he Baron's Shadow

ome time ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

The Baron wondered why Lady Angela of Alpine Castle began making excuses for missing certain meetings about Lilliland. The Baron held a meeting with Professor Hamblin, his chief advisor, and any members of the government that were involved in the problems. Lady Angela was always invited to the meetings until she began skipping some of them.

The Baron asked her why shoe chose not to attend some of the meetings and she said because it seemed she was just there to look pretty, smile and greet everyone, but was never invited to participate in the discussions. “Sometimes I call myself the Baron’s shadow.”

She looked directly into the eyes of the Baron and said, “You know, I do have a brain.” The Baron thought for a while and then replied, “You know, you are absolutely right. You and other women in Lilliland are not given a proper opportunity to help make certain decisions about the country that they love.”

The Baron asked Lady Angela, “How can I correct this? What steps can be taken to help alleviate the situation?” Lady Angela said that while many countries do not allow women to vote, and since Lilliland is one of those countries, why not let the women vote just like the men?

“When any issue is brought up for a vote, you can be more assured that the decision will represent all of the population and not half of the population. A woman’s point of view is an invaluable aid for the future of Lilliland.”

The Baron said he would ask Professor Hamblin about the women’s voting consideration. The Professor said that he thought it was a good idea and added, “If Lilliland is going to continue to have visitors from all over the world, it is important that the guests enjoy themselves and not feel that they are in a country that treats women like second class citizens by not giving them a chance to vote.”

Lady Angela started attending the meetings about the future of Lilliland and her ideas moved to the top of the agenda. Her advice was now sought after on the most important matters.