)
Mrs. Whiston looked troubled for a moment, but she saw that a
moment's hesitation would be fatal to our scheme, so she brought
out her words as if each one were a maul-blow on the butt-end of a
wedge:
"All--that--we--demand!"
"Then," said Mr. Wrangle, "I bid my support in exchange for the
women's! Just what the speaker demands, without exception or
modification--equal privileges, rights, duties and obligations,
without regard to the question of sex! Is that broad enough?"
I was all in a tremble when it came to that. Somehow Mr. Wrangle's
acceptance of the bid did not inspire me, although it promised so
much. I had anticipated opposition, dissatisfaction, tumult. So
had Mrs. Whiston, and I could see, and the crowd could see, that
she was not greatly elated.
Mr. Wrangle made a very significant bow to Mr. Tumbrill, and then
sat down. There were cries of "Tumbrill!" and that gentleman--none
of us, of course, believing him sincere, for we knew his private
views--came forward and made exactly the same pledge. I will do
both parties the justice to say that they faithfully kept their
word; nay, it was generally thought the repetition of their brief
pleas for woman, at some fifty meetings before election came, had
gradually conducted them to the belief that they were expressing
their own personal sentiments.
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