The Story of an African Farm

第14章

``No，no，’’sheobjected。``Youcannotbethejudgeofthat。Promisemeyouwillremainuntilthefriendsyoumosttrusttellyouitistimetowith—

draw，ormakeyouunderstandthatitistime。

Promisemethat。’’

Imadethepromise。Sheseemedcontent，andagainbegantotalkofthefuture。

``Youwillnothaveaneasypath，’’shewarnedme。``Insomewaysitwillbeharderforyouthanithaseverbeenforme。Iwassomucholderthantherestofyou，andIhadbeenpresidentsolong，thatyougirlshaveallbeenwillingtolistentome。Itwillbedifferentwithyou。Otherwomenofyourownagehavebeenintheworkalmostaslongasyouhavebeen；youdonotstandoutfromthembyageorlengthofservice，asIdid。Therewillbeinevi—

tablejealousiesandmisunderstandings；therewillbeallsortsofcriticismandmisrepresentation。Mylastwordtoyouisthis：Nomatterwhatisdoneorisnotdone，howyouarecriticizedormisunder—

stood，orwhateffortsaremadetoblockyourpath，rememberthattheonlyfearyouneedhaveisthefearofnotstandingbythethingyoubelievetoberight。Takeyourstandandholdit；thenletcomewhatwill，andreceiveblowslikeagoodsoldier。’’

Iwastoomuchovercometoanswerher；andafteramomentofsilenceshe，inherturn，mademeapromise。

``Idonotknowanythingaboutwhatcomestousafterthislifeends，’’shesaid。``Butifthereisacontinuanceoflifebeyondit，andifIhaveanyconsciousknowledgeofthisworldandofwhatyouaredoing，Ishallnotbefarawayfromyou；andintimesofneedIwillhelpyouallIcan。Whoknows？

PerhapsImaybeabletodomorefortheCauseafterIamgonethanwhileIamhere。’’

Nineyearshavepassedsincethen，andineachdayofthemallitseemstome，inlookingback，I

havehadsomeoccasiontorecallherwords。WhentheywereutteredIdidnotfullycomprehendalltheymeant，ortheclearnessofthevisionthathadsuggestedthem。ItseemedtomethatnopositionIcouldholdwouldbeofsufficientimportancetoattractjealousyorpersonalattacks。Theyearshavebroughtmorewisdom；Ihavelearnedthatanyonewhoassumesleadership，orwho，likemyself，hashadleadershipforceduponher，mustexpecttobearmanythingsofwhichtheworldknowsnothing。

Butwiththisknowledge，too，hascomethememoryof``AuntSusan’s’’lastpromise，andagainandyetagaininhoursofdiscouragementanddespairIhavebeenhelpedbytheblessedconvictionthatshewaskeepingit。

Duringthelastforty—eighthoursofherlifeshewasunwillingthatIshouldleaveherside。SodayandnightIkneltbyherbed，holdingherhandandwatchingtheflameofherwonderfulspiritgrowdim。

Attimes，eventhen，itblazedupwithstartlingsud—

denness。Onthelastafternoonofherlife，whenshehadlainquietforhours，shesuddenlybegantoutterthenamesofthewomenwhohadworkedwithher，asifinafinalroll—call。Manyofthemhadprecededherintothenextworld；otherswerestillsplendidlyactiveintheworkshewaslayingdown。Butyoungorold，livingordead，theyallseemedtofilepastherdyingeyesthatdayinanendless，shadowyre—

view，andastheywentbyshespoketoeachofthem。

Notallthenamesshementionedwereknowninsuffrageranks；someofthesewomenlivedonlyintheheartofSusanB。Anthony，andnow，forthelasttime，shewasthankingthemforwhattheyhaddone。Herewasonewho，atamomentofspecialneed，hadgivenhersmallsavings；herewasanotherwhohadwonvaluablerecruitstotheCause；thisonehadwrittenastrongeditorial；thatonehadmadeastirringspeech。Inthesefinalhoursitseemedthatnotasinglesacrificeorservice，howeversmall，hadbeenforgottenbythedyingleader。Lastofall，shespoketothewomenwhohadbeenonherboardandhadstoodbyherloyallysolong——RachelFosterAvery，AliceStoneBlackwell，CarrieChap—

manCatt，Mrs。Upton，LauraClay，andothers。

Then，afterlyinginsilenceforalongtimewithhercheekonmyhand，shemurmured：``Theyarestillpassingbeforeme——faceafterface，hundredsandhundredsofthem，representingalltheeffortsoffiftyyears。IknowhowhardtheyhaveworkedIknowthesacrificestheyhavemade。Butithasallbeenworthwhile！’’

Justbeforeshelapsedintounconsciousnesssheseemedrestlessandanxioustosaysomething，search—

ingmyfacewithherdimmingeyes。

``Doyouwantmetorepeatmypromise？’’I

asked，forshehadalreadymademedososeveraltimes。Shemadeasignofassent，andIgavehertheassuranceshedesired。AsIdidsosheraisedmyhandtoherlipsandkissedit——herlastconsciousaction。FormorethanthirtyhoursafterthatI

kneltbyherside，butthoughsheclungtomyhanduntilherownhandgrewcold，shedidnotspeakagain。

Shehadtoldmeoverandoverhowmuchourlongfriendshipandassociationhadmeanttoher，andthecomfortIhadgivenher。ButwhateverImayhavebeentoher，itwasasnothingcomparedwithwhatshewastome。Kneelingclosetoherasshepassedaway，IknewthatIwouldhavegivenheradozenliveshadIhadthem，andenduredathousandtimesmorehardshipthanwehadbornetogether，fortheinspirationofhercompanionshipandthejoyofheraffection。TheywerethegreatestblessingsIhavehadinallmylife，andIcherishasmydearesttreas—

urethevolumeofherHistoryofWomanSuffrageonthefly—leafofwhichshehadwrittenthisin—

scription：

REVERENDANNAHOWARDSHAW：

ThishugevolumeIVIpresenttoyouwiththelovethatamotherbeareth，andIhopeyouwillfindinitthefactsaboutwomen，foryouwillfindthemnowhereelse。Yourpartwillbetoseethatthefourvolumesaredulyplacedinthelibrariesofthecountry，whereeverystudentofhistorymayhaveaccesstothem。

Withunboundedloveandfaith，SUSANB。ANTHONY。

Thatfinallineisstillmygreatestcomfort。WhenIammisrepresentedormisunderstood，whenIamaccusedofpersonalambitionorofworkingforper—

sonalends，Iturntoitandtosimilarlinespennedbythesamehand，andtellmyselfthatIshouldnotallowanythingtointerferewiththeserenityofmyspiritortodisturbmeinmywork。Attheendofeighteenyearsofthemostintimatecompanionship，theleaderofourCause，thegreatestwomanIhaveeverknown，stillfeltforme``unboundedloveandfaith。’’Havinghadthat，Ihavehadenough。

Fortwodaysafter``AuntSusan’s’’deathshelayinherownhome，asifinrestfulslumber，herfacewearingitsmostexquisitelookofpeacefulserenity；

andhereherspecialfriends，thepoorandtheunfor—

tunateofthecity，camebyhundredstopaytheirlastrespects。Onthethirddaytherewasapublicfuneral，heldintheCongregationalchurch，and，thoughawildblizzardwasraging，everyoneinRochesterseemedincludedinthegreatthrongofmournerswhocametoherbierinreverenceandleftitintears。Thechurchserviceswereconductedbythepastor，theRev。C。C。Albertson，alifelongfriendofMissAnthony’s，assistedbytheRev。Will—

iamC。Gannett。JamesG。Potter，theMayorofthecity，andDr。RushRhees，presidentofRochesterUniversity，occupiedprominentplacesamongthedistinguishedmourners，andMrs。JeromeJeffries，theheadofacoloredschool，spokeinbehalfofthenegroraceanditsrecognitionofMissAnthony’sservices。Collegeclubs，medicalsocieties，andre—

formgroupswererepresentedbydelegatessentfromdifferentstates，andMissAnnaGordonhadcomeonfromIllinoistorepresenttheWoman’sNationalChristianTemperanceUnion。Mrs。CattdeliveredaeulogyinwhichsheexpressedtheloveandrecognitionoftheorganizedsuffragewomenoftheworldforMissAnthony，astheonetowhomtheyhadalllookedastheirleader。WilliamLloydGarrisonspokeofMissAnthony’sworkwithhisfatherandotheranti—

slaveryleaders，andMrs。JeanBrooksGreenleafspokeinbehalfoftheNewYorkStateSuffrageAssociation。Then，as``AuntSusan’’hadrequested，Imadetheclosingaddress。Shehadaskedmetodothisandtopronouncethebenediction，aswellastosaythefinalwordsathergrave。

Itwasestimatedthatmorethantenthousandpersonswereassembledinandaroundthechurch，andafterthebenedictionthosewhohadbeenpa—

tientlywaitingoutinthestormwerepermittedtopassinsideinsinglefileforalastlookattheirfriend。TheyfoundthecoffincoveredbyalargeAmericanflag，onwhichlayawreathoflaurelandpalms；arounditstoodaguardofhonorcomposedofgirlstudentsofRochesterUniversityintheircollegecapsandgowns。Alldaystudentshadmountedguard，relievingoneanotheratintervals。

Oneverysidetherewereflowersandfloralemblemssentbyvariousorganizations，andjustover``AuntSusan’s’’headfloatedthesilkflaggiventoherbythewomenofColorado。Itcontainedfourgoldstars，representingthefourenfranchisedstates，whiletheotherstarswereinsilver。OnherbreastwaspinnedthejeweledflaggiventoheronhereightiethbirthdaybythewomenofWyoming——thefirstplaceintheworldwhereintheconstitutionofthestatewomenweregivenequalpoliticalrightswithmen。Herethefourstarsrepresentingtheenfranchisedstatesweremadeofdiamonds，theothersofsilverenamel。JustbeforethelidwasfastenedonthecoffinthisflagwasremovedandhandedtoMaryAnthony，whopresentedittome。

FromthatdayIhavewornitoneveryoccasionofimportancetoourCause，andeachtimeastateiswonforwomansuffrageIhaveaddedanewdiamondstar。AtthetimeIwritethis——in1914——therearetwelve。

AsthefuneralprocessionwentthroughthestreetsofRochesteritwasseenthatallthecityflagswereathalf—mast，byorderoftheCityCouncil。Manyhousesweredrapedinblack，andthegriefofthecitizensmanifesteditselfoneveryside。AllthewaytoMountHopeCemeterythesnowwhirledblind—

inglyaroundus，whilethemassesthathadfallencoveredtheearthasfaraswecouldseeafittingwinding—sheetfortheonewhohadgone。Underthefir—treesaroundheropengraveIobeyed``AuntSusan’s’’wishthatIshouldutterthelastwordsspokenoverherbodyasshewaslaidtorest：

``Dearfriend，’’Isaid，``thouhasttarriedwithuslong。Nowthouhastgonetothywell—earnedrest。

WebeseechtheInfiniteSpiritWhohasupheldtheetomakeusworthytofollowinthystepsandtocarryonthywork。Hailandfarewell。’’

THEWIDENINGSUFFRAGESTREAM

InmychaptersonMissAnthonyIbridgedthetwentyyearsbetween1886and1906，omittingmanyofthestirringsuffrageeventsofthatlongperiod，inmydesiretoconcentrateonthosewhichmostvitallyconcernedher。Imustnowretracemystepsalongthewideningsuffragestreamandde—

scribe，consecutivelyatleast，andasfullyastheseincompletereminiscenceswillpermit，otherinci—

dentsthatoccurredonitsbanks。

Ofthesethemostimportantwastheunionin1889ofthetwogreatsuffragesocieties——theAmeri—

canAssociation，ofwhichLucyStonewasthepresi—

dent，andtheNationalAssociation，headedbySusanB。AnthonyandElizabethCadyStanton。AtaconventionheldinWashingtonthesesocietiesweremergedasTheNationalAmericanWomanSuffrageAssociation——thenameourassociationstillbears——

andMrs。Stantonwaselectedpresident。Shewasthennearlyeightyandpastactivework，butshemadeawonderfulpresidingofficeratoursubsequentmeetings，andshewasaspicturesqueasshewasefficient。

MissAnthony，whohadanimmenseadmirationforherandagreatpersonalprideinher，alwaysescortedhertothecapital，and，havingworkedherutmosttomakethemeetingasuccess，invariablygaveMrs。Stantoncreditforallthatwasaccom—

plished。SheoftensaidthatMrs。Stantonwasthebrainsofthenewassociation，whilesheherselfwasmerelyitshandsandfeet；butintruththetwowomenworkedmarvelouslytogether，forMrs。

StantonwasamasterofwordsandcouldwriteandspeaktoperfectionofthethingsSusanB。Anthonysawandfeltbutcouldnotherselfexpress。UsuallyMissAnthonywenttoMrs。Stanton’shouseandtookchargeofitwhileshestimulatedthevenerablepresidenttothewritingofherannualaddress。

Then，atthesubsequentconvention，shewouldlistentothereportwithasmuchdelightandpleasureasifeachwordofithadbeennewtoher。EvenafterMrs。Stanton’sresignationfromthepresidency——

attheend，Ithink，ofthreeyears——andMissAn—

thony’selectionashersuccessor，``AuntSusan’’stillwenttoheroldfriendwheneveranimportantreso—

lutionwastobewritten，andMrs。Stantonloyallydrafteditforher。

Mrs。Stantonwasthemostbrilliantconversa—

tionalistIhaveeverknown；andthebesttalkI

haveheardanywherewasthattowhichIusedtolisteninthehomeofMrs。ElizaWrightOsborne，inAuburn，NewYork，whenMrs。Stanton，SusanB。Anthony，EmilyHowland，ElizabethSmithMiller，IdaHustedHarper，MissMills，andIweregatheredthereforouroccasionalweek—endvisits。

Mrs。Osborneinheritedhersuffragesympathies，forshewasthedaughterofMarthaWright，who，withMrs。StantonandLucretiaMott，calledthefirstsuffrageconventioninSenecaFalls，NewYork。I

mustaddinpassingthatherson，ThomasMottOsborne，whoisdoingsuchadmirableworkinprisonreformatSingSing，hasshownhimselfworthyofthegiftedandhigh—mindedmotherwhogavehimtotheworld。

MostoftheconversationinMrs。Osborne’shomewascontributedbyMrs。StantonandMissAnthony，whiletherestofussat，asitwere，attheirfeet。

Manyhumanandfemininetouchesbrightenedtheloftydiscussionsthatwereconstantlygoingon，andthevariedcharacteristicsofourleaderscroppedupinamusingfashion。Mrs。Stanton，forexample，wasrarelyaccurateingivingfiguresordates，whileMissAnthonywasalwaysveryexactinsuchmatters。

ShefrequentlycorrectedMrs。Stanton’sstatements，andMrs。Stantonusuallytooktheinterruptioninthebestpossiblespirit，promptlyadmittingthat``AuntSusan’’knewbest。OnoneoccasionIre—

call，however，sheheldfasttoheropinionthatshewasrightastothemonthinwhichacertaininci—

denthadoccurred。

``No，Susan，’’sheinsisted，``you’rewrongforonce。Irememberperfectlywhenthathappened，foritwasatthetimeIwasbeginningtoweanHarriet。’’

AuntSusan，thoughsomewhatstaggeredbytheforceofthistestimony，stillmaintainedthatMrs。

Stantonmustbemistaken，whereuponthelatterrepeated，inexasperation，``ItellyouithappenedwhenIwasweaningHarriet。’’Andsheadded，scornfully，``Whateventhaveyougottoreckonfrom？’’

MissAnthonymeeklysubsided。

Mrs。Stantonhadwonderfulblueeyes，whichheldtotheendofherlifeanexpressionofeternalyouth。Duringourconventionssheusuallytookalittlenapintheafternoon，andwhensheawokeherblueeyesalwayshadanexpressionofpleasedandinnocentsurprise，asifsheweregazingontheworldforthefirsttime——theround，unwinking，interestedlookababy’seyeshavewhensomethingattractiveisheldupbeforethem。

Letmegiveinaparagraph，beforeIswingoffintothebypathsthatalwaysallureme，theconsecutivesuffrageeventsofthepastquarterofacentury。

Havingdonethis，IcandwelloneachascasuallyasIchoose，foritispossibletodescribeonlyafewincidentshereandthere；andIshallnotbedepart—

ingfromthestoryofmylife，formylifehadbecomemergedinthesuffragecause。

OfthepreliminarysuffragecampaignsinKansas，madeincompanywith``AuntSusan，’’Ihaveal—

readywritten，anditremainsonlytosaythatdur—

ingthesecondKansascampaignyellowwasadoptedasthesuffragecolor。In1890，’92，and’93weagainworkedinKansasandinSouthDakota，withsuchindefatigableandbrilliantspeakersasMrs。Catt（towhoseeffortsalsowerelargelyduethewinningofColoradoin’93），Mrs。LauraJohnsofKansas，Mrs。JuliaNelson，HenryB。Blackwell，Dr。HelenV。PutnamofDakota，Mrs。EmmaSmithDeVoe，Rev。OlympiaBrowneofWisconsin，andDr。MarySeymourHowellofNewYork。In’94，’95，and’96

specialeffortsweredevotedtoIdaho，Utah，Cali—

fornia，andWashington，andfromthenonourcampaignswerewagedsteadilyintheWesternstates。

TheColoradovictorygaveustwofullsuffragestates，forin1869theTerritoryofWyominghaden—

franchisedwomenunderveryinterestingconditions，notnowgenerallyremembered。Theachievementwasduetotheinfluenceofonewoman，EstherMorris，apioneerwhowasasgoodaneighborasshewasasuffragist。Inthoseearlydays，inhomesfarfromphysiciansandsurgeons，thewomencaredforoneanotherinsickness，andEstherMorris，asithappened，oncetookfullandskilfulchargeofaneighborduringthedifficultbirthofthelatter’schild。Shehaddonethesamethingformanyotherwomen，butthiswoman’shusbandwasespeciallygrateful。HewasalsoamemberoftheLegislature，andhetoldMrs。Morristhatiftherewasanymeasureshewishedputthroughforthewomenoftheterritoryhewouldbegladtointroduceit。

Sheimmediatelytookhimathiswordbyaskinghimtointroduceabillenfranchisingwomen，andhepromptlydidso。

TheLegislaturewasDemocratic，anditpounceduponthemeasureasahugejoke。WiththeamiablepurposeofembarrassingtheGovernoroftheter—

ritory，whowasaRepublicanandhadbeenappointedbythePresident，thememberspassedthebillandputituptohimtoveto。Totheircombinedhorrorandamazement，theyoungGovernordidnothingofthekind。Hehadcome，asithappened，fromSalem，Ohio，oneofthefirsttownsintheUnitedStatesinwhichasuffrageconventionwasheld。

There，asaboy，hehadheardSusanB。Anthonymakeaspeech，andhehadcarriedintotheyearstheimpressionitmadeuponhim。Hesignedthatbill；and，astheLegislaturecouldnotgetatwo—

thirdsvotetokillit，thedisgustedmembershadtomakethebestofthematter。ThefollowingyearaDemocratintroducedabilltorepealthemeasure，butalreadypublicsentimenthadchangedandhewaslaugheddown。AfterthatnofurthereffortwasevermadetotaketheballotawayfromthewomenofWyoming。

Whentheterritoryappliedforstatehood，itwasfearedthatthewoman—suffrageclauseinthecon—

stitutionmightinjureitschanceofadmission，andthewomensentthistelegramtoJosephM。Carey：

``Dropusifyoumust。WecantrustthemenofWyomingtoenfranchiseusafterourterritorybe—

comesastate。’’

Mr。CareydiscussedthistelegramwiththeothermenwhowereurginguponCongresstheadmissionoftheirterritory，andthefollowingreplywentback：

``WemaystayoutoftheUnionahundredyears，butwewillcomeinwithourwomen。’’

Thereisgreatinspirationinthosetwomessages——

andagreatlesson，aswell。

In1894weconductedacampaigninNewYork，whenaneffortwasmadetosecureaclausetoen—

franchisewomeninthenewstateconstitution；andforthefirsttimeinthehistoryofthewoman—suf—

fragemovementmanyoftheinfluentialwomeninthestateandcityofNewYorktookanactivepartinthework。MissAnthonywas，asalways，ourleaderandgreatestinspiration。Mrs。JohnBrooksGreenleafwasstatepresident，andMissMaryAnthonywasthemostactiveworkerintheRoches—

terheadquarters。Mrs。LilyDevereauxBlakehadchargeofthecampaigninNewYorkCity，andMrs。

MariannaChapmanlookedaftertheBrooklynsec—

tion，whileamoststimulatingsignofthetimeswastheorganizationofacommitteeofNewYorkwomenofwealthandsocialinfluence，whoestab—

lishedtheirheadquartersatSherry’s。AmongthesewereMrs。JosephineShawLowell，Mrs。JosephH。

Choate，Dr。MaryPutnamJacobi，Mrs。J。WarrenGoddard，andMrs。RobertAbbe。MissAnthony，theninherseventy—fifthyear，spokeineverycountyofthestatesixtyinall。Ispokeinforty，andMrs。

Catt，asalways，madeasuperbrecord。MissHar—

rietMayMills，agraduateofCornell，andMissMaryG。Hay，didadmirableorganizationworkinthedif—

ferentcounties。Ourdisappointmentoverthere—

sultwasgreatlysoothedbythefactthatonlytwoyearslaterbothIdahoandUtahswungintolineasfullsuffragestates，thoughCalifornia，inwhichwehadlaboredwithequalzeal，waitedfifteenyearslonger。

Amongthesecampaigns，andoverlappingthem，wereourannualconventions——eachofwhichIat—

tendedfrom1888on——andthenationalandinter—

nationalcouncils，toanumberofwhich，also，Ihavegivenpreliminarymention。WhenSusanB。An—