Women for votes

by Elizabeth Hughes

MRS. TILSBURY. (Returning.) How shall we play? You and Mr. Van Tousel, Imogene, and Mr. Becker and I?

MR. BECKER. We should cut for partners. You women never have a sense of fair play.

MRS. BROWN. Is cutting the cards fair play, Mr. Becker? I thought it was chance.

MRS. TILSBURY. I thought we would begin that way and pivot afterwards.

MR. BECKER. It is always better to begin fairly. We may not have time for more than one rubber. (They cut for partners.)

MRS. BROWN. Well, you and I seem to be partners, Josephine.

MR. VAN TOUSEL. Oh, that won’t do. The ladies against the gentlemen.

MR. BECKER. It is quite appropriate for the ending of to-day. Sex against sex. It is your deal, Mrs. Tilsbury? shall I make up the cards?

MRS. TILSBURY. Oh, dear, the points of these pencils are all broken. Will some one sharpen them?

MR. BECKER. That means you and me, Van Tousel. I have never seen a woman who could sharpen a pencil.