124 THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



woman has developed of late years. Unattached 

 ladies, such as widows and unmarried women, have 

 quite ample work to do in the world for the good of 

 others to absorb all their powers. Wives and mothers 

 have a very noble work given them by God, and 

 want no more." 



Mary Carpenter, like Mary Somerville, was 

 strongly in favour of women having the franchise. 

 When first she began her work she did not care very 

 much for this she was so very womanly that she was 

 afraid of feminine modesty being destroyed by women 

 taking part in public affairs. Sometimes, when she 

 was spoken to on the subject, she playfully evaded the 

 difficulty by saying, " I don't talk about my rights, I 

 take them," or she would declare that she had all the 

 rights she wanted given to her. But as she grew 

 older her opinions on this question changed. She 

 signed a petition for the enfranchisement of women ; 

 in her last years she frequently expressed her belief 

 that women ought to be allowed to vote on the same 

 terms as men ; and Miss Cobbe tells us that on one 

 occasion she took her place on the platform, and 

 either proposed or seconded one of the resolutions 

 demanding the franchise, adding a few words of 

 cordial approval. 



Another of her characteristics ought not to be 

 forgotten. She was exceedingly devoted to the Royal 

 Family, and had a most enthusiastic admiration 

 for the Queen. She said the Queen was a " noble 



