tch, was that chap
Trummle," said Jamie Howison.

"I am sorry I have been so short a time in the district, so that I am
so imperfectly known to you, but I hope in time to show that I deserve
your confidence," said Francis.

"But what about the ballot?" asked Jamie Howison.

"I have not quite made up my mind about the ballot," said Francis. "It
is humiliating to confess to such ignorance, but there is so much to be
said on both sides that I am puzzled. I should like public opinion to
be so much improved that there would be no necessity for the ballot,
but perhaps without it we cannot regenerate public opinion. I am quite
open to conviction on either side on this as on many other political
questions. Now I think you understand my principles. I will vote for
whatever I think right, no matter from what side of the House or from
what party it emanates. If you can trust to my intelligence and my
integrity, you will vote for me, but I make no pledge."

"And we will ask nane," said Pringle, "we will lippen to you."

"But Maister Hogarth," said one of Jamie Howison's colleagues, "we look
to you to mind the interests of them that has nae votes, and that is a
large body, as ye ken."

"Yes, a very large body indeed, when you include the women and
children," said Francis.

"Oh! the women and children," said the weaver, with a disappointed air,
"I was na thinking of them; they are weel enuch--the men taks care o'
them."

"Not always the best care in the world," said Francis. "Children need
protective legislation to guard them from being overworked by parents
and masters. Women are supposed to be free agents, but they do not
really get all the rights of free agents--they should be empowered to
protect themselves; the law should support them in obtaining their just
rights. A wife ought not to be treated as a chattel; her earnings
should be protected if she wishes it. And women, too, should have a
wider field of labour. The difficulties which are thrown in the way of
the weaker sex, in their attempts to earn a livelihood, both by law and
by society, are very unworthy of the age we live in."

"Weel, Maister Hogarth, though I dinna just see the needcessity for
bringing in women to compete wi' men at their trades, we could do ill
without them at our mills, an' maybe ye're in the richt. Ye'll find us
Whigs at Ladykirk united, and in that case ye're safe to carry the
day," said Sandy Pringle.

Francis' return, however, ran more