fit
of their fellows.

"On the other hand, some of them are very militant, whilst others seem
to regard it as their special mission to keep social matters as they
are. If this is the case amongst the teachers, it is no wonder that the
people themselves are so slow in progressing!"

The Chief here expressed the hope that I was unduly pessimistic in
regard to our rate of progress, and remarked that "He thought a great
advance would be made much earlier than I seemed to anticipate. Events,"
he added, "were evidently likely to move very rapidly indeed in several
parts of our world; and he was certain that a great upward movement
would soon follow."

I replied that "I sincerely hoped that such was the case, and that the
great experience of the Martians with regard to the progress of ideas
certainly enabled him to express a truer and more prophetic opinion than
I could possibly venture upon. At the same time I knew how difficult it
was to bring about changes of ideas and systems amongst large masses of
the people; but notwithstanding all these things, I was of the same
opinion as a great poetical countryman of my friend M'Allister's, who
long ago wrote:

'It's coming yet, for a' that,
That man to man, the whole world o'er,
Shall brothers be, and a' that.'"

Eleeta showed her interest in her own sex by asking what part our women
took in the endeavour to improve our social and political conditions;
and seemed very surprised when I said they had no voice in the election
of members of our Imperial Parliament, although many of them took an
active part in any work for the amelioration of our social conditions.

I then gave a short account of the women's suffrage movement, and was
speaking of certain unwise actions of the militant party, when she
suddenly interrupted me by throwing up her hands and exclaiming--

"Oh, Mr. Poynders, do not say any more upon that point! I wish to think
well of your women and to make all allowances for them, but no Martian
women could possibly behave in the manner you have described; their
innate self-respect is too great to allow such conduct.

"We should all feel degraded in the eyes of our husbands, brothers, and
sisters, if any such things occurred here; but they are quite
impossible!

"Your women are entitled to a full share of the responsibilities
connected with the election of members of your state councils, just the
same as we have; but surely there are other and proper mea