The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-07
Miss Louisa Alc0tt as a Voter.
from her Letter in Woman's Journal.l

from her Letter in Womans Journal.l
Our town meetings. am told, are a
ways orderly and decent, this one Gel
tainly was; and we found it very like
lyceum lecture, only rather more ted
GUS than most, except when gentlemen
disagreed and enlivened the scene wit
occ sional lapses into bad temper o
manners, which amused but did not dis
may the women-folk, while it initiated
them into the forms and courtesies O
Parliamentary debate.
Mr.. Alcott, with fatherly desire tx
make the new step as easy as possibl,
for us, privately asked the moderate
when the women were to vote, and OF
being told that they could take thei
chances with the men or come later, pro
posed that they should come first as
proper token of respect and for thu
credit of the town. One of the select
men said, "By all means;" and proved
himself tower Of strength by secondine
the philosopher on this momentous occa
sion a..,-
The moderator (who was also the reg
istrar, and has most kindly and faithful
ly done his duty to the women in spite
of his own difference of opinion) then an.
nounced that the ladies would prepare
their votes and deposit them before the
men did. No one objected, we were
ready, and filed out in good order, drop.
ping our votes and passing back to our
seats as quickly and quietly as possible,
while the assembled gentlemen watched
us in solemn silence.
No bolt fell on our audacious heads
no earthquake shook the town, but q
pleasing surprise created general out
break of laughter and applause. for
scarcely were we seated when Judge
Hoar rose and proposed that the polls be
closed. The motion was carried before
the laugh subsidized, and the polls were
closed without mans voting; per.
fectly fair proceeding we thought, since
We were allowed no voice on any other
question.
The Superintendent of Schools ex.
pressed hope that the whole town
would vote, but was gracefully Informed
that it made no difference, as the women
had all voted as the men would.
Not quite correct statement, bv the
way, as many men would probably have
voted for other candidates, as tickets
were prepared, and some persons looked
disturbed at being deprived of their
rights. 1t was too late, however, for the
joke became sober earnest, and the
women elected the School Committee for
the coming year, feeling satisfied, with
one or two exceptions, that they had
secured persons whose past services
proved their fitness for the office.
At 5 the housewives retired to get tea
for the exhausted gentlemen, some Of
whom certainly looked as if they would
need refreshment of some sort after their
labors. 1t was curious to observe as the
women went out how the faces which
had regarded them with disapproval, de-
rision or doubt when they went in smiled
afabIy, while several men hoped the la,
dies would come up again, and asked
how they liked it, and assured them that
tnere nau NOV peen 30 Oruerly meeting
for years.
One of the pleasant sights to my eyes
was flock of school-boys watching with
great interest their mothers, aunts and
sisters, who were showing them how to
vote when their own emancipation dav
came. Another was the spectacle Of
women sitting beside their husbands,
who greatly enjoyed the affair, though
many of them differed in opinion and
had their doubts about the suffrage ques-
tion.
Among the new voters were descen-
dants of Major Buttrick of Concord fight
renown, two of Hancock and Quincy,
and Others whose grandfathers or great
grandfathers had been among the first
settlers of the town.