the story of a pioneer-第40节

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again　in　hours　of　discouragement　and　despair　I　have

been　helped　by　the　blessed　conviction　that　she　was

keeping　it。



During　the　last　forty…eight　hours　of　her　life　she

was　unwilling　that　I　should　leave　her　side。　　So　day

and　night　I　knelt　by　her　bed；　holding　her　hand　and

watching　the　flame　of　her　wonderful　spirit　grow　dim。　

At　times；　even　then；　it　blazed　up　with　startling　sud…

denness。　　On　the　last　afternoon　of　her　life；　when　she

had　lain　quiet　for　hours；　she　suddenly　began　to　utter

the　names　of　the　women　who　had　worked　with　her；

as　if　in　a　final　roll…call。　　Many　of　them　had　preceded

her　into　the　next　world；　others　were　still　splendidly

active　in　the　work　she　was　laying　down。　　But　young

or　old；　living　or　dead；　they　all　seemed　to　file　past

her　dying　eyes　that　day　in　an　endless；　shadowy　re…

view；　and　as　they　went　by　she　spoke　to　each　of　them。



Not　all　the　names　she　mentioned　were　known　in

suffrage　ranks；　some　of　these　women　lived　only　in

the　heart　of　Susan　B。　Anthony；　and　now；　for　the

last　time；　she　was　thanking　them　for　what　they　had

done。　　Here　was　one　who；　at　a　moment　of　special

need；　had　given　her　small　savings；　here　was　another

who　had　won　valuable　recruits　to　the　Cause；　this

one　had　written　a　strong　editorial；　that　one　had

made　a　stirring　speech。　　In　these　final　hours　it

seemed　that　not　a　single　sacrifice　or　service；　however　

small；　had　been　forgotten　by　the　dying　leader。　　Last

of　all；　she　spoke　to　the　women　who　had　been　on　her

board　and　had　stood　by　her　loyally　so　longRachel

Foster　Avery；　Alice　Stone　Blackwell；　Carrie　Chap…

man　Catt；　Mrs。　Upton；　Laura　Clay；　and　others。　

Then；　after　lying　in　silence　for　a　long　time　with　her

cheek　on　my　hand；　she　murmured：　　‘‘They　are　still

passing　before　meface　after　face；　hundreds　and

hundreds　of　them；　representing　all　the　efforts　of

fifty　years。　　I　know　how　hard　they　have　worked

I　know　the　sacrifices　they　have　made。　　But　it　has

all　been　worth　while！''



Just　before　she　lapsed　into　unconsciousness　she

seemed　restless　and　anxious　to　say　something；　search…

ing　my　face　with　her　dimming　eyes。



‘‘Do　you　want　me　to　repeat　my　promise？''　I

asked；　for　she　had　already　made　me　do　so　several

times。　　She　made　a　sign　of　assent；　and　I　gave　her

the　assurance　she　desired。　　As　I　did　so　she　raised

my　hand　to　her　lips　and　kissed　ither　last　conscious

action。　　For　more　than　thirty　hours　after　that　I

knelt　by　her　side；　but　though　she　clung　to　my　hand

until　her　own　hand　grew　cold；　she　did　not　speak

again。



She　had　told　me　over　and　over　how　much　our　long

friendship　and　association　had　meant　to　her；　and　the

comfort　I　had　given　her。　　But　whatever　I　may　have

been　to　her；　it　was　as　nothing　compared　with　what

she　was　to　me。　　Kneeling　close　to　her　as　she　passed

away；　I　knew　that　I　would　have　given　her　a　dozen

lives　had　I　had　them；　and　endured　a　thousand　times　

more　hardship　than　we　had　borne　together；　for　the

inspiration　of　her　companionship　and　the　joy　of　her

affection。　　They　were　the　greatest　blessings　I　have

had　in　all　my　life；　and　I　cherish　as　my　dearest　treas…

ure　the　volume　of　her　History　of　Woman　Suffrage

on　the　fly…leaf　of　which　she　had　written　this　in…

scription：



REVEREND　ANNA　HOWARD　SHAW：



This　huge　volume　IV　I　present　to　you　with　the　love　that

a　mother　beareth；　and　I　hope　you　will　find　in　it　the　facts　about

women；　for　you　will　find　them　nowhere　else。　　Your　part　will

be　to　see　that　the　four　volumes　are　duly　placed　in　the　libraries

of　the　country；　where　every　student　of　history　may　have　access

to　them。



　　　　　　　　　　　　With　unbounded　love　and　faith；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SUSAN　B。　ANTHONY。





That　final　line　is　still　my　greatest　comfort。　　When

I　am　misrepresented　or　misunderstood；　when　I　am

accused　of　personal　ambition　or　of　working　for　per…

sonal　ends；　I　turn　to　it　and　to　similar　lines　penned

by　the　same　hand；　and　tell　myself　that　I　should　not

allow　anything　to　interfere　with　the　serenity　of　my

spirit　or　to　disturb　me　in　my　work。　　At　the　end　of

eighteen　years　of　the　most　intimate　companionship；

the　leader　of　our　Cause；　the　greatest　woman　I　have

ever　known；　still　felt　for　me　‘‘unbounded　love　and

faith。''　　Having　had　that；　I　have　had　enough。



For　two　days　after　‘‘Aunt　Susan's''　death　she　lay

in　her　own　home；　as　if　in　restful　slumber；　her　face

wearing　its　most　exquisite　look　of　peaceful　serenity；

and　here　her　special　friends；　the　poor　and　the　unfor…

tunate　of　the　city；　came　by　hundreds　to　pay　their

last　respects。　　On　the　third　day　there　was　a　public

funeral；　held　in　the　Congregational　church；　and；

though　a　wild　blizzard　was　raging；　every　one　in

Rochester　seemed　included　in　the　great　throng　of

mourners　who　came　to　her　bier　in　reverence　and

left　it　in　tears。　　The　church　services　were　conducted

by　the　pastor；　the　Rev。　C。　C。　Albertson；　a　lifelong

friend　of　Miss　Anthony's；　assisted　by　the　Rev。　Will…

iam　C。　Gannett。　　James　G。　Potter；　the　Mayor　of

the　city；　and　Dr。　Rush　Rhees；　president　of　Rochester

University；　occupied　prominent　places　among　the

distinguished　mourners；　and　Mrs。　Jerome　Jeffries；

the　head　of　a　colored　school；　spoke　in　behalf　of　the

negro　race　and　its　recognition　of　Miss　Anthony's

services。　　College　clubs；　medical　societies；　and　re…

form　groups　were　represented　by　delegates　sent　from

different　states；　and　Miss　Anna　Gordon　had　come

on　from　Illinois　to　represent　the　Woman's　National

Christian　Temperance　Union。　　Mrs。　Catt　delivered　a

eulogy　in　which　she　expressed　the　love　and　recognition

of　the　organized　suffrage　women　of　the　world　for　Miss

Anthony；　as　the　one　to　whom　they　had　all　looked

as　their　leader。　　William　Lloyd　Garrison　spoke　of

Miss　Anthony's　work　with　his　father　and　other　anti…

slavery　leaders；　and　Mrs。　Jean　Brooks　Greenleaf

spoke　in　behalf　of　the　New　York　State　Suffrage

Association。　　Then；　as　‘‘Aunt　Susan''　had　requested；

I　made　the　closing　address。　　She　had　asked　me　to

do　this　and　to　pronounce　the　benediction；　as　well　as

to　say　the　final　words　at　her　grave。



It　was　estimated　that　more　than　ten　thousand

persons　were　assembled　in　and　around　the　church；

and　after　the　benediction　those　who　had　been　pa…

tiently　waiting　out　in　the　storm　were　permitted　to

pass　inside　in　single　file　for　a　last　look　at　their

friend。　　They　found　the　coffin　covered　by　a　large

American　flag；　on　which　lay　a　wreath　of　laurel　and

palms；　around　it　stood　a　guard　of　honor　composed

of　girl　students　of　Rochester　University　in　their

college　caps　and　gowns。　　All　day　students　had

mounted　guard；　relieving　one　another　at　intervals。　

On　every　side　there　were　flowers　and　floral　emblems

sent　by　various　organizations；　and　just　over　‘‘Aunt

Susan's''　head　floated　the　silk　flag　given　to　her　by

the　women　of　Colorado。　　It　contained　four　gold

stars；　representing　the　four　enfranchised　states；

while　the　other　stars　were　in　silver。　　On　her　breast

was　pinned　the　jeweled　flag　given　to　her　on　her

eightieth　birthday　by　the　women　of　Wyomingthe

first　place　in　the　world　where　in　the　constitution　of

the　state　women　were　given　equal　political　rights

with　men。　　Here　the　four　stars　representing　the

enfranchised　states　were　made　of　diamonds；　the

others　of　silver　enamel。　　Just　before　the　lid　was

fastened　on　the　coffin　this　flag　was　removed　and

handed　to　Mary　Anthony；　who　presented　it　to　me。　

From　that　day　I　have　worn　it　on　every　occasion　of

importance　to　our　Cause；　and　each　time　a　state　is

won　for　woman　suffrage　I　have　added　a　new　diamond

star。　　At　the　time　I　write　thisin　1914there　are

twelve。



As　the　funeral　procession　went　through　the　streets

of　Rochester　it　was　seen　that　all　the　city　flags　were

at　half…mast；　by　order　of　the　City　Council。　　Many

houses　were　draped　in　black；　and　the　grief　of　the

citizens　manifested　itself　on　every　side。　　All　the　way

to　Mount　Hope　Cemetery　the　snow　whirled　blind…

ingly　around　us；　while　the　masses　that　had　fallen

covered　the　earth　as　far　as　we　could　see　a　fitting

winding…sheet　for　the　one　who　had　gone。　　Under　the

fir…trees　around　her　open　grave　I　obeyed　‘‘Aunt

Susan's''　wish　that　I　should　utter　the　last　words

spoken　over　her　body　as　she　was　laid　to　rest：



‘‘Dear　friend；''　I　said；　‘‘thou　hast　tarried　with　us

long。　　Now　thou　hast　gone　to　thy　well…earned　rest。　

We　beseech　the　Infinite　Spirit　Who　has　upheld　thee

to　make　us　worthy　to　follow　in　thy　steps　and　to

carry　on　thy　work。　　Hail　and　farewell。''







XI



THE　WIDENING　SUFFRAGE　STREAM



In　my　chapters　on　Miss　Anthony　I　bridged　the

twenty　years　between　1886　and　1906；　omitting

many　of　the　stirring　suffrage　events　of　that　long

period；　in　my　desire　to　concentrate　on　those　which

most　vitally　concerned　her。　　I　must　now　retrace　my

steps　along　the　widening　suffrage　stream　and　de…

scribe；　consecutively　at　least；　and　as　fully　as　these

incomplete　reminiscences　will　permit；　other　inci…

dents　that　occurred　on　its　banks。