The Downstairs Girl

A reader asks what the point of menstruation is, and Miss Sweetie replies that “the alternative is worse, although they do get to vote.”

That evening, Jo goes to the suffrage meeting, looking for Noemi but instead finding Mrs. English. Mrs. English introduces Jo to Mrs. Bullis, the president of the Atlanta Suffragists. Mrs. Bullis is surprised to see Jo because she didn’t even know that Chinese people like Jo could become American citizens.

Jo manages to get away from Mrs. English and Mrs. Bullis, finally finding Noemi. Inspired by the Miss Sweetie article, Noemi and some others have been writing down some “Custom-aries” that it’s time to leave behind because they discriminate against women. But when Noemi shows the list to Mrs. Bullis, Mrs. Bullis complains that the list is just “colored concerns,” not things that apply to all women. Noemi holds her ground, and eventually, an angry Mrs. Bullis tells everyone to go.

As Noemi and Jo walk back, Lizzie catches up with them. She says she doesn’t really want to be a suffragist, but Mrs. English says the meetings are both the right thing to do and good for business. Jo figures that’s probably true. As they’re talking, Lizzie surprises Jo by revealing that she knows Jo is Miss Sweetie.