Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-05-13

'HI TOWN HALL DRLEoATIoN-UNoFEioI INCL
DENTa OVERLOOKED RY THE RKpoRTERs


tFrom the Womans Journail
Being frequently asked "whst part tile women
took In the Concord centennial celebration" I
give herewith brief account Of our share on
that occasion.
Having set our houses in order stored our lard
ers, and filled onr rooms with guests, we girded
up our weary souls and bodies for the great day,
feeling that We must do or die for the honor Of
old Concord. Y..Y,. ....
We had NO place in the procession, but such
women - wished to hear the oration were to
directed to meet in the town hall 1T half-past
nine, aud there wait till certain persons, detailed
for the service, should come to lead them to the
tent, where = limited number OF seats had been
provided for the weaker vessels.
This seemed sensible plan, and As large
proportion Of ladies chose the intellectual part
Of the feast, the hall Was filled with = goodly
crowd At the appointed hour. No one seemed
to know what TO do except wait, and that We did
we the patience born Of long practice. But it
was very trying to the women OF Concord to see
invited guests wandering forlcrnly about or ait
ting in chilly corners. meekly wondering why
the hospitalitios Of the town were not extended
to them as we'll ~ to their "men folks" who
were absorbed into the pageant III one way and
smother.
and the sound Of martial music 30 excited the
patient party that with one accord we moved
down to the steps below, where glimpse Of the
approaching procession might cheer onr eyes.
Here we stood with tho north wind chilling rs
to the marrow OF our bones, flock Of feminine
Casabiancss with the slight difference OF freez-
ing instead Of burning at our posts.
Some wise virgins who put not their trust in
men, departed to shift for themselves, but fifty
or.more obeyod orders and stood fast till, Just
~ the procession appeared, Al agitated gentle
man with rosette 1t his buttonhole gave the
brief command. l 's' t..
"Lades cross the common and wait for your
escort"
Then he vanished and WAS seen no more.
Over we went like q dock Of sheep, leaving the
show behind ms, but comforting ourselves with
the thought Of the seats s'saving up" for us and
Of the treat to come. cheerful crowd, In spite
Of the bitter wind, the rude comments Of the men
swarming by, and the sad certainty which slow
" dawped upon us that we were entirely
forgotten. The gay and gallant presence Of .
granddaughter of the DR.. Ripley who watched
the fight from the Old Manse, kept up our spir-
it's; for the indoujtable lady circulated among
us like sunshine, inspiring us with such conf
dence that we rallied round the little flag she
bore and followed where she led
Patience has jts limits, and there came = mo-
mept when the Revolutionary spirit Of '76 blazed
nm in the bosoms of tbese long su d erne women:
for, when some impetuous soul cried ont
HCome on and let us take care OF ourseyes,'
there was general movement; the flag hutter-
ed to the front, wells we're close reefed, skirts
Killed M, arms locked, and with one accord the
light brigade charged over the red bridge, up
tho hill into the tented field, ROSY and red d-nosed
disheyellcd but tauntless,
The tent was closely packed, and no place Ap-
peared but corner OF the platform Anxious
to seat certain grey.haired ladies weary with
long waiting, and emboldened by . smile from
Senator Wilson, a nod from Representative May,
aud a pepsiye stare from Orator Curtis asked
the president Of the day il q few ladies' could
occupy that corner till seats could be found for
them
.sThey can sit or stand anywhere in the town
except on this platform; and the quicker they
get down the better, for gentlemen are coming
IN to take these places"
This gracious reply made me very glad to de-
scend into tile crowd again, for there at least
good-nature reignsd; and there we stood, placid
sst sp.rs for e not ons Of whom s
though the grandmother Of Boston waited in the
ranks,
My idea Of hospitality may be old-fashioned,
but must say felt ashamed Of Concord that
| pjiprims to this "hecca of the mind was the
| extreme edge of an unpaned board; for, when
the gods we're settled leave was given us to sit
| on the rim OF the platform.
| Perched there. like flock Of tempest tossed
pigeons, We had the privilege of reposing among
| tile sacred boots Of tie 0smslisls st whose feet
we sat. and of listening to the remarks of the
reporters, who evidently felt that the elbow room,
of the almighty press should not be encroached
| upon even by : hairs breadth.
"Neyer was fitter," answered . strong mind
! ed lady standing on one foot.
fought to have come earlier, il they come at
all"
ders, Never will again"
mDon't see why they couldn't be contented
with seeing the procession"
W. Because ss W they preferred poetry and patriot
ism to fuss and fosthers."
g Detter have Il ali their own wsy next time. u
uNo douht thev will and i hone wa shall ali
be there to see."
Sn the Iiolocue ended in q lsuoh. and the wo-
r,an ras;.naS thamsaiwa. n cn7d shonlders ali
rnund fnt as ioolad .hon, ma If was i'm.
oah ut as iJpAea ,hinnug ADI tia, "A tbs1e
sbmd have been nlsce for tile great
| arsnad.nahtars ~ Prescott William
1Tmorson John H.ncock and Dr' Ripley at
we'll as for Isasc ayis's old sword. the scissor
thst ant tha immortal csrtridpes and the ancient
Ta sn vus a'u ,nm'.ms Gnnsrs ssds n seemed r.
@ "s ,%.t 1vt H. s;r rasenna a., tIst n.tsorm wouif
hava hsd daanar son;sc.nca thsn the poif
,aaa ,.isioh sSornsd nna s;Ja or the san.ter;s
mnnlernsitv nnIer which in broke down on tht
pp,har. snH ythst tha man ~ Concord had missef
a grand onnortnnitv of Initiating those Whose
rnnmnr, thaS hsd nat r. honor
The Ssners have told The tale of that oxys ak
,,,oits snH aynarencas hut tho ns nars ala no
pet 81, tha iittle ;tams md soma ~ them var.
rot nj hA n {
distracted nsher struggled in To inform jndo.
Hn.r th.r tha Wives ~ sev.r.i potant.tea he,
haa,, ,ast ont IN tha coia snJ r,,st 10 sccop,n'o
Sstaa nrost wss tba con,n,nt;on thar Tor thas.
iadiss ha;no hohs to nol;t;csi k;tes cnniJ not \,
mag1oct.de sn nsrt ~ tho sa.ts rasarva,
Sor u,ome, ware rntb much d;A;cu,tv cIe.rsT
and the elect nreciousn ser thereon
nnar ,aai., I lou vorr ooid s,a ,.ra.,haS ~,
wera When they cot thera and low
,iiino,w ,l,a usras snS ;,aanania,t cit;,an
a.sasS ~ Co,cord for.sya HAM for raiuo;,,,
.Ie;r u,,;.sa ',nsrtar. te ,hs nn;,,t ~ sutTooa
t;nn as ,hev lnrasS the;r cInnLs over tia veivs
W Il, az ,,nostI stii tr,, w 10 ho.r;t. hi. w,
Sar d;ff cnit;aa w. "
Whar nrdar ,r.s r..,or.5 ,.h.. r,;o,,t h,
,a,,aa ..,ha rontsnnisI nrssL nownn hs.sn
Tha p-os;do,t went Srat-w.s II az o,ran ~,
tool rafnos among tha woman' who I am bsr
W, "a Cav eo,aivad h;,,, L;,,di .,d tr;a5 r. ta-,,
r. y VI ~ y;nJ 70 H;a inrar.H,hahi,;tr 90 ha =.
amona than iooLno ~ horaa that ,onoed I
aWar H;,' u = c;nor '' ' 0"e~A
"a Tna nt,a, sns,,t,o,,. .,o,, lao tho sb;,, ,rb;c
s,raatv Sivarss;aaI tha msrTor,y.ncas hv sIorl
Sinn,m, vii, I'll on No. ,S hn, the csnt.;n Eve
stn stor W." ,ottnrod "n tha hint ~ rn;n mo,
thsn nnce and his tshle wonid have oona ove
10 wnmsn had not heid mn one Lac ~ n for =
;, horr " 40 NJ ight tssr she tnd ma sfta,
' ' ward = Tor wben the insniTea aentlemsn gave I
;,nnrassva thnmn II tnnk hoth banis tn suntsi
I'M sa;she ~ niI sioouencs ~ Another iadv ".
,;nrsS o Snun hu tbe haams falling IN har skirt
v nh Pmt chaarsnilv ~ sscr;sc.I tbam and AT still Ii
. tha Sans rtnrs n liza nresident;si Marty sllowe
% va no ~ ~ har fre. INV s' f'
It M,S;', a., I ns Honpd n ba.r 4. ont savar
It wa.rv oentlemen oirered ns their sssts. All,