the story of a pioneer-第36节

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International　Council　of　Women　that　year；　as　the

climax　of　her　career。　　She　said　it　after　the　unex…

pected　and　wonderful　ovation　she　had　received　from

the　German　people；　and　certainly　throughout　her

inspiring　life　nothing　had　happened　that　moved　her

more　deeply。



For　some　time　Mrs。　Carrie　Chapman　Catt；　of

whose　splendid　work　for　the　Cause　I　shall　later　have

more　to　say；　had　cherished　the　plan　of　forming　an

International　Suffrage　Alliance。　　She　believed　the

time　had　come　when　the　suffragists　of　the　entire

world　could　meet　to　their　common　benefit；　and　Miss

Anthony；　always　Mrs。　Catt's　devoted　friend　and　ad…

mirer；　agreed　with　her。　　A　committee　was　appointed

to　meet　in　Berlin　in　1904；　just　before　the　meeting

of　the　International　Council　of　Women；　and　Miss

Anthony　was　appointed　chairman　of　the　committee。　

At　first　the　plan　of　the　committee　was　not　welcomed

by　the　International　Council；　there　was　even　a　sus…

picion　that　its　purpose　was　to　start　a　rival　organiza…

tion。　　But　it　met；　a　constitution　was　framed；　and

officers　were　elected；　Mrs。　Cattthe　ideal　choice

for　the　placebeing　made　president。　　As　a　climax

to　the　organization；　a　great　public　mass…meeting　had

been　arranged　by　the　German　suffragists；　but　at　the

special　plea　of　the　president　of　the　International

Council　Miss　Anthony　remained　away　from　this

meeting。　　It　was　represented　to　her　that　the　in…

terests　of　the　Council　might　suffer　if　she　and　other

of　its　leading　speakers　were　also　leaders　in　the　suf…

frage　movement。　　In　the　interest　of　harmony；　there

fore；　she　followed　the　wishes　of　the　Council's　presi…

dentto　my　great　unhappiness　and　to　that　of　other

suffragists。



When　the　meeting　was　opened　the　first　words　of

the　presiding　officer　were；　‘‘Where　is　Susan　B。　An…

thony？''　and　the　demonstration　that　followed　the

question　was　the　most　unexpected　and　overwhelm…

ing　incident　of　the　gathering。　　The　entire　audience

rose；　men　jumped　on　their　chairs；　and　the　cheering

continued　without　a　break　for　ten　minutes。　　Every

second　of　that　time　I　seemed　to　see　Miss　Anthony；

alone　in　her　hotel　room；　longing　with　all　her　big

heart　to　be　with　us；　as　we　longed　to　have　her。　　I

prayed　that　the　loss　of　a　tribute　which　would　have

meant　so　much　might　be　made　up　to　her；　and　it　was。　

Afterward；　when　we　burst　in　upon　her　and　told　her

of　the　great　demonstration　the　mere　mention　of　her

name　had　caused；　her　lips　quivered　and　her　brave

old　eyes　filled　with　tears。　　As　we　looked　at　her　I

think　we　all　realized　anew　that　what　the　world　called

stoicism　in　Susan　B。　Anthony　throughout　the　years

of　her　long　struggle　had　been；　instead；　the　splendid

courage　of　an　indomitable　soulwhile　all　the　time

the　woman's　heart　had　longed　for　affection　and

recognition。　　The　next　morning　the　leading　Berlin

newspaper；　in　reporting　the　debate　and　describing

the　spontaneous　tribute　to　Miss　Anthony；　closed

with　these　sentences：　　‘‘The　Americans　call　her

‘Aunt　Susan。'　　She　is　our　‘Aunt　Susan；'　too！''



Throughout　the　remainder　of　Miss　Anthony's

visit　she　was　the　most　honored　figure　at　the　Inter…

national　Council。　　Every　time　she　entered　the　great

convention…hall　the　entire　audience　rose　and　re…

mained　standing　until　she　was　seated；　each　mention

of　her　name　was　punctuated　by　cheers；　and　the　en…

thusiasm　when　she　appeared　on　the　platform　to　say

a　few　words　was　beyond　bounds。　　When　the　Em…

press　of　Germany　gave　her　reception　to　the　officers

of　the　Council；　she　crowned　the　hospitality　of　her

people　in　a　characteristically　gracious　way。　　As　soon

as　Miss　Anthony　was　presented　to　her　the　Empress

invited　her　to　be　seated；　and　to　remain　seated；　al…

though　every　one　else；　including　the　august　lady

herself；　was　standing。　　A　little　later；　seeing　the　in…

trepid　warrior　of　eighty…four　on　her　feet　with　the

other　delegates；　the　Empress　sent　one　of　her　aides

across　the　room　with　this　message：　　‘‘Please　tell　my

friend　Miss　Anthony　that　I　especially　wish　her　to

be　seated。　　We　must　not　let　her　grow　weary。''



In　her　turn；　Miss　Anthony　was　fascinated　by　the

Empress。　　She　could　not　keep　her　eyes　off　that

charming　royal　lady。　　Probably　the　thing　that　most

impressed　her　was　the　ability　of　her　Majesty　as　a

linguist。　　Receiving　women　from　every　civilized

country　on　the　globe；　the　Empress　seemed　to　address

each　in　her　own　tongue…slipping　from　one　language

into　the　next　as　easily　as　from　one　topic　to　another。



‘‘And　here　I　am；''　mourned　‘‘Aunt　Susan；''　‘‘speak…

ing　only　one　language；　and　that　not　very　well。''



At　this　Berlin　quinquennial；　by　the　way；　I　preached

the　Council　sermon；　and　the　occasion　gained　a　cer…

tain　interest　from　the　fact　that　I　was　the　first　or…

dained　woman　to　preach　in　a　church　in　Germany。　

It　then　took　on　a　tinge　of　humor　from　the　additional

fact　that；　according　to　the　German　law；　as　suddenly

revealed　to　us　by　the　police；　no　clergyman　was　per…

mitted　to　preach　unless　clothed　in　clerical　robes　in

the　pulpit。　　It　happened　that　I　had　not　taken　my

clerical　robes　with　meI　am　constantly　forgetting

those　clerical　robes！so　the　pastor　of　the　church

kindly　offered　me　his　robes。



Now　the　pastor　was　six　feet　tall　and　broad　in　pro…

portion；　and　I；　as　I　have　already　confessed；　am　very

short。　　His　robes　transformed　me　into　such　an　absurd

caricature　of　a　preacher　that　it　was　quite　impossible

for　me　to　wear　them。　　What；　then；　were　we　to　do？　

Lacking　clerical　robes；　the　police　would　not　allow

me　to　utter　six　words。　　It　was　finally　decided　that

the　clergyman　should　meet　the　letter　of　the　law　by

entering　the　pulpit　in　his　robes　and　standing　by　my

side　while　I　delivered　my　sermon。　　The　law　soberly

accepted　this　solution　of　the　problem；　and　we　offered

the　congregation　the　extraordinary　tableau　of　a

pulpit　combining　a　large　and　impressive　pastor

standing　silently　beside　a　small　and　inwardly　con…

vulsed　woman　who　had　all　she　could　do　to　deliver

her　sermon　with　the　solemnity　the　occasion　re…

quired。



At　this　same　conference　I　made　one　of　the　few

friendships　I　enjoy　with　a　member　of　a　European

royal　family；　for　I　met　the　Princess　Blank　of　Italy；

who　overwhelmed　me　with　attention　during　my　visit；

and　from　whom　I　still　receive　charming　letters。　　She

invited　me　to　visit　her　in　her　castle　in　Italy；　and　to

accompany　her　to　her　mother's　castle　in　Austria；

and　she　finally　insisted　on　knowing　exactly　why　I

persistently　refused　both　invitations。



‘‘Because；　my　dear　Princess；''　I　explained；　‘‘I　am

a　working…woman。''



‘‘Nobody　need　KNOW　that；''　murmured　the　Princess；

calmly。



‘‘On　the　contrary；''　I　assured　her；　‘‘it　is　the　first

thing　I　should　explain。''



‘‘But　why？''　the　Princess　wanted　to　know。



I　studied　her　in　silence　for　a　moment。　　She　was　a

new　and　interesting　type　to　me；　and　I　was　glad　to

exchange　viewpoints　with　her。



‘‘You　are　proud　of　your　family；　are　you　not？''　I

asked。　　‘‘You　are　proud　of　your　great　line？''



The　Princess　drew　herself　up。　　‘‘Assuredly；''　she

said。



‘‘Very　well；''　I　continued。　　‘‘I　am　proud；　too。　

What　I　have　done　I　have　done　unaided；　and；　to　be

frank　with　you；　I　rather　approve　of　it。　　My　work

is　my　patent　of　nobility；　and　I　am　not　willing　to

associate　with　those　from　whom　it　would　have　to　be

concealed　or　with　those　who　would　look　down　upon

it。''



The　Princess　sighed。　　I　was　a　new　type　to　her；

too；　as　new　as　she　was　to　me；　but　I　had　the　ad…

vantage　of　her；　for　I　could　understand　her　point　of

view；　whereas　she　apparently　could　not　follow　mine。　

She　was　very　gracious　to　me；　however；　showing　me

kindness　and　friendship　in　a　dozen　ways；　giving　me

an　immense　amount　of　her　time　and　taking　rather

more　of　my　time　than　I　could　spare；　but　never　for…

getting　for　a　moment　that　her　blood　was　among　the

oldest　in　Europe；　and　that　all　her　traditions　were　in

keeping　with　its　honorable　age。



After　the　Berlin　meeting　Miss　Anthony　and　I

were　invited　to　spend　a　week…end　at　the　home　of

Mrs。　Jacob　Bright；　that　‘‘Aunt　Susan''　might　re…

new　her　acquaintance　with　Annie　Besant。　　This

visit　is　among　my　most　vivid　memories。　　Originally

‘‘Aunt　Susan''　had　greatly　admired　Mrs。　Besant；

and　had　openly　lamented　the　latter's　concentration

on　theosophical　interestswhen；　as　Miss　Anthony

put　it；　‘‘there　are　so　many　live　problems　here　in　this

world。''　　Now　she　could　not　conceal　her　disapproval

of　the　‘‘other…worldliness''　of　Mrs。　Besant；　Mrs。

Bright；　and　her　daughter。　　Some　remarkable　and；

to　me；　most　amusing　discussions　took　place　among

the　three；　but　often；　during　Mrs。　Besant's　most　sus…

tained　oratorical　flights；　Miss　Anthony's　interest

would　wander；　and　she　would　drop　a　remark　that

showed　she　had　not　heard　a　word。　　She　had　a　great

admiration　for　Mrs。　Besant's　intellect；　but　she　dis…

approved　of　her　flowing　and　picturesque　white　robes；

of　her　bare　feet；　of　her　incessant　cigarette…smoking；

above　all；　of　her　views。　　At　las