Sunday Cosmopolitans

Although the bluestocking women are passionate about suffrage it becomes obvious not all women are. Traditionalists argue that women's rights are contrary to divine law, and working women are going against nature or, at best, unaligned in their opinions. Jane Cunningham speaks up next and has a terse comment, "There is a level of rich, spoiled women who consider themselves 'above it all', interested only in their hair and living in luxury completely under the dominating thumb of their husbands. They have no thought of bettering themselves." An incensed Phoebe gives them a name: "Mindless nincompoops!" On the evening of the second day, arguments break into hand-to-hand combat. There are screaming matches from the floor and balcony. Alice and the others strain to hear the former slave and evangelist, Soujourner Truth, give her speech, but the noise from the rowdy crowd makes it hard to hear. Soujourner, whose real name is Isabella, is eloquent, albeit in her humble way. The unruly crowd hisses, yells, and stamps their feet, no matter who is speaking. There’s a frightful yell from the balcony, “shut up”. Poor outspoken Lucy Stone, who is on the platform wearing bloomers, is bashed and bruised, and has been pelted by everything with the possible exception of a kitchen sink. The outbreak of violence and mayhem marks the first public demonstration against woman suffrage, and goes down in history as “The Mob Convention”. And, wouldn't you know, Phoebe walks away with a shiner. The accident happens like this: In an attempt to escape, Alice and Phoebe stand, then duck for cover at the exact wrong moment. Phoebe is clipped on the nose by a woman's errant shoe being thrown through the air at a speaker. In the hour it takes Phoebe to get home, her eye is black as the ace of spades. And, despite the piece of steak Alice gently plasters on the orb, it remains so for the better part of a week. Phoebe is kidded mercilessly at the next bluestocking, and it takes a long time for her to live this one down! As expected, P.T. Barnum relishes at telling about Phoebe's black eye to all newcomers at the Sunday tea. Alice has taken the demonstrations to heart and is troubled long after The Woman's Rights Convention. She can’t figure out what’s wrong. She isn’t eating or sleeping, and worse, she is unable to write. Her life is out of sorts. She tries to cheer herself up, but nothing works, until a concerned Julia Dean comes by. In the past months when she’s needed someone to talk with quietly, or confide in during the tea, she often chooses Julia. Alice admires the soothing quality of her voice and her perfect diction. The two have instinctively become good friends, and every couple of weeks if Julia is in the neighborhood, she comes for a chat mid-afternoon, and they visit for a few minutes over a cup of black, green or, Julia’s favorite, peppermint tea. Aside from her beautiful face, Julia, the struggling actress, is offstage a gentle soul with a serene nature much like Alice's; and she has a way of building up Alice's confidence. Right now, Alice is bothered by her inept writing ability, and the uproar at the convention has shaken her deeply. She can’t get over the women's rights controversy, which seems impossible to sort out. Julia suggests, "Let's start from the beginning. What seems to be wrong with your writing?" Alice holds the teacup in her lap, bows her head, and sounds ashamed, "I'm not sure I'm even very good at it. Lately I write a few lines, they seem awkward or strained, so I scratch them out or tear them up." Julia says, "I think you are trying too hard, putting too much pressure on yourself. Maybe a long walk every day will do you good. Are you getting enough rest?" Alice takes a sip of the warm soothing tea, puts the cup down, and looks at Julia, "No, I guess that may be part of the problem. I'm not sleeping well because I have so much on my mind." Julia inquires, "Can you give me an example, Alice?" As Alice answers, she sounds absolutely crestfallen, "I have so many men friends that I truly care about: there's my father, my brothers, Greenleaf, Mr. Greeley, and Bayard. These women's issues are bothering all of them. I know it. I can't bear, that as women and men, we are fighting with each other and an awkward wedge is being put between us." Julia pauses for a minute, smiles sweetly, and admits "Alice, it bothers me, too, but this strain will go away. In order to bring about change, men have to become accustomed to a new way of thinking, and women must be strong, otherwise nothing will change. What we need is a little time, and men need to be made to realize that these changes are important to us, not only as women, but as human beings. Our male friends, the men in our lives who care about us, need time to figure it out and they will. They aren't fools. I know they will. Now just relax, Alice. Time heals all wounds. You'll see."