Father Mavie

Although the "Women's Rights Act" has been passed, due to years of habit, many women are not used to the rights they suddenly gained, and they don't even have a sense of reality.

In the eyes of many people, life does not seem to have changed much. They still tidy up the room, cook, mend clothes, and go out to find work.

As for property inheritance rights and child custody rights, it is even more illusory. If the husband is good and does not divorce, how can these two rights be needed?
On the contrary, all the property that was judged before will be returned, which has triggered a wave of lawsuits.

But in the eyes of the vast majority of women, life is still the same as before.

Jennifer is a housewife. She gets up early in the morning to clean the stove, clean up the soot that has fallen on the tables, chairs and cabinets. Wash, bring in the newspaper outside the door, dry it by the stove, and prepare breakfast.

Today's breakfast was pea soup, bread and the leftover stew from last night. In order to ensure her husband's strength during the day, she also specially scrambled two eggs.

As soon as the meal was ready, the husband walked into the kitchen, picked up the dried newspaper, and ate breakfast.

"What! Congress actually passed the "Women's Rights Act"! I'm not afraid of being laughed at!"

The husband muttered non-stop, dissatisfied with the bill: "What can women do! Can they do manual work? Can they operate the machinery in the factory? I think it's just a spinning machine! This Also called work? How much money can you earn a day? It’s not enough to buy bread!”

Jennifer didn't say a word, she was stirring the stew in the pot silently. She was used to hearing her husband's complaints. Even if there was no bill of rights, he would complain about the unfairness of the foreman in the factory, so-and-so and so-and-so. Occasionally, he would scold Two words of king - in the middle of the night when no one is around.

"Damn it! Time is running out!"

Amidst the complaints, the husband suddenly realized that he was about to be late. After eating the fried eggs on the plate in two or three bites, he grabbed his coat and rushed out the door. Jennifer cleaned up the plates. After a while, a little boy walked in with sleepy eyes .

"Hurry up and eat, and you have to go to class after eating! You can't be late this time, or the teacher will make you stand again!"

Jennifer brought breakfast without fried eggs to her son, watched him finish eating, and then let him carry the shoulder bag that she sewed with leftover materials, and sent him to the public elementary school in Lambeth.

London is a big city, so big that any policy comes first here, including free primary education funded by the government. Any child of school age can go to school for free, full-time, four days a week, and Sundays. Go to church Sunday school.

Because it is a public welfare project, we can't expect how strong the teachers are. Teachers are very irresponsible and often don't teach you useful knowledge. They just force you to sit at the desk until school is over like a boarding school. If you don't obey, you will be physically punished. Occasionally There are a few teachers who are willing to give lectures, but the students don't like to listen.

Jennifer knows everything, but what can she do?

It is not easy to send children to school, even if they can only read a few words.

When she got home, Jennifer had to start washing clothes, sweeping the floor, and cleaning up again. For the sake of the goddess, her husband’s factory provided a free lunch. get up before the light
After washing the clothes and drying them on the pole, Jennifer started to prepare lunch again. The school does not include lunch, and her son will be back soon. The seven or eight-year-old child is just growing up, and will be hungry when he comes back
In the afternoon, Jennifer lay on the bed and slept for half an hour. She was really tired, but she would get up soon, because the next sewing job was not finished, and the day after tomorrow was the day of delivery, so she only sewed half of it. , it looks like I have to stay up late at night again, I hope my husband won't complain about her wasting candles this time
Boom boom boom!
Boom boom boom!
There was a loud knock on the door, Jennifer put down her needlework, walked to the door suspiciously, and opened it.
It's Mrs. Brown, the neighbor next door.

"Jennifer! Come with me!"

"Where are you going?" Jennifer was dragged towards the door by Mrs. Brown. She resisted and said, "I still have work to do as a tailor!"

"A job as a tailor?"

Mrs. Brown's eyes widened: "My God, Jennifer, what age is this, why are you still doing these hopeless things! The clothes now come out of factories, beautiful and neat, like yours This kind of hand tailoring has long since ceased to be popular! We should do something big!"

"Big thing." Jennifer didn't understand at all: "I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Duke Freya established the Women's Union! Don't you know? She is calling on women to join the union, unite, and defend their own rights!" Mrs. Brown said excitedly: "Brenda and the others have passed! We can't To be the last batch! What an honor it is! Women's union! I never even dared to think about it before!"

Jennifer was taken aback. Her thinking was very traditional, and she never dared to do anything beyond the norm. Women's trade unions were such a new and subversive movement that she dared not join them at all.

"No, no. Go by yourself. I'll stay and finish the work. If you can't finish it, you will have to pay liquidated damages."

"What liquidated damages!" Mrs. Brown said angrily, "He didn't sign the labor contract at all! Why should we pay liquidated damages? Handmade tailors are becoming more and more expensive in the market now! The wages they pay us are only a few pence! This is so unfair! Jennifer, Duke Freya said that as long as we all join the guild and unite, no one will be able to bully us! The wages will also be doubled!"

"How many times?" Jennifer opened her eyes wide in surprise, "Does it mean that I can earn 1 shilling for sewing a scarf?"

"Two shillings are fine! Do you want to come? The meeting is about to begin!"

Jennifer thought for a few seconds, then looked at the women rushing in the same direction on the street, and thought: At worst, if you stay up all night, you can finish it anyway, and at most you will be scolded
"Okay, I'll go with you!" Jennifer gritted her teeth.

"move!"

Following Mrs. Brown, Jennifer came to the Archbishop's Park. This is the most suitable place for gatherings. There are no tickets and the place is huge. The only disadvantage is that the police often come to drive them away, but Duke Freya only needs to stare at the police. Desperately fled away.
All the women from the Lambeth district came, and the Archbishop's Park was packed to the brim. The crowd was as far as the eye could see, and there were at least a few thousand people. This was the first time Jennifer had seen such a huge lineup, and she felt much less uneasy. The confidence has also changed.

We can't catch us all, she thought.

No one could be seen on the stage built with wooden boards. Freya was staying behind the stage with several noble daughters, discussing the next move.

The people have already gathered, and the next step is to let them sign or press their fingerprints on the list to become a member of the guild.

In the early days of establishment, the monthly membership fee was only 1 pence, symbolically, the trade union has a membership fee, which is the most basic operating capital.

Of course, even if it is only 1 penny, there are many people who are unwilling to take it. It doesn’t matter if they have money or not. The key is whether they can sign on the list and join the trade union.

This depends on Freya's appeal.

Taking the tin horn, Freya stepped onto the high platform, looked at the crowds around her, and said loudly: "Sisters, in your eyes, I may be a high-ranking duke, but today, I want to tell you that after becoming a duke Before, I was a woman too!"

"They are also human beings, so why can women only stay at home and do housework and trivial jobs that men don't like?"

"We also have personality! We also have dignity! The first struggle has been won! We have gained certain recognition, but we cannot be complacent! Don't forget how we won!"

Freya shouted to the crowd below: "We cannot fight alone! There must be no traitors among us! We must unite! Only in this way can we win equal status and respect!"

"But we don't have the ability." Someone in the audience said bitterly: "We don't have a job, and the money we earn is not enough to support ourselves. Without money, we can only look at the faces of men."

"That's what I'm going to say next!" Freya suddenly changed the subject: "Sisters! Don't forget! We have a big card in our hands! Voting rights!"

"As long as we stick together and vote for our candidates to become MPs, there will be enough jobs!"

"In short, as long as they don't support us or despise us, we can't vote for them! We must fight them to the end! Dignity is earned by ourselves! We don't want their pity!"

"Yes, that's right!"

There were echoing voices from the audience, and Mrs. Brown shouted almost hoarsely. When she found that Jennifer was silent, she couldn't help asking: "Jennifer, don't you agree with President Freya's statement? ?”

"It's not that I disagree, it's just that I never thought about it. Can we really win?" Jennifer worried.

"Yes! Certainly! Jennifer, didn't you read the information in the newspaper? In London, there are 10,000+ more women who have the right to vote than men! As long as we are united, we can elect MPs who support us !"

"Then who should we choose?" Jennifer knew nothing about the election: "How do we know whether those congressmen are deceiving us?"

Just at this time, Freya's voice came from the stage: "Sisters, keep your eyes open! Don't be deceived by men! You must follow the union's choice and vote for the person you should vote for!"

"Who should I vote for?" Someone in the audience asked.

"The candidates are different in different constituencies. The union will give you the answer later, but in the Lambeth district." Freya smiled: "Don't even think about it! Sisters! Who fired the first shot for our rights? This sister, do you know?"

The woman named said without hesitation: "It's Mr. Nicholas!"

"That's right! Nicholas von Manstein! It's the first time he's fought for our rights in public! Sisters, we suspect that no one should doubt him! He doesn't have to! It's for our sake Man, of course we have to vote for him!"

The women clustered in front of the stage nodded one after another, feeling that what Freya said was right.

"Sisters! Sign the list! Join the union, and we will protect your rights! Men can no longer beat and scold us wantonly! If this happens, we will find justice for you! Come on! Sign it! We must unite!"

Under Freya's appeal, a long line was formed in front of the stage. Women kept signing their names on the list and paying the 1p membership fee. Jennifer was a little uneasy and didn't know what to do.

"Jennifer, are you still hesitating?"

Mrs. Brown, who was the first batch to sign in line, came back. Seeing Jennifer still standing on the sidelines, she said dissatisfiedly: "You are not united! Although I can't force you to do anything, you should be responsible for your own destiny! Listen to Trade union orders, fight for women's rights!"

"me."

"What's your name?"

The voice of inquiry behind her made Jennifer's body tremble. She turned her head slowly and found Freya standing behind her with a smile on her face.

"Duke Freya."

"Don't be nervous." Freya took Jennifer's hand, stroked the rough calluses on her hand, and said with emotion: "What beautiful hands, I feel a woman who silently contributes to her family, her hard work is worth it respected."

Jennifer lowered her head and said shyly, "Duke Freya, you"

"Just call me Freya, you haven't told me your name yet."

"My name is Jennifer Jennifer Wiley."

"What a good name, Jennifer, let me ask you, are you satisfied with your life now?"

Jennifer was stunned by the question, and she opened her mouth to give a satisfactory answer, but she couldn't say anything.

She can't go against her heart.

"Do you think you were born to live this kind of life?" Freya asked again: "Although all of this is your own choice, have you ever thought about whether there is a second choice when you make a choice?" option?"

"No. I was married off by my father."

"Do you want to have other options?" Freya said softly: "It's still too late, you are still young, the union can arrange you to engage in other jobs, and the money you earn will not be much less than men, your Giving will give you the courage to face your husband, which is dignity."

Freya pointed to Jennifer's chest: "No longer depending on others' dignity, financial independence, will change your life."

"Is it really possible?" Jennifer's eyes gradually lit up: "Can I get rid of my current life and do something else?"

Suddenly, Jennifer seemed to remember something, and her eyes dimmed again: "I can't do it. I can't do anything except housework and tailoring."

"Jennifer, look up."

Freya said earnestly: "The trade union will teach you brand new skills and give you the confidence to challenge life, but the first step requires you to step forward bravely and join the trade union. You will not regret this choice, I promise .”

"Ok!"