The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-11-25
@atinual gepnblifs,I
rauasolr noRsIso .i.ilaoylnSlss -.
A NICE TEA PARTY
THE SECRET MEETING
WOMEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
WHO WERE PRESENT
WHAT THEY SAID AND DID
PROCEEDINGS sTRICTLYPRIvATE
ALL REPORTERS EXCLUDED
WOMEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
WHO WERE PRESENT
WHAT THEY SAID AND DID
PROCEEDINGS STRICTLY PRIVATE


Agreeable to the advertisements In the RE
PUBLICAN, twelve brave women met In th,
hall, on the second floor Of the four-stor,
building which Mrs. DR.. Lockwood, he
husband and baby honor with " a local hab
itation."
The call for the meeting was as follows.
A womsn's meeting to discuss the " womas
Question" will be held at Union League Hall
Wednesday, At l.3o O'Clock .. m. Positivei,
this occasion.
Fous more courageous souls were sddet
before TIE meeting was fairly organized, ant
one after another, as they entered, Joined
the hostess, Mrs. DR.. Lockwood, around the
stove, forming a socIable party, that needed
only table and tea cquippago to make Il 9
modern "tea fight"
Tho relations between tho veterans and
recruits were OF the most agreeable charac.
ter. Names were exchanged, and q little
chatting Of ordinary things ensued for q few
moments. There were inquiries for Mrs. Dr.
Mary Walker, aud her inquisitlve friend,
were Informed that she was In Kansas
After the "dalnty" feet of Woman RICHTER,
were sufficiently toasted, and Q garnet hu,
had appeared on the sides OF the stow,
as well rs upon the ancient cheeks o.
the venerable advocates OF woman's rights
Mrs. Lockwood and Miss O'Connor slmul.
taneously moved to open the meeting, but
the leading spirit, the guiding genius, cam,
not. What could delay herf Was shc sickl
Had she been wayiaid BY the "rowdies" who
found themselves excluded from this solemn
conelayei Did the faithful falter as they re-
Elected upon this possibility until 1t became .
probability Not at all. Ii only nerved
them to deeds Of noble daring. But their
minds were relieved as at about two O'Clock
the majestic Josephine entered the hall and
proceeded to the platform. She had been
detained at police headquarters. What In
custody No; but waiting for Major Rich
ards to consult with him as to the assistance
they could count upon from the police In
case the men would not quietly submit to
the rules the meeting might lay down. But
she failed TO see him, and our readers must
remain In doubt as TO the status Of the police
force.
The arrival Of Mrs. Grifing was the signal
for business. There was a slight hustle A
she entered, which, however, was nothing
compared with the hubbub occasioned BY
the entrance Of the reporter for the CAross-
ieIt. A moment after little Miss o'Connor
dew at him, but failed TO Brighten him, Till
Mrs. Lockwood brought her arms to bear
upon him, when he beat q hasty retreat.
The Bar man subsidized at the frat shot,
Shile our reporter modestly approached the
door, aud while pleading with Mrs. Lock
WOOD TOT admission, managed to let ten good
sized black cats alp from q bag under his
arm without being Perceived by Mrs. Lock.
WOOD. Having thus ''let the cats out Of the
nv nh la 80 ii,
transpired at the conclave, and to Inform the
sterner sex that they "still live"
Although Mrs. Grifling decided at subse-
quent point that this meeting was independ.
emit ~ -" Saturday night meetings, she as.
sdmed the chair by virtue OF her Office in the
other association. - 'A'
In the forced absence OF the secretary n,
the other meeting, (Mr. Needham.) Mrs.
spurgeon, after little simpering, consented
to act as secretary pro tenn.
There were present at this meeting, Mrs.
Josephine Grifiing, first vice president, and
acting president OF the Universal Franchise
Associations Mrs; Sturgeon, Mrs. DR.. Lock.
wood, Miss O'Connor, Mrs. Freeman, Mrs.
Colby, Miss Keene, Mrs. Holmes, Mrs
stickney and the lesser lights. 1t is useless
10 add, there were no gentlemen present, ant
even Mr.. DR.. Lockwood, who twice had the
temerity TO intrude his begrimed face, obcyed
the command OF his superior, and beat A
hasty retreat. Mrs. DR.. Lock wood said, In
explanation, after her better-half had ieit
the room, she had no idea OF allowing her
prop" to show himself with such dirty
face before her company. The little baby
wasn't permitted 10 do II.
When the group were seated 1t was pic
ture for Raphael. In the chair sat Mrs.
Grifiing, in graceful shawl and nodding
plume, mild and dignihed, with no fear OF
mans Intrusive lawlessness before her spec
tacled vision. Behind her, and busy with
pencil and paper, was Mrs. Sturgeon. petite
and dainty, as industriously reporting the
proceedings as any impertlnent representa-
tive OF the press could have been. In front
oil the Chair Sat Mrs. Lockwood, without
any wrappings as became her duty as hostess,
ana beside her, with her heavy shoes visible
10 the SISTERS" (she probably wears No.
l4,) cloaked and hooded, Mrs. Freeman over.
looked the meeting. To the right of the
Shnir sat Miss O'Connor, enveloped In a
coat that was ambitious and OF masculine
cut, hitting closely to her slight figure.
rink OF the privilege Of that close embrace
Of one who has forsworn marital Aspirations
This little woman had thrown aside her bon.
net TO allow unlimited freedom to those flow
ing ringlets that add so much glrlish grace
TO her penslve face. The other women sat
closely together, evidently with nothing to
says but one timid female Of giraffe proper.
uons found courage enough TO express a be-
lief that the veteran sisters had Reached theI,
present height of usefulness by labor aud
suffering. She had seen nothing but sun
shine, and had not been crushed yet by the
grinding heel Of masculine tyranny, but she
was open 10 conviction and desired to be In
strueted In the object and purpose Of the
meeting.
The meeting was begun with a thirty
minutes speech from the president, dellv-
cred In the lady's usual calm and dulcet
tones. She said they had organized more
than year ago. She had until recently
conducted their meetings with decency.
ihere had been free discussion, but without
the rowdy disposition manifested In the last
rev weeks. She believed this spirit would
prove no Injury to them. She had faced
lno0s, distinguished mobs, both In political
and temperance movements, where the people
were lawless. That she felt no fear. In
decd, on this occasion there had been no
cause Tor any. She had rather, for the dig
nifty of the cause, that the meetings should
DC conducted quietly, but all they had to do
was to walt until the extinction Of q spirit
that was already nearly exhausted. We
nave to walt for every issue In this world,
Zach stalk OF corn, each daisy, was the re-
suit OF waiting. We put the Kernel In the
ground and throw the crude earth about II,
eoIefshg both with finer soil, and then we
IA w blNuh and rear
It's stem to full growth. 30 must thew. tbe |
reiormlsts walt for the growth Of a iner
public sentiment. A"e'
Mrs. Lockwood, whose benevolent face
had beamed upon the audience, here with.
drew, and soon after loud alteration was
heard from the apartment occupied by that
estimable lady and her husband, In the
midst Of which the male and female voices
we're alternately dlstlnguishable, giving the
Impression that the lively dentist and his |
VIC were indulglng In little "side show" |
Out as the noise somewhat disturbed the
meeting, the president growing out that she
couidhl hear herself think, little MIss
door. '"'e''oninB
Mrs. L., short time aflerward, returned
looking as IL she had been engaged in rather
warm work.
Mrs. Lockwood followed as soon as tbe
echo OF tao chalrman's voice died away,
que rose In the power Of her majestic pres.
suee, looking like the champion OF truth In
!, Drown dress, aud her tones carried conylc-
t y, US THEIR deep resonance fell on the ears
az 'ne new soldiers In the army Of reform,
ono was not In favor Of Yielding right no
,n,sn'' lod was with every good aud great
Iause, ana enc recognized His presenee in
me TACT oil the rowdy mobocraey moi bs s,na
res accomplished its purpose OF snnihiistIon'