, 1873-07-02
FEMALE OFFlCE-HOLDE DERs,
Mias Hscttfc lewis, of Springfield, Eli.
to RIM for County Superintendent,
OF SthUniH.

to Eura Cor County Superintendent
| OF Schools
From the Fhitcha1 {I71.) Register.
| Tho Illinois Legislature llns enacted law
| that hns boon SO construed ns to allow that
women might become School Snperintoudent3
| of counties. Sono weeks ago. III Sangamon
County, letter, signed by about 12O OF tho best,
wealthicst, and most influential mon Of thal
| county, was presented to Miss Mary Z. Lewis,
teaclor, callinghe out for tlat Office, to which
she responded. placing her namo before the
people ~ candidate.
AS Miss Lewia III tho first lady of tho State
placed in tho capacity Of candidate for county
office, tho Register, desiring to present fresh aud
! authentic information on oil subjects, callod on
TINT lat}y, at AoE homo III Springfield. Friday.
Goth inst, interviewing her as to tho various
Wo found Miss Lewis at DR.. Jayne's, whcrs
she had boarded several yeArb. The Rev. Wu,.
l:ntle{lge Methodist minister Of Springfield, hal
jnst called on hor, relntvo to her candidacy, be-
ing deHrous Of aiding hor in the most effcct1ia1
wny. Mr. nutlodgo, Or. Jayne, and Miss Levi,
wero standing in tho front yard near tile Eatn,
As Mr. Rutlcdgo withdrew, wo shook the Doctor
By tho ha.ld, aud as Miss Lcwls was withdrawing,
no promised:
''s1iss Lewis, believe? Arr. Johnson"
"Why, Mr.. ~Johnson," extending u hearty
grasp Of tho hand, ut tho sanlo timp displaying q
brilliant brown eye, splendid sot Of real teeth,
heavy naturul black hair, prominent, useful
hands, easy and graceful, md dressed in plain
"Wallt in!" We had met Hiss LOWS before.
/ Miss Lewis seated us i'll tho reception room
and excused horself minute, just long enough
70 allow time to examine pictures Of Horace
Grooloy, Daniel Webster. Gov. Yates, and como
family pictures, nmong them pictures Of Mr, and
Mrs. Wothorbee, formerly Of Jacksonville, Mrs.
Jayno's pnrenta. a. good ono Of Mira. Jayne hor-
soif (Jula Wotherbee} ono Of Judge Trunlbull's
Dr.. Jayne resides out north on tho Oak Ridge
strcot-cars, with the Hon. Bon. s. Edwards on
tho weat. and Judge McClornand on tho east.
On Miss Lowis re,ontering, slo mentioned
inqufrinG after Mrs. Register aud tho little Reg-
istors, II any. Sho remarked:
suppoao, you have heard OF my now posi-
tion, as q candidate ?"
"Why, / hardly know, only tho first thing
knew was presented with tho letter thut las
beeu published and requesting mo to respond 10
it. sna didn't know exactly how to declino!'
j" I couldn't loally Ray for certain, though
seupposo it to hnyo boon aomo friend wlio signed
"Thero wan ono thing in 1t didn't like and
SHOULD I'd hayo lctt 1t OUT" re remarked.
stating my 'gront need OF tho emolumeuts.'
Well. I didn't quito like that, but mover saw
tho lottcr until after 1t was signed and present
cd, and 1t wasn't for mo, aftor being NIL my;lifo
hard workor, truthful and outspokon, to dictate
q change in tho phrascology Of q voluntary lot
tor, especially on point moasurably true, and
resolving wholly in tho hearts Of the writcns and
signers so lct it,go;"
They aoem to think 80, Encouragement il
coming In from svary quarter. Ono. gentleman,
q candidate, aud vol qualified, has declined on
tho groliud TINT ho couldn't oppose lady for
tho oillco, and tue othors, It is bolieyed, will
either do 80. Or will bo rojooted by their convcr-
"po you think politics will be mixed in tho
q ,ardly think 80, and most of my frlonda
think not. Tho ma jority OF my signorB are lia-
publlca,ls, either NatlioalH or Liberals, though
friends don't take any ononae as this, ought to
have tho iudorsomont Of both Conventions"
" Hayo the lenders and papera Of tho Demo-
CRATIC party hero taken eny grounds on the qqez-
''It has been 30 recent since my acceptance,
TINT can't say that they hayo, though bot!l tho
papora aud politicians, 90 far na I have BoeE or
lioard, havo boon worry fair and gont!omanly.
HIVE you heard anything in sprngilold1"
We answered that In tho Offices and among old
political frienda wo hoard hlins Lowia compli-
!liontcd, uniformly, both AZ to qualifications and
high Character. and in two or three instances had
lionrd the prediction Of loading Democrats TINT
Bho wolll1 DO elected.
''Aro yon teaching yot2 7" NO as|tod.
"No since tlle chango In tho school law ro-
anirlnY and allowing addit!ona! and higher
branches, felt 1t to DO my duty, In orler 10 l,o
equal to tho hghost position, to resign my SAL
ary Of 5000 aud begin to roviow ana study. I
not directing my course solely with Wow to l,ly
election to Office though, should bo oloctcd, I
should tsayo hositatea to accept unless fully
qualified for all tho duties In peraon."
"Do you considor youIeoh ,oualItcd7"
thing, consider myself fully qualified NOW.
eM QlTGred q tlatteriug poBitiOp III the st. Louis