| I bet the the Governor of Massachusetts owns stock in your mill. He
gets rich off of you. No wonder he sent out the troops. He wanted to protect
his property. More important, he does not care about you. You
are a cog in a wheel meant to make him rich. He wants to keep you in your
place. It is the same with the president of Harvard.
Rose you have an obligation to fight against abuse. Join me. Leave the
mill. Find yourself. We need women like you. Together we can end
our enslavement. " "Emma I am deeply honored that you think me capable. But you have not listened to a single word I have said. I cannot get up in front of people. I am shy. The best I can do is stay put. That is my destiny." "You have a life to live. You need to free yourself from your past. Your church demands too much .You have to do what is right for yourself, not what others want you to do. You support your parents in their old age. Look what it is doing to you. You are weary. Once you cut away, your energies will be released." "I am obliged to my family." Emma remained silent for a moment then said, "It is not right. You give but never receive. Your suffering is not of your own doing. You are caught in a trap laid by others." "Nonsense." said Rose. "My family is important to me. My parents raised me in love. They fed me and taught me to pray." "There is a higher virtue than duty. It is called freedom. You are a woman who has the right to become her own person." "I know who I am. I know what is right and wrong". "You are not free. In Sicily you were different from others and so you left. Don't you see? You did something for yourself. Unfortunately, your development has stopped. You have to continue your growth. Take the case of sex. Have you felt a man in your arms?" "No. Men cannot make me happy." "It is not sinful to think about men. And your father is far away. " "That is wrong Emma. I gave him my word." "Put yourself first. Promise me to do this. And for God’s sake make love to a man before the machines wear you down." "I cannot make such a promise." " Rose. Free yourself. Women write to me all the time. They tell me how empty their lives are. I tell them the same thing as I am telling you—" " Emma I know you do not favor money and fame." "That is correct. I consider them most dismal failures. I am devoted to the triumph of anarchism in my life time." " I am also committed to a belief--the salvation of my soul. "
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