apter meeting, the meeting at which
Gertrude was to be made a member. That forenoon Azuba electrified her
mistress by expressing an ardent desire to become a member also. Her
wish was not received with enthusiasm.

"Why, what do you want to do that for, Azuba?" asked Serena in
amazement.

"Why shouldn't I want to? You're a member, ain't you? Gertie's goin' to
be a member to-night, ain't she?"

"Yes. But--but--"

"Well, but what?"

"I didn't know you were interested in such things. You never were when
we lived in Trumet."

Azuba dismissed the past with a scornful sniff and a wave of the hand.

"Trumet!" she repeated. "Trumet ain't nothin'. Nobody's anything in
Trumet. We're in Scarford now, and Scarford's a progressive, up-to-date
place. We've all changed since we've been here, and I'm changin' much as
anybody. I've been hearin' your papers, when you read 'em to Gertie and
the cap'n, and I've been readin' 'The Voice,' too. Yes ma'am, I've read
it and I've found out what a back number I've been. But, I ain't goin'
to be so no more. I'm goin' to be as up-to-date as the next one, even
if I do have to wash dishes for a livin'. Serena--Mrs. Dott, I mean--I'd
like first rate to join that Chapter of yours. You put my name in
to-night and maybe it can be voted on next meetin'."

"But--but, Azuba, are you sure you know what it means? Do you think your
husband would want you to--"

"My husband! What's he got to do with it? If we free women have got to
be slaves to our husbands it's a pretty state of things, I must say. You
don't ask your husband every time you go to meetin' whether he likes
it or not. No, ma'am, you don't! You're above that, I cal'late. And I
shan't ask Labe neither--even if he was where I could ask him, which he
ain't. Husbands! Don't talk to me about husbands! THEY don't count."

Serena said that she would see what could be done and hurried away to
discuss the new development with the family.

"Of course she can't join," she declared. "It is ridiculous. The idea! I
supposed she had more sense."

Daniel chuckled. "So did I," he observed, "until she got shoutin'
independence to me the other day. But it looked then as if she'd got it
bad. All right, Serena, if Zuba Jane Ginn is goin' to make speeches at
your Chapter meetin's, I'll go any time. You won't have to ask me but
once."

He laughed aloud. His wife was vexed.

"Of course you think it's a great joke," she said. "Anything that makes
trouble