And when John was convinced that I could not be prevailed upon,
I found him think the more of me because of my resolve, and my
persistency in it. For John was always reasonable, and that is more than
can be said of most men. Some, indeed, who are reasonable enough with
men, are often unreasonable with women. If in course of time the
management of affairs be taken from men and given to women--which may God
for our sakes forbid--it will be because men have made it necessary by
their arrogance. But when they have been kept down long enough to learn
that they are not the lords of creation one bit more than the weakest
woman, I hope they will be allowed to take the lead again, lest women
should become what men were, and go strutting in their importance. Only
the true man knows the true woman; only the true woman knows the true
man: the difficulty between men and women comes all from the prevailing
selfishness, that is, untruth, of both. Who, while such is their
character, would be judge or divider between them, save one of their own
kind? When such ceases to be their character, they will call for no
umpire.
John lived in his own house with his mother, but they did not meet. His
mother managed his affairs, to whose advantage I need hardly say; and
John helped me to manage my uncle's, to the advantage of all concerned.
Every morning he came to see me, and every night rode back to his worse
than dreary home.
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