way?" he asked. "Saved for the benefit of
her country, instead of having her energies restricted to the
advantages of one home," was the reply. And for this I have sometimes
felt very thankful myself that I have been free to devote what gifts I
possess to what I consider best for the advantage and the uplifting of
humanity. Before leaving Sydney I tried once more to find a publisher
for "Gathered In," but was assured that the only novels worth
publishing in Australia were sporting or political novels.

I was in my seventy-fifth year at the time of this visit, but the joy
of being enabled to extend the influence of our reform to other States
was so great that the years rolled back and left me as full of life and
vigour and zeal as I had ever been. Our work had by no means been
confined to the city and suburbs, as we spoke at a few country towns as
well. At Albury, where we stopped on our way back to Victoria, we were
greeted by a crowded and enthusiastic audience in the fine hall of the
Mechanics' Institute. We had passed through a snowstorm just before
reaching Albury, and the country was very beautiful in the afternoon,
when our friends drove us through the district. The Murray was in
flood, and the "water, water everywhere" sparkling in the winter
sunshine, with the snowcapped Australian Alps in the background, made
an exquisite picture. Albury was the only town we visited in our
travels which still retained the old custom of the town crier. Sitting
in the room of the hotel after dinner, we were startled at hearing our
names and our mission proclaimed to the world at large, to the
accompaniment t of a clanging bell and introduced by the old-fashioned
formula, "Oyez! oyez! oyez!" Our work in Victoria was limited, but
included a delightful trip to Castlemaine. We were impressed with the
fine Mechanics' Hall of that town, in which we spoke to a large
audience. But a few years later the splendid building, with many others
in the town, was razed to the ground by a disastrous cyclone. Returning
from Castlemaine, we had an amusing experience in the train. I had laid
aside my knitting, which is the usual companion of my travels, to teach
Mrs. Young the game of "Patience," but at one of the stations a foreign
gentleman entered the carriage, when we immediately put aside the
cards. After chatting awhile, he expressed regret that he had been the
cause of the banishment of our cards, and "Would the ladies not kindly
tell him his