Wicked Temptations by Patricia Watters Page A

interested in her. He gave every indication he was, unlikely as it seemed. Answering Edith, she said, "No, it was just something I came up with."
    Edith said nothing, but Priscilla knew she was not convinced. It would be perfectly reasonable to think that the freckle-faced, red-headed unattractive spinster had been deserted to sit alone with her picnic basket and eat the delicacies she had prepared, while the handsome, wealthy, British cattle baron slipped away and picnicked with a beautiful and charming woman more fitting for a man of his station. How shocked Edith and the others would be to learn that prim and proper Miss Valentine had not only been thoroughly kissed by Lord Whittington, but that she had lost complete control of herself during that kiss.
    Trudy, who was reading over Priscilla's shoulder, said, "What does Mrs. W. M. Coggswell mean when she says 'the man who has a wife controls two votes instead of one, and he who has grown daughters controls as many as he has daughters? '"
    Priscilla glanced over her shoulder at Trudy. "The letter written by Mrs. Coggswell was read in the Massachusetts House of Representatives during a debate on suffrage and used as an example of why enfranchising women was pointless."
    Trudy looked at Priscilla, puzzled. "Is that true what Mrs. Coggswell said, that if I were grown, my father would take my vote from me?"
    "Not exactly," Priscilla said. "Women in Wyoming Territory can vote as they wish, but most don't bother to do so, and those who do, vote as their husbands dictate."
    "Well, when I am old enough, I will vote as I please," Trudy huffed.
    "Then you had better marry a man who will not challenge you, or you will have a very troubled household," Priscilla said. "But even if women start exercising their right to vote, they are still not allowed to vote when nominating men for office, or in primaries and conventions. But after the delegates have made the primaries, the men up for election are very glad for women to come in and help elect them."
    Trudy's face brightened. "Then I shall help my father get elected as mayor by writing things about him that you can post in The Town Tattler ," she said.
    Priscilla looked at Trudy with concern. Taking an open political position at this point would alienate many potential subscribers. But she didn't want to put a damper on Trudy's new-found interest in suffrage. Wyoming Territory , being the first government to allow women the vote, was a maverick in America . Offering a compromise, she said, " The Town Tattler will not be taking sides in the upcoming race for mayor, but I will be holding what I will call Town Tattler Meetings, where I'll talk to women about suffrage and temperance and other issues that are important to them. Perhaps you'd like to attend the meetings and pass out some leaflets about your father there."
    Trudy broke into a wide grin. "Yes, I'd very much like that, and I'll start at once designing the leaflets. Would I be able to print them here?" she asked.
    Priscilla considered that. Being involved in her father's election would take Trudy's mind off Tom Rafferty. For that reason, Adam might approve of her interest in women's rights. "I'll talk to Mr. Jackson and see if it's something we can do on our press."
    Trudy clasped her hands in delight. "When I distribute the leaflets I'll tell the women about the importance of voting. My father is the smartest and the most handsome of the candidates, so the women will certainly vote for him over the other candidates. "
    Trudy's enthusiasm was contagious, and Priscilla found herself saying, "You're absolutely right about impressing on women the importance of voting. If they don't exercise their right, other states and territories who haven't yet given women the right to vote will see no reason to grant it, and our sisters all over the country will remain in bondage to their husbands, and to men's laws. As it stands, all over the country intelligent women are denied the right to