I pause for a reply. Shall they not answer me?" she continued,
turning to the audience.
"Then there were tremendous cries of "Yes! yes! Wrangle! Tumbrill!"
Mr. Wrangle looked at Mr. Tumbrill, and made a motion with his
head, signifying that he should speak. Then Mr. Tumbrill looked at
Mr. Wrangle, and made a motion that HE should speak. The
people saw all this, and laughed and shouted as if they would never
finish.
Mr. Wrangle, on second thoughts (this is my private surmise), saw
that boldness would just then be popular; so he stepped forward.
"Do I understand," he said, "that my fair and eloquent friend
demands perfect political and civil equality for her sex?"
"I do!" exclaimed Selina Whiston, in her firmest manner.
"Let me be more explicit," he continued. "You mean precisely the
same rights, the same duties, the same obligations, the same
responsibilities?"
She repeated the phrases over after him, affirmatively, with an
emphasis which I never heard surpassed.
"Pardon me once more," said Mr. Wrangle; "the right to vote, to
hold office, to practise law, theology, medicine, to take part in
all municipal affairs, to sit on juries, to be called upon to aid
in the execution of the law, to aid in suppressing disturbances,
enforcing public order, and performing military duty?"
Here there were loud cheers from the audience; and a good many
voices cried out: "Got her there!" (Men are so very vulgar.
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