the story of a pioneer-第30部分

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It　bubbled　forth　again　and　again　during　the　eve…

ning；　and　each　time　Miss　Anthony　received　the　dem…

onstration　with　the　same　air　of　puzzled　surprise。　

When　we　had　returned　to　our　hotel　rooms　I　explained

the　matter　to　her。　　I　do　not　remember　now　where

I　had　acquired　my　own　sinful　knowledge；　but　that

night　I　faced　‘‘Aunt　Susan''　from　the　pedestal　of　a

sophisticated　worldling。



‘‘Don't　you　know　what　a　right　bower　is？''　I　de…

manded；　sternly。



‘‘Of　course　I　do；''　insisted　‘‘Aunt　Susan。''　　‘‘It's

a　right…hand　manthe　kind　one　can't　do　without。''



‘‘It　is　a　card；''　I　told　her；　firmly‘‘a　leading　card

in　a　game　called　euchre。''



‘‘Aunt　Susan''　was　dazed。　　‘‘I　didn't　know　it　had

anything　to　do　with　cards；''　she　mused；　mournfully。　

‘‘What　must　they　think　of　me？''



What　they　thought　became　quite　evident。　　The

newspapers　made　countless　jokes　at　our　expense；

and　there　were　significant　smiles　on　the　faces　in　the

audience　that　awaited　us　the　next　night。　　When

Miss　Anthony　walked　upon　the　platform　she　at

once　proceeded　to　clear　herself　of　the　tacit　charge

against　her。



‘‘When　I　came　to　your　town；''　she　began；　cheer…

fully；　‘‘I　had　been　warned　that　you　were　a　very

religious　lot　of　people。　　I　wanted　to　impress　upon

you　the　fact　that　Miss　Shaw　and　I　are　religious；　too。

But　I　admit　that　when　I　told　you　she　was　my　right

bower　I　did　not　know　what　a　right　bower　was。　　I

have　learned　that；　since　last　night。''



She　waited　until　the　happy　chortles　of　her　hearers

had　subsided；　and　then　went　on。



‘‘It　interests　me　very　much；　however；''　she　con…

cluded；　‘‘to　realize　that　every　one　of　you　seemed　to

know　all　about　a　right　bower；　and　that　I　had　to　come

to　your　good；　orthodox　town　to　get　the　informa…

tion。''



That　time　the　joke　was　on　the　audience。

Miss　Anthony's　home　was　in　Rochester；　New

York；　and　it　was　said　by　our　friends　that　on　the

rare　occasions　when　we　were　not　together；　and　I　was

lecturing　independently；　‘‘all　return　roads　led

through　Rochester。''　　I　invariably　found　some　ex…

cuse　to　go　there　and　report　to　her。　　Together　we

must　have　worn　out　many　Rochester　pavements；

for　‘‘Aunt　Susan's''　pet　recreation　was　walking；　and

she　used　to　walk　me　round　and　round　the　city

squares；　far　into　the　night；　and　at　a　pace　that　made

policemen　gape　at　us　as　we　flew　by。　　Some　dis…

respectful　youth　once　remarked　that　on　these　oc…

casions　we　suggested　a　race　between　a　ruler　and　a

rubber　ballfor　she　was　very　tall　and　thin；　while

I　am　short　and　plump。　　To　keep　up　with　her　I

literally　bounded　at　her　side。



A　certain　amount　of　independent　lecturing　was

necessary　for　me；　for　I　had　to　earn　my　living。　　The

National　American　Woman　Suffrage　Association

has　never　paid　salaries　to　its　officers；　so；　when　I　be…

came　vice…president　and　eventually；　in　1904；　presi…

dent　of　the　association；　I　continued　to　work　gratui…

tously　for　the　Cause　in　these　positions。　　Even　Miss

Anthony　received　not　one　penny　of　salary　for　all

her　years　of　unceasing　labor；　and　she　was　so　poor

that　she　did　not　have　a　home　of　her　own　until　she

was　seventy…five。　　Then　it　was　a　very　simple　one；

and　she　lived　with　the　utmost　economy。　　I　decided

that　I　could　earn　my　bare　expenses　by　making　one

brief　lecture　tour　each　year；　and　I　made　an　arrange…

ment　with　the　Redpath　Bureau　which　left　me

fully　two…thirds　of　my　time　for　the　suffrage　work

I　loved。



This　was　one　result　of　my　all…night　talk　with　Miss

Anthony　in　Chicago；　and　it　enabled　me　to　carry

out　her　plan　that　I　should　accompany　her　in　most

of　the　campaigns　in　which　she　sought　to　arouse　the

West　to　the　need　of　suffrage　for　women。　　From　that

time　on　we　traveled　and　lectured　together　so　con…

stantly　that　each　of　us　developed　an　almost　uncanny

knowledge　of　the　other's　mental　processes。　　At　any

point　of　either's　lecture　the　other　could　pick　it　up

and　carry　it　ona　fortunate　condition；　as　it　some…

times　became　necessary　to　do　this。　　Miss　Anthony

was　subject　to　contractions　of　the　throat；　which　for

the　moment　caused　a　slight　strangulation。　　On　such

occasionsof　which　there　were　severalshe　would

turn　to　me　and　indicate　her　helplessness。　　Then　I

would　repeat　her　last　sentence；　complete　her　speech；

and　afterward　make　my　own。



The　first　time　this　happened　we　were　in　Washing…

ton；　and　‘‘Aunt　Susan''　stopped　in　the　middle　of　a

word。　　She　could　not　speak；　she　merely　motioned

to　me　to　continue　for　her；　and　left　the　stage。　　At　the

end　of　the　evening　a　prominent　Washington　man

who　had　been　in　our　audience　remarked　to　me；　con…

fidentially：



‘‘That　was　a　nice　little　play　you　and　Miss　An…

thony　made　to…nightvery　effective　indeed。''



For　an　instant　I　did　not　catch　his　meaning；　nor

the　implication　in　his　knowing　smile。



‘‘Very　clever；　that　strangling　bit；　and　your　going

on　with　the　speech；''　he　repeated。　　‘‘It　hit　the　au…

dience　hard。''



‘‘Surely；''　I　protested；　‘‘you　don't　think　it　was　a

deliberate　thingthat　we　planned　or　rehearsed　it。''



He　stared　at　me　incredulously。　　‘‘Are　you　going

to　pretend；''　he　demanded；　‘‘that　it　wasn't　a　put…up

job？''



I　told　him　he　had　paid　us　a　high　compliment；　and

that　we　must　really　have　done　very　well　if　we　had

conveyed　that　impression；　and　I　finally　convinced

him　that　we　not　only　had　not　rehearsed　the　episode；

but　that　neither　of　us　had　known　what　the　other

meant　to　say。　　We　never　wrote　out　our　speeches；

but　our　subject　was　always　suffrage　or　some　ramifica…

tion　of　suffrage；　and；　naturally；　we　had　thoroughly

digested　each　other's　views。



It　is　said　by　my　friends　that　I　write　my　speeches

on　the　tips　of　my　fingersfor　I　always　make　my

points　on　my　fingers　and　have　my　fingers　named　for

points。　　When　I　plan　a　speech　I　decide　how　many

points　I　wish　to　make　and　what　those　points　shall

be。　　My　mental　preparation　follows。　　Miss　An…

thony's　method　was　much　the　same；　but　very　fre…

quently　both　of　us　threw　over　all　our　plans　at　the　last

moment　and　spoke　extemporaneously　on　some　theme

suggested　by　the　atmosphere　of　the　gathering　or　by

the　words　of　another　speaker。



From　Miss　Anthony；　more　than　from　any　one　else；

I　learned　to　keep　cool　in　the　face　of　interruptions

and　of　the　small　annoyances　and　disasters　inevitable

in　campaigning。　　Often　we　were　able　to　help　each

other　out　of　embarrassing　situations；　and　one　incident

of　this　kind　occurred　during　our　campaign　in　South

Dakota。　　We　were　holding　a　meeting　on　the　hottest

Sunday　of　the　hottest　month　in　the　yearAugust

and　hundreds　of　the　natives　had　driven　twenty；

thirty；　and　even　forty　miles　across　the　country　to

hear　us。　　We　were　to　speak　in　a　sod　church；　but　it

was　discovered　that　the　structure　would　not　hold　half

the　people　who　were　trying　to　enter　it；　so　we　decided

that　Miss　Anthony　should　speak　from　the　door；　in

order　that　those　both　inside　and　outside　might　hear

her。　　To　elevate　her　above　her　audience；　she　was

given　an　empty　dry…goods　box　to　stand　on。



This　makeshift　platform　was　not　large；　and　men；

women；　and　children　were　seated　on　the　ground

around　it；　pressing　up　against　it；　as　close　to　the

speaker　as　they　could　get。　　Directly　in　front　of　Miss

Anthony　sat　a　woman　with　a　child　about　two　years

olda　little　boy；　and　this　infant；　like　every　one　else

in　the　packed　throng；　was　dripping　with　perspiration

and　suffering　acutely　under　the　blazing　sun。　　Every

woman　present　seemed　to　have　brought　children　with

her；　doubtless　because　she　could　not　leave　them

alone　at　home；　and　babies　were　crying　and　fretting

on　all　sides。　　The　infant　nearest　Miss　Anthony　fretted

most　strenuously；　he　was　a　sturdy　little　fellow　with

a　fine　pair　of　lungs；　and　he　made　it　very　difficult　for

her　to　lift　her　voice　above　his　dismal　clamor。　　Sud…

denly；　however；　he　discovered　her　feet　on　the　dry…

goods　box；　about　on　a　level　with　his　head。　　They

were　clad　in　black　stockings　and　low　shoes；　they

moved　about　oddly；　they　fascinated　him。　　With　a

yelp　of　interest　he　grabbed　for　them　and　began

pinching　them　to　see　what　they　were。　　His　howls

ceased；　he　was　happy。



Miss　Anthony　was　not。　　But　it　was　a　great　relief

to　have　the　child　quiet；　so　she　bore　the　infliction　of

the　pinching　as　long　as　she　could。　　When　endurance

had　found　its　limit　she　slipped　back　out　of　reach；

and　as　his　new　plaything　receded　the　boy　uttered

shrieks　of　disapproval。　　There　was　only　one　way　to

stop　his　noise；　Miss　Anthony　brought　her　feet　for…

ward　again；　and　he　resumed　the　pinching　of　her

ankles；　while　his　yelps　subsided　to　contented　mur…

murs。　　The　performance　was　repeated　half　a　dozen

times。　　Each　time　the　ankles　retreated　the　baby

yelled。　　Finally；　for　once　at　the　end　of　her　patience；

‘‘Aunt　Susan''　leaned　forward　and　addressed　the

mother；　whose　facial　expression　throughout　had

shown　a　complete　mental　detachment　from　the　situa…

tion。



‘‘I　think　your　little　boy　is　hot　and　thirsty；''　she

said；　gently。　　‘‘If　you　would　take　him　out　of　the

crowd　and　give　him　a　drink　of　water　and　unfasten

his　clothes；　I　am　sure　he　would　be　more　comfortable。''

Before　she　had　finished　speaking　the　woman　had

sprung　to　her　feet　and　was　facing　her　with　fierce

indignation。



‘‘This　is　the　first　time　I　have　ever　been　insulted

as　a　mother；''　she　cried；　‘‘and　by　an　old　maid　at

that！''　　Then　she　grasped　the　infant　and　left　the

scene；　amid　great　confusion。　　The　majority　of　those

in　the　audience　seemed　to　sympathize　with　her。　

They　had　not　seen　the　episode　of　the　feet；　and　they

thought　Miss　Anthony　was　complaining　of　the　child's

crying。　　Their　children　were　crying；　too；　and　they

felt　that　they　had　all　been　criticized。　　Other　women

rose　and　followed　the　irate　mother；　and　many　men

gallantly　followed　them。　　It　seemed　clear　that

motherhood　had　been　outraged。



Miss　Anthony　was　greatly　depressed　by　the　epi…

sode；　and　she　was　not　comforted　by　a　prediction　one

man　made　after　t