Kendrick said that nothing ever pleased his wife, and he meant to give up the hot-houses. They were a great expense for nothing. Mrs. Kendrick was sure she hoped he was not keeping them up for her sake; and after a good many cutting speeches on both sides, they ended in secretly pitying each other, seeing that they obtained so little pleasure out of this world. Then they gravitated into an indifferent conversation about the convention, and Mr. Kendrick inquired about Clara’s address. “I must confess it was very interesting,” said Mrs. Kendrick. “She was applauded a great deal. I enjoyed the whole convention very much.” Kendrick told her she was becoming radical. “I think men are greatly to be blamed,” said Mrs. Kendrick, “for the little interest we take in great questions. You, for instance, never talk to me of them. Why, I actually did not know that women voted in Wyoming Territory. I was never more astonished at anything than at a letter which Clara read from one of the judges there, about the women jurors. It seems they give the greatest satisfaction, except to the rumsellers and dance-house keepers. Did you know this fact?” “On the contrary, I read in the paper lately that most of their decisions have been set aside.” “Well, this letter was written only three weeks ago, and the judge says everything favorable; that the morality of the place is greatly improved; that before the women sat on juries it was almost impossible to convict men for murder or manslaughter, and the laws against drunkenness and gambling were disobeyed with impunity. Now this is all changed, and he says particularly that not a single verdict, civil or criminal, has been set aside where a part of the jury has been composed of women. What do you think of that, Elias?” “Why, my paper must have lied. I have long thought a man might almost as well do without a metropolitan paper. They don’t seem to be conducted in the interest of any decent principle. But I don’t understand about those Wyoming juries. Would you really sit on a jury? I assure you, men consider it a great bore.” “I can’t say I should like to; but don’t we owe it as a duty? Whatever is a duty should be done, whether agreeable or not.” Kendrick’s secret thought was, that such a sentiment of devotion to duty, would certainly tend to promote justice; but on that subject he said nothing. He asked his wife how she would vote intelligently for political measures? How she could decide, for example, whether free-trade or protection was the right principle. “How does the plantation hand decide that, Elias, and the ignorant foreigner? I should not dare to vote as carelessly as they do. For my part, I think it a great responsibility.” “Well, how would you decide?” “I should certainly study up the subject, and if I had not time for that, I would go to the wisest and most upright man I knew, and ask him to instruct me on the principles of free-trade and protection. That is what _I_ should do.”