sayin'
it, as if he hated to own it up, hated to like a dog.

But he got real happified up and excited afterwards, in talkin' over
with Josiah what he see to the Conference.' He stayed to supper; I wuz
a seasonin' my chicken and mashed potatoes, and garnishin' 'em for the
table. I wuz out to one side a little, but I listened with one side of
my brain while the other wuz fixed on pepper, ketchup, parsley, etc.,
etc.

[Illustration: "HE SEEMED TO HAVE A HORROW OF WOMAN A-RAISIN' OUT OF HER
SPEAR."]

Sez Casper, "It wuz the proudest, greatest hour of my life," sez he,
"when I see a nigger delegate git up and give his views on wimmen
kee