"The intellectual and spiritual life predominates over the animal in all its inhabitants. Do not think from what I have written about the ladies of Tiestan that they are masculine women. Far from it. They are just as sweet, pretty, entertaining, attractive, and graceful as any women to be found in the world. Yes, far more so, for their hours of duty are short. They have no care, anxiety or sickness to speak of, and their environments are such as to bring to the surface all that is pure, good, noble, and sweet; and, above all, the traveler finds the ladies of Semhee to be _real_, genuine, and sincere in character." When Stella had finished reading her selection from Burnette's book, her mother had a big laugh, and asked her if she wanted to go to Semhee. "No, mother, it is not Semhee I wish to visit just now, though some day I certainly would like to see the city of Semhee and meet the accomplished, enlightened, and free women of Tiestan. What I do want to see is the women of this country, where there is so much boast of liberty and freedom, free themselves from the awful bondage of sex superstition, and all other bondages that have been heaped upon them by people of the Dark Ages because they are women. Even those who talk so much about woman's rights, are in bondage up to their necks. Look at Laura Stevenson in Orangeville; a fine bright young girl, who makes a hobby of woman's rights, and yet see the bondage she is in. A fine young man whom she was supposed to respect very much, lay sick in his cabin all alone, and with all her talk about her independence and freedom, she never went to see him because he was alone and there was no woman there. She being a young woman, thought it would not be proper for her to do it. Laura Stevenson's independence and liberty consist in having her own way in a few things. She does not know what freedom is. Her freedom is all sham, and with no reality in it. Then there is Nora Parks, who is supposed to be advanced, and talks much on woman's freedom; but watch her how very particular she is in her conduct with young men who are good, lest she should excite the jealousy of her husband. Therefore, she is not free, but in bondage to his foolish, uncalled for jealous feelings. Talk about women being free, they don't know anything about freedom, for they are all in bondage of some kind or other." Mrs. Wheelwright said: "Stella, among the many fine thoughts which Burnette brings out in the description of the women of Semhee, that is a great one _which shows woman to be financially independent of man, previous to marriage and after marriage, too_. Therefore, she can have no other motive for marrying a man than that of mating herself to a true companion. When that is done the two act as one light, whose rays reach out and shine on all around them. Blessed is such a life."