I had the satisfaction to hear them say that their dolls were never so prettily dressed before， and that my stories were better than any in the books. As I composed the wonderful yarns as I went along， I used to get very tired， and sometimes， when I heard the little feet coming， I would hide， but they would hunt until they found me. When my youngest son was ten years old and could read for himself， I graduated in story telling， having practiced in that line twenty-one years. I vowed that I would expend no more breath in that direction， but the eager face of a child asking for stories is too much for me， and my vow has been often broken. All the time I was in England Nora claimed the twilight hour， and， in France， Lisette was equally pertinacious. When Victor Hugo grew tired telling his grandchildren stories， he would wind up with the story of an old gentleman who， after a few interesting experiences， took up his evening paper and began to read aloud. The children would listen a few moments and then， one by one， slip out of the room. Longfellow's old gentleman， after many exciting scenes in his career， usually stretched himself on the lounge and feigned sleep.
But grandmothers are not allowed to shelter themselves with such devices； they are required to spin on until the bedtime really arrives.
On July 16， one of the hottest days of the season， Mrs. Jacob Bright and daughter， Herbert Burroughs， and Mrs. Parkhurst came down from London， and we sat out of doors， taking our luncheon under the trees and discussing theosophy. Later in the month Hattie and I went to Yorkshire to visit Mr. and Mrs. Scatcherd at Morley Hall， and there spent several days. We had a prolonged discussion on personal rights. One side was against all governmental interference， such as compulsory education and the protection of children against cruel parents； the other side in favor of state interference that protected the individual in the enjoyment of life， liberty， and happiness.
I took the latter position. Many parents are not fit to have the control of children， hence the State should see that they are sheltered， fed， clothed， and educated. It is far better for the State to make good citizens of its children in the beginning， than， in the end， to be compelled to care for them as criminals.
While in the north of England we spent a few days at Howard Castle， the summer residence of Lord and Lady Carlisle and their ten children.
So large a family in high life is unusual. As I had known Lord and Lady Amberley in America， when they visited this country in 1867， I enjoyed meeting other members of their family. Lady Carlisle is in favor of woman suffrage and frequently speaks in public. She is a woman of great force of character， and of very generous impulses. She is trying to do her duty in sharing the good things of life with the needy. The poor for miles round often have picnics in her park， and large numbers of children from manufacturing towns spend weeks with her cottage tenants at her expense. Lord Carlisle is an artist and a student. As he has a poetical temperament and is æ；sthetic in all his tastes， Lady Carlisle is the business manager of the estate.
She is a practical woman with immense executive ability. The castle with its spacious dining hall and drawing rooms， with its chapel， library， galleries of paintings and statuary， its fine outlook， extensive gardens and lawns was well worth seeing. We enjoyed our visit very much and discussed every imaginable subject.
When we returned to Basingstoke we had a visit from Mrs. Cobb， the wife of a member of Parliament， and sister-in-law of Karl Pearson， whose lectures on woman I had enjoyed so much. It was through reading his work， "The Ethic of Free Thought，" that the Matriarchate made such a deep impression on my mind and moved me to write a tract on the subject. People who have neither read nor thought on this point， question the facts as stated by Bachofen， Morgan， and Wilkeson； but their truth， I think， cannot be questioned. They seem so natural in the chain of reasoning and the progress of human development.
Mrs. Cobb did a very good thing a few days before visiting us. At a great meeting called to promote Mr. Cobb's election， John Morley spoke. He did not even say "Ladies and gentlemen" in starting， nor make the slightest reference to the existence of such beings as women. When he had finished， Mrs. Cobb arose mid great cheering and criticised his speech， ****** some quotations from his former speeches of a very liberal nature. The audience laughed and cheered， fully enjoying the rebuke. The next day in his speech he remembered his countrywomen， and on rising said， "Ladies and gentlemen."
During August， 1891， I was busy getting ready for my voyage， as I was to sail on the Ems on August 23. Although I had crossed the ocean six times in the prior ten years I dreaded the voyage more than words can describe. The last days were filled with sadness， in parting with those so dear to me in foreign countries杄specially those curly-headed little girls， so bright， so pretty， so winning in all their ways. Hattie and Theodore went with me from Southampton in the little tug to the great ship Ems. It was very hard for us to say the last farewell， but we all tried to be as brave as possible.
We had a rough voyage， but I was not seasick one moment. I was up and dressed early in the morning， and on deck whenever the weather permitted.
