the story of a pioneer-第30节

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and　filling　the　hall；　and　when　the　men　realized

what　it　all　meant；　and　recognized　their　wives；　sis…

ters；　and　women　friends　in　the　throng；　they　sheep…

ishly　unlocked　the　front　doors　and　left　us　in　posses…

sion；　though　we　politely　urged　them　to　remain。　　We

had　a　great　meeting　that　night！



Another　reminiscence　may　not　be　out　of　place。　

We　were　working　for　a　prohibition　amendment　in

the　state　of　Pennsylvania；　and　the　night　before

election　I　reached　Coatesville。　　I　had　just　com…

pleted　six　weeks　of　strenuous　campaigning；　and　that

day　I　had　already　conducted　and　spoken　at　two　big

outdoor　meetings。　　When　I　entered　the　town　hall

of　Coatesville　I　found　it　filled　with　women。　　Only

a　few　men　were　there；　the　rest　were　celebrating

and　campaigning　in　the　streets。　　So　I　arose　and

said：



‘‘I　would　like　to　ask　how　many　men　there　are　in

the　audience　who　intend　to　vote　for　the　amendment

to…morrow？''



Every　man　in　the　hall　stood　up。



‘‘I　thought　so；''　I　said。　　‘‘Now　I　intend　to　ask

your　indulgence。　　As　you　are　all　in　favor　of　the

amendment；　there　is　no　use　in　my　setting　its　claims

before　you；　and；　as　I　am　utterly　exhausted；　I

suggest　that　we　sing　the　Doxology　and　go　home！''



The　audience　saw　the　common　sense　of　my

position；　so　the　people　laughed　and　sang　the　Doxol…

ogy　and　departed。　　As　we　were　leaving　the　hall

one　of　Coatesville's　prominent　citizens　stopped　me。



‘‘I　wish　you　were　a　man；''　he　said。　　‘‘The　town

was　to　have　a　big　outdoor　meeting　to…night；　and

the　orator　has　failed　us。　　There　are　thousands　of

men　in　the　streets　waiting　for　the　speech；　and　the

saloons　are　sending　them　free　drinks　to　get　them

drunk　and　carry　the　town　to…morrow。''



‘‘Why；''　I　said；　‘‘I'll　talk　to　them　if　you　wish。''



‘‘Great　Scott！''　he　gasped。　　‘‘I'd　be　afraid　to　let

you。　　Something　might　happen！''



‘‘If　anything　happens；　it　will　be　in　a　good　cause；''

I　reminded　him。　　‘‘Let　us　go。''



Down…town　we　found　the　streets　so　packed　with

men　that　the　cars　could　not　get　through；　and　with

the　greatest　difficulty　we　reached　the　stand　which

had　been　erected　for　the　speaker。　　It　was　a　gorgeous

affair。　　There　were　flaring　torches　all　around　it；　and

a　‘‘bull's…eye；''　taken　from　the　head　of　a　locomotive；

made　an　especially　brilliant　patch　of　light。　　The

stand　had　been　erected　at　a　point　where　the　city's

four　principal　streets　meet；　and　as　far　as　I　could

see　there　were　solid　masses　of　citizens　extending

into　these　streets。　　A　glee…club　was　doing　its　best

to　help　things　along；　and　the　music　of　an　organette；

an　instrument　much　used　at　the　time　in　campaign

rallies；　swelled　the　joyful　tumult。　　As　I　mounted

the　platform　the　crowd　was　singing　‘‘Vote　for　Betty

and　the　Baby；''　and　I　took　that　song　for　my　text；

speaking　of　the　helplessness　of　women　and　children

in　the　face　of　intemperance；　and　telling　the　crowd

the　only　hope　of　the　Coatesville　women　lay　in　the

vote　cast　by　their　men　the　next　day。



Directly　in　front　of　me　stood　a　huge　and　ex…

traordinarily　repellent…looking　negro。　　A　glance　at

him　almost　made　one　shudder；　but　before　I　had

finished　my　first　sentence　he　raised　his　right　arm

straight　above　him　and　shouted；　in　a　deep　and

wonderfully　rich　bass　voice；　‘‘Hallelujah　to　the

Lamb！''　　From　that　point　on　he　punctuated　my

speech　every　few　moments　with　good；　old…fashioned

exclamations　of　salvation　which　helped　to　inspire

the　crowd。　　I　spoke　for　almost　an　hour。　　Three

times　in　my　life；　and　only　three　times；　I　have　made

speeches　that　have　satisfied　me　to　the　degree；　that

is；　of　making　me　feel　that　at　least　I　was　giving　the

best　that　was　in　me。　　The　speech　at　Coatesville　was

one　of　those　three。　　At　the　end　of　it　the　good…natured

crowd　cheered　for　ten　minutes。　　The　next　day

Coatesville　voted　for　prohibition；　and；　rightly　or

wrongly；　I　have　always　believed　that　I　helped　to　win

that　victory。



Here；　by　the　way；　I　may　add　that　of　the　two　other

speeches　which　satisfied　me　one　was　made　in　Chicago；

during　the　World's　Fair；　in　1893；　and　the　other　in

Stockholm；　Sweden；　in　1912。　　The　International

Council　of　Women；　it　will　be　remembered；　met　in

Chicago　during　the　Fair；　and　I　was　invited　to　preach

the　sermon　at　the　Sunday…morning　session。　　The

occasion　was　a　very　important　one；　bringing　to…

gether　at　least　five　thousand　persons；　including

representative　women　from　almost　every　country

in　Europe；　and　a　large　number　of　women　ministers。　

These　made　an　impressive　group；　as　they　all　wore

their　ministerial　robes；　and　for　the　first　time　I

preached　in　a　ministerial　robe；　ordered　especially

for　that　day。　　It　was　made　of　black　crepe　de　Chine；

with　great　double　flowing　sleeves；　white　silk　under…

sleeves；　and　a　wide　white　silk　underfold　down　the

front；　and　I　may　mention　casually　that　it　looked

very　much　better　than　I　felt；　for　I　was　very　nervous。　

My　father　had　come　on　to　Chicago　especially　to

hear　my　sermon；　and　had　been　invited　to　sit　on　the

platform。　　Even　yet　he　was　not　wholly　reconciled

to　my　public　work；　but　he　was　beginning　to　take　a

deep　interest　in　it。　　I　greatly　desired　to　please　him

and　to　satisfy　Miss　Anthony；　who　was　extremely

anxious　that　on　that　day　of　all　days　I　should　do　my

best。



I　gave　an　unusual　amount　of　time　and　thought　to

that　sermon；　and　at　last　evolved　what　I　modestly

believed　to　be　a　good　one。　　I　never　write　out　a

sermon　in　advance；　but　I　did　it　this　time；　laboriously；

and　then　memorized　the　effort。　　The　night　before

the　sermon　was　to　be　delivered　Miss　Anthony　asked

me　about　it；　and　when　I　realized　how　deeply　in…

terested　she　was　I　delivered　it　to　her　then　and　there

as　a　rehearsal。　　It　was　very　late；　and　I　knew　we

would　not　be　interrupted。　　As　she　listened　her

face　grew　longer　and　longer　and　her　lips　drooped

at　the　corners。　　Her　disappointment　was　so　obvious

that　I　had　difficulty　in　finishing　my　recitation；　but

I　finally　got　through　it；　though　rather　weakly　toward

the　end；　and　waited　to　hear　what　she　would　say；

hoping　against　hope　that　she　had　liked　it　better

than　she　seemed　to。　　But　Susan　B。　Anthony　was

the　frankest　as　well　as　the　kindest　of　women。　　Reso…

lutely　she　shook　her　head。



‘‘It's　no　good；　Anna；''　she　said；　firmly。　　‘‘You'll

have　to　do　better。　　You've　polished　and　repolished

that　sermon　until　there's　no　life　left　in　it。　　It's　dead。　

Besides；　I　don't　care　for　your　text。''



‘‘Then　give　me　a　text；''　I　demanded；　gloomily。　



‘‘I　can't；''　said　Aunt　Susan。



I　was　tired　and　bitterly　disappointed；　and　both

conditions　showed　in　my　reply。



‘‘Well；''　I　asked；　somberly；　‘‘if　you　can't　even

supply　a　text；　how　do　you　suppose　I'm　going　to

deliver　a　brand…new　sermon　at　ten　o'clock　to…morrow

morning？''



‘‘Oh；''　declared　Aunt　Susan；　blithely；　‘‘you'll　find

a　text。''



I　suggested　several；　but　she　did　not　like　them。　

At　last　I　said；　‘‘I　have　it‘Let　no　man　take　thy

crown。'　''



‘‘That's　it！''　exclaimed　Miss　Anthony。　　‘‘Give　us

a　good　sermon　on　that　text。''



She　went　to　her　room　to　sleep　the　sleep　of　the

just　and　the　untroubled；　but　I　tossed　in　my　bed　the

rest　of　the　night；　planning　the　points　of　the　new

sermon。　　After　I　had　delivered　it　the　next　morning

I　went　to　my　father　to　assist　him　from　the　platform。　

He　was　trembling；　and　his　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　

He　seized　my　arm　and　pressed　it。



‘‘Now　I　am　ready　to　die；''　was　all　he　said。



I　was　so　tired　that　I　felt　ready　to　die；　too；　but

his　satisfaction　and　a　glance　at　Aunt　Susan's　con…

tented　face　gave　me　the　tonic　I　needed。　　Father

died　two　years　later；　and　as　I　was　campaigning　in

California　I　was　not　with　him　at　the　end。　　It　was

a　comfort　to　remember；　however；　that　in　the　twilight

of　his　life　he　had　learned　to　understand　his　most

difficult　daughter；　and　to　give　her　credit　for　earnest…

ness　of　purpose；　at　least；　in　following　the　life　that　had

led　her　away　from　him。　　After　his　death；　and　imme…

diately　upon　my　return　from　California；　I　visited

my　mother；　and　it　was　well　indeed　that　I　did；　for

within　a　few　months　she　followed　father　into　the

other　world　for　which　all　of　her　unselfish　life　had


been　a　preparation。



Our　last　days　together　were　perfect。　　Her　attitude

was　one　of　serene　and　cheerful　expectancy；　and　I

always　think　of　her　as　sitting　among　the　primroses

and　bluebells　she　loved；　which　seemed　to　bloom

unceasingly　in　the　windows　of　her　room。　　I　recall；

too；　with　gratitude；　a　trifle　which　gave　her　a　pleasure

out　of　all　proportion　to　what　I　had　dreamed　it　would

do。　　She　had　expressed　a　longing　for　some　English

heather；　‘‘not　the　hot…house　variety；　but　the　kind　that

blooms　on　the　hills；''　and　I　had　succeeded　in　getting

a　bunch　for　her　by　writing　to　an　English　friend。



Its　possession　filled　her　with　joy；　and　from　the

time　it　came　until　the　day　her　eyes　closed　in　their

last　sleep　it　was　rarely　beyond　reach　of　her　hand。　

At　her　request；　when　she　was　buried