The Woman Question In Biscay

Wo aro voiy happy to have discovered, jy chance, a little Luid where therc is no need of caustic speeches about the "woraan qut-stion," bocauso tin; whole matter seems to be pructically sottled. On the vettorn declivity ot' the Pyroncts theie ivt:s acommuni y who are called Basquef. Dhey are partly under Fruiieh and paity under Spanish jule or protection, though nomiually free ; and down to the jresent day, they have preserved their own peculiar laws, acconling to which che women liare precisely tho sanie rights as men. It is trtie, the pöorer women uro called upon to woik in tho fiolds ; but ;hese Basques maintain that n-.atters never move more properously theu whon the women till the fiolds and tho men go to war. In the matter of inheritage, the Basques rotain primogenituro for both sexes ; 'the eldest ohild - son or daughter - inherits all the property, and the rest of' tho ohildien go enipty. Such an lieiress is, quite naturally, sought after ; and when sue takes to herself a hueband, she remains the head of the fainily - a í'act w.iich is alwaya patent by a ijcculiardrefts which indicates it - and the husband does nol svi.n acquire personal indopendenco. This goes so far that ho must loso lis name, and accept that of bis wife. He has no soit of control over hör, and can not even permit his own son to leavc the " maternal" roof. Should shc leave :?.im a widower, tho mothor-in-law has more right over the children than the faSher. He cannot administer the property nor act as master of the houso ; and without the consent of his worthy maniina-inlaw, may not bring home a second wife. In this El Dorado oí women, tho eldost daughter, whou an heiress by death of tho father, attains her majority at tho ago of üfteen. And agaiu, iri this niost a;allant cf countrios, the magistraoy is ticroditary in certain noble families, and descends to both sexos. Tho title of " lady counselor " lias ití f uil and legitímate sense afid power ; though, iii general, these magisterial ladios transfer their powors to their eldost sons or husbands, as doputios. Of lato yoars. these Basquo women seldom fill ]ublic offices ; for the Fronch have, by some mcans, succeoded in securing thein ; but tho tirae was when they woro tho ormina in effect, and exercised the right of suffragp, eo far as it is in ufo in this Ámazonian Jittlö latid. -