Within, behind, antecedent to all result in action, are the place and office of the woman—­by the law of woman-life.  And all question of her deed and duty should be brought to this test.  Is it of her own, interior, natural relation, putting her at her true advantage, harmonious with the key to which her life is set?  I think this suffrage question must settle itself precisely upon this ground-principle, and that all argument should range conclusively around it.  Judging so, we should find, I think, that not at the polls, where the last utterance of a people’s voice is given—­where the results of character, and conscience, and intelligence are shown—­is her best and rightful work:  on the contrary, that it is useless here, unless first done elsewhere.  But where little children learn to think and speak—­where men love and listen, and the word is forming—­is the office she has to fill, the errand she has to do.  The question is, can she do both?  Is there need that she should do both?  Does not the former and greater include the latter and less?

Hers are indeed the primary meetings:  in her nursery, her home, and social circles; with other women, with young men, upon whose tone and character in her maturity her womanhood and motherhood join their beautiful and mighty influence; above all, among young girls—­the “little women,” to whom the ensign and commission are descending—­is her undisputed power.  Purify politics?  Purify the sewers?  But what if, first, the springs, and reservoirs, and conduits could be watched, guarded, filtered, and then the using be made clean and careful all through the homes; a better system devised and carried out for separating, neutralizing, destroying hurtful refuse?  Then the poisonous gases might not be creeping back upon us through our enforced economies, our makeshifts and stop-gaps of outside legislation.  For legislation is, after all, but cut-off, curb, and patch; an external, troublesome, partial, uncertain application of hindrance and remedy.  What physician will work with lotion and plaster when he can touch, and control, and heal at the very seat of the disease?

It is the beginning of the fulfillment that women have waked to the consciousness that they have not as yet filled their full place in human life and affairs.  Only has not the mistake been made of contending with and grappling results, when causes were in their hands?  Have they not let go the mainsprings to run after and effectually push with pins the refractory cogs upon the wheel-rims?

Woman always deserts herself when she puts her life and motive and influence in mere outsides.  Outsides of fashion and place, outsides of charm and apparel, outsides of work and ambition—­she must learn that these are not her true showing; she must go hack and put herself where God has called her to be with Himself, at the silent, holy inmost; then we shall feel, if not at once, yet