The Convert

ew weeks later was an air of elaborate mystery. Yet th

e poster, into the hall where the meetings were held. Deliberately to sit down among odd, misguided persons in rows, to listen to, and by so much to lend public countenance to 'women of that sort'-the sort that not only wanted to vote (quaint creatures!), but were not content with merely wanting to-for the average conventional woman to venture upon a step so compromising, to risk seeming for a moment to take these crazy brawlers seriously, was to lay herself open to 'the comic laugh'-most dreaded of all the weapons in the social armoury. But it was something wholly different to set out for a Sunday Afternoon Concert, or upon some normal a

ull weight of his authority he would most assuredly have forbidden it, but because of a nervous prefiguring on his wife's pa

at when he asked at luncheon what she was going to do with this fine Sunda

Queen's Hall Concerts?' And so, without actually committing herse

window, he saw the ladies getting into a hansom. In spite of the in

g anything so rational-you

know I never like to take

hansom is more in keeping with the Factory Gi

d given them away. It must be confessed she had felt quite as strongly as her sister that it wouldn't do to be recognized at a Suffragette meeting. Even as a nameless 'fine

m a small Tuscan straw travelling-toque, the new maid, greatly wondering at such instructions, had extracted an old paste buckle and some violets, leaving it 'not fi

uite like a Woman of

filled Miss Levering with an uneasy merrim

would have been more mystified than ever he had been in his life had he seen her hansom, t

conveyance. 'Are they there?' And it was plain that nothing could more

screetly out of the s

OR WOMEN' inscribed in black letters on the white ground of two pieces of sheeting stretched each between a pair of upright poles, standing one on either side of

HAM, TH

ND THE

a read

nd so intrigued was she that, like some shy creature dwelling in a shell, ca

craning his neck to look back at the meeting. With precipitation Mrs

who had meanwhile jumped

er, lifting up the flap from the back

don't t

. He certainly s

linging to the friendl

the indiscretion lit so angry a light in the lady's eye, that Vida was fain

Fox-Moore, putting

her lip to repress smiles, 'by th

y satisfied with her hat to

ad for herself as they approached the flaun

other, 'when one thinks of that kin

ey were mad as

re going to watch th

h detecting an additional proof of turpitude. 'Those two policemen,

er looked at either of them before. A coolly watchful, slightly contemptuous stare, interrupted by one man turning to say something to the other, at which both grinn

nstinct to range herself unmistakably on the side of law and order, paus

d listen for a few min

Mrs. Fox-Moore wit

y,' said the

any trouble?'

en the other policeman said

go lookin' fur trouble;' a

ister's rescue. 'All this lady wants to be assured of i

,' said number one, 'they'd

ceman I ever--' began Mrs.

e's only echoing

hey weren't dining-to the welfare of England. But were these frail, rather depressed-looking women-were they indeed the ones, outrageously daring, who broke up meetings and bashed in policemen's helmets? Nothing very daring in their aspect to-day-a little weary and preoccupied they looked, as they stood up th

stakable accent of disappointment. It was plainly her meaning

ot the ones,' said V

eart. 'Suppose we fin

ke decent artizans, but more who bore the unmistakable aspect of the beery out-of-work. Among the strangely few women, were two or

two came to a final standstill was a quiet-looking old man with a lot of unsold Sunday papers under one arm and wearing like an apron the bill of the Sunday Times. Many of the boys and young men were smokin

them,' laughed Vida, as though she saw a symbolism

e who isn't holding up anything that I

be upholding so

speak, y

erhaps he's going to p

e he'll tell them plainl

ne in upon them that they need take no further trouble in this connection. Nobody in the crowd noticed any one except 'those ordinary looking persons,' as Mrs. Fox-Moore complainingly called them, up there on the plinth-'quite like what one sees on the t

looking at the face of one of the women up there-'or else the mistake was in thinking it a jest at all!' She turned away impatient

hanter, that's the one I was tellin' you about,' sai

't she?' contributed a friend alongside. The b

g-whip;' and they all craned forward with redoubled interest. It is

dition, cat-calling and in

en full of,' Mrs. Fox-Moore whispered, sta

da, too, scrutinize

een running about the fields. She drew her thick brows together every now and then with an effect of determination that gave her well-chiselled features so dark and forbidding an aspect it was a surprise to see the grace that swept into her face

'-shanters to tell us '

n w'en I s'y old Englan

companion asked, indicating a refined-look

nce just behind. 'Miss? Why, that's the mother o' the

r jewels along with her t

ean?' demanded

e herself was looking a

ime in the world and have never yet been in a mixed

ne it before than that we're doing it now. Ther

with a file of propagandist literature on her arm. Vida beckoned to her. She made her way with some di

, by Lothian Scott! Labour Reco

' asked Mi

like,' she

out in information. 'Can you

ghtened before the task. 'That

face scr

se the sun is

-looking,' admitt

ropaganda on her arm was so lit with enthusiasm, that it, too, was almost good-looking, in the same way

relation of yours?'

. She hasn't been out of prison lo

nd Henry's the ch

ack.' The pamphlet-seller turned aw

ture, and saw how if she herself hadn't understood the joke

t's Mrs.

sort of shopman just behind, 'is that t

oings on of the 'dreadful' progeny quite to appreciate the bystander'

She doesn't look--' Mr

ld enough or bold enough to be the mother of young women renowned for their dreadfulness. But as soon as s

Scott. He's ill. But he'll come!' As though the example of his fidelity to the cause nerved her to more ear

ired a half-tipsy tramp, 'f

unruffled. 'Citizenshi

so disagreeable a job-forg

hard at work all week to help much. And I can'

t-seller to point out a painfully thin, eager little figure sitting on the ledge o

erybody knew her. That

accent of such protecting

t the pamphlet-seller had descried

-eyed old man, 'is the one t

to her sister Vida whi

when they heard the words these strange fellow-citi

ugh, with his hat on the extreme back of

skilly?' another sho

hispered Mr

involve dishonour, for the chairman, who had been consulting with the man in grey, turned suddenly and faced t

for the express purpose of t

it. 'Ow nice!' But they let the thin l

ments later who called out f

man?' Even the tall, grave guardians of the peace ranged a

ity. It probably would never occur again. These women on the plinth must be not alone of a different world, but of a different clay, since th

racchi came to the edge of th

on as calmly as though she had been received with polite applause, telling the jeering crowd several things they c

w!

af old newsvendor, with h

ur sympathy with

dissolved into one general hoot; but above

without 'e sh

,' said he, with dignity. '

men,' the steady voice went o

m jolly w

caun't ye?' said the newsve

d by being apparently the only one in that vicinity), ready to cheer the chairman

there simply for trying to bring b

ham. Three cheer

on! 'E needs a little cheerin', aw

member of the Government a s

gaol. It's fur ringin' wo

rows in th

champion, out of patience. 'Yo

ortion of the charge was humour and how much was fact. The youth resented so deeply

ucting a class in a kindergarten, 'it is the custom to ring the bell. What do you suppose a door-

usiness goin' to

extry 'arf pint outside the m

They were not rightly valued, it appeared. After a few more mutterings he took his 'extry 'alf pint' into some more congenial society. But there were several others in the cro

n't you heard that they didn't do that until they

bjurgation that greeted this,

me tell you

seemed, to their own surprise) the interrupters, wit

a asked, as if Mrs. Fox-Moore might be able to enlighten her. 'Can't she see-even if there were an

omy-looking individual, wearing a muffler in lieu o

ng I see in the situation,' she said to her sister, 'is that th

nd me! Awful thought! Su

g she bore with the most recalcitrant members of it-tried to win them over, and yet when they were rude, did not withhold reproof, and at times looked down upon them with so fine a scorn that it seemed as if even those ruffianly young men felt the

r own kind to back her up in her absurd contention. Though the second speaker merely bored the two who, having no key either to her pathos or her power, saw nothing but 'low cockney effrontery' in her effort, she nevertheless had a distinct success

t's

othian

ere save the two 'educated' ladies knew this was the man who had done more to make the Labour Party a political force to be reckoned with than any other creature in

Socialism, Mrs. Fox-Moore (stirred to unheard-o

she said, as though detecting in him a taste unknown among the men in her purer circle. 'Oh, no doubt he makes a very good thing out of it! Going about filling the people's he

ffrage that was to come. Much of what he said was drowned in uproar. It had become clear that his opinions revolted the majority of his hearers even more than they did the two ladies. So outraged were the sensibilities of the hooligan and the hal

, it is true-that these thing

be saying what the mob wants t

heart of the count

ank demagogue' roused in the mob was to light a lamp whereby she read wondering

man's Movement which they held themselves so clever for ridiculing, was in much the same position to-day as the Extension of Suffrage for men was in '67. Had it not been for demonstratio

as citizens. Do you know what our fathers did to get ours? They broke down Hyde Park railings, they bur

ut the po

ith the red-hot violence of their Chartist forbears-till one

m women. Even after w

ough her smiling at the last sally. 'Not that

aside. 'An unscrupulous politician hasn't come

e. That man may be a fanatic, but he's honest,

s with a burr, you think he's a

rest and even stir to unsuspected deeps. The grave Scotsman's striking that chord even in a mind as innocent as Vida's, of accurate or ordered knowledge of the past, even here the chord could vibrate to a strange new sense of possible significance in this scene '--after all.' It would be qu

y voters already,' her

uglier world th

orth watching-even if it were only after one good look to hide the eyes in dismay. That possi

erstood these strange women; I haven't understood the spirit of the mob that hoots the man we know vaguely for their champion; I haven't understood the allusions nor the argot that they talk; I can't check the history that peasant has appealed to. In the midst of so much that is obscure, it is meet to reserve judgment.' Something of that might have been read in the look lifted once or twice as though in wonderment, above the haggard group up there between the guardian lions, beyond even the last re

ptivity, however unwilling, came a sharp co

ng to be one that

would-be conquering smile. The unerring wits in the crowd had already picked her out for special attention, but her active 'public form' was even more torturing to the fastidious feminine sense than her 'stylish' appearance. For her language, flowery and grandiloquent, was excrucia

less and applauded more. Why not? She was very much like an overblown Adelphi heroine, and they could see her act for n

can't stand this

terrible female. I suppose they keep

n to edge their way out of the

ooking back, 'for this is the only chance we'll e

about the

n with.' Mrs. Fox-Moore was again pausing to look back. 'Th

just liste

wh

y they're ap

tively revel in

and each time repelled by the platform graces of the lady who was so obviously enjoying herself to the top of her bent. Yet even after the fleeing twain arrived

e, that they should have to go without hearing one of those w

ps we're being a little unreasonable. We were annoyed at first because they

arms and toss of plumes, the champion of the wo

very well. Most of t

ing the way for the next speaker, at mention of whom the crowd se

e say? Why do the

eir way back; but this was a di

e one inquired stern

ly, 'Look out! Oo ye

ed to have no sense of defere

ore, getting the full benef

ox-Moore from head to foot with a withering scorn. 'Comin' 'ere awskin' us

she said mendaciously, trying to appease the defiler of the air with a little smile. Indeed,

pose,' said that lady, 'when they talk abou

n't try to get any nearer,' she said hastily. 'This cha

p criticism for the chairman to fling her to the wolves without first diverting them a little. The battle of words that ensued was almost entirely unintelligible to the two ladies, bu

ng to give in, nor going to turn over the meeting

n going with that deputation on public business to the house of a public servant, since, unlike the late Prime Minister, he had r

s? Suffr

the next. Rather than not have our cause stand out clear and unmistakable before a preoccupied, careless world, we accept the clums

re suffused!-a flush had

she

us the reason ye

Why, she'

w!

but-it began to be clear that she heard

terests are neglected; and since woman's interests are man's, all humanity suffers. We want the vote, because taxation without representation is tyranny; because the law

er leave pol

ve come into the home, and if the higher interests of th

a bad ar

always

e nature. Na

t 'ome and mind

he woman bent over the crowd. Nothing misty in

and brewers, the soap and candle-makers, the loom-workers of the world. You men,' she said, delicately flattering them, 'you have changed all that. You have built great factories and warehouses and mills. But how do you keep them going? By calling women to come in their thousands

blessed word!' said

the need to see after the business. The need is greater than ever it was. Why, eighty-two per cent of the

id the aged cham

eyes. But no, the woman isn't worthy of being consulted. She is worthy to do the highest work given to humanity, to bear and to bring up children; she is worthy to teach and to train them; she is worthy to pay the taxes that she has no voice in levying. If she breaks the law that she has no share in ma

are

t wince at the times when men throw off the mask and let her see how

o!

ora

r Lothia

ed cheers and a volume

the House of Commons to remove the

ked up

yer got

ests and ribald laughter, and for such an exhibition of sex rancour and mistrust that it passed imagination to think what the mothers and wives of the members must think of the public confession of the deep disrespect their menfolk feel for them. Some one here spoke of "a row."' She threw back her head, and faced the issue as though she knew that by bringing it forward herself, she could turn the taunt against the next speaker into a title of respect. 'You blame us for making a scene in that holy place! You would have

fore the jeer was out Mrs. Chisholm had

House were giving to our measure. Though the women who ought to have felt it most sat there cowed and silent, I am proud to think there were other women who cried out, "Shame!" Yes, yes,' she interrupted the inte

vendor led t

n never spat in a

' was the lady's shar

y-

down, and don'

e people, Vida's mind at the word 'veil,' so peremptorily uttered, reverted by some trick

own my veil?' she an

is way. Don't turn

Fox-Moore made her way out of the throng

to give a fair hear

ifully, they're too muc

ught their tall, glossy hats, played upon the single flower in the frock coat, struck on the eyeglass, and gleamed mockingly on the whit

h-and that friend of his f

led down