One
result is that girls of twelve and thirteen have to bear the burden
of wifehood and motherhood, and, as might be expected, the rate of
mortality both for mothers and children is terrible. Pauperism,
domestic unhappiness, and a low state of health are only a few of the
consequences of this. Then, when, as frequently happens, the boy-husband
dies prematurely, his widow is condemned to worse than death. She
may not re-marry, must live a secluded and despised life, a life so
unnatural that she sometimes prefers suicide; more often she goes
astray. You don't know in England what such words as 'infant-marriage,
baby-wife, girl-mother, and virgin-widow' mean; but they mean
unspeakable horrors here."

"Well, but the advanced political party here will surely make it their
business to advocate social reforms as well as political ones," said
Pagett.

"Very surely they will do no such thing," said the lady doctor,
emphatically. "I wish I could make you understand. Why, even of the
funds devoted to the Marchioness of Dufferin's organization for medical
aid to the women of India, it was said in print and in speech, that they
would be better spent on more college scholarships for men. And in
all the advanced parties' talk-God forgive them--and in all their
programmes, they carefully avoid all such subjects. They will talk about
the protection of the cow, for that's an ancient superstition--they
can all understand that; but the protection of the women is a new and
dangerous idea." She turned to Pagett impulsively:

"You are a member of the English Parliament. Can you do nothing? The
foundations of their life are rotten-utterly and bestially rotten.
I could tell your wife things that I couldn't tell you. I know the
life--the inner life that belongs to the native, and I know nothing
else; and believe me you might as well try to grow golden-rod in a
mushroom-pit as to make anything of a people that are born and reared as
these--these things're. The men talk of their rights and privileges. I
have seen the women that bear these very men, and again-may God forgive
the men!"

Pagett's eyes opened with a large wonder. Dr. Lathrop rose
tempestuously.

"I must be off to lecture," said she, "and I'm sorry that I can't
show you my hospitals; but you had better believe, sir, that it's more
necessary for India than all the elections in creation."

"That's a woman with a mission, and no mistake," said Pagett, after a
pause.

"Yes; she