got to say about the Meetin' House, anyway?"

"I have got this to say, Josiah Allen. The Meetin' House hain't a-actin'
right about wimmen. The Founder of the Church wuz born of woman. It wuz
on a woman's heart that His head wuz pillowed first and last. While
others slept she watched over His baby slumbers and His last sleep. A
woman wuz His last thought and care. Before dawn she wuz at the door of
the tomb, lookin' for His comin'. So she has stood ever sense--waitin',
watchin', hopin', workin' for the comin' of Christ. Workin', waitin' for
His comin' into the hearts of tempted wimmen and tempted men--fallen men
and fallen wimmen--workin', waitin', toilin', nursin' the baby good
in the hearts of a sinful world--weepin' pale-faced over its
crucefixion--lookin' for its reserection. Oh how she has worked all
through the ages!"

"Oh shaw!" sez Josiah, "some wimmen don't care about anythin' but crazy
work and back combs."

I felt took down, for I had been riz up, quite considerble, but I sez,
reasonable:

"Yes, there are such wimmen, Josiah, but think of the sweet and saintly
souls that have given all their lives, and hopes, and thoughts to the
Meetin' House--think of the throngs to-day that crowd the aisles of
the Sanctuary--there are five wimmen to one man, I believe, in all the
meetin' houses to-day a-workin' in His name. True Daughters of the King,
no matter what their creed may be--Catholic or Protestant.

"And while wimmen have done all this work for the Meetin' House, the
Meetin' House ort to be honorable and do well by her."

"Wall, hain't _he_?" sez Josiah.

"No, _she_ hain't," sez I.

"Wall, what petickuler fault do you find? What has _he_ done lately to
rile you up?"

Sez I, "_She_ wuz in the wrong on't in not lettin' wimmen set on the
Conference."

"Wall, I say _he_ wuz right," sez Josiah. "_He_ knew, and I knew, that
wimmen wuzn't strong enough to set."

"Why," sez I, "it don't take so much strength to set as it duz to stand
up. And after workin' as hard as wimmen have for the Meetin' House, she
ort to have the priveledge of settin'. And I am goin' to write out jest
what I think about it."

"Wall," sez Josiah, as he started for the barn with the hen feed, "don't
be too severe with the Meetin' House."

And then, after he went out, he opened the door agin and stuck his head
in and sez:

"Don't be too hard on _him_"

And then he shet the door quick, before I could say a word. But good
land! I di