Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-04-15
Prom her Letter in The womAn's JsurAALl ]
Miss Louisa Alcott % . Vstss.

Our town meetings, l am told. are always
orderly and decent, this one certainly was,
and we found il very like . lyceum lecture.
only rather more tedious than most, except
when gentlemen disagreed and enlivened the
scene with occasional lapses into bad temper
or manners, which amused but did not dis
may the women-f folk, while it Unlisted them
into the forms and eour;esies Of pariiamen-
tary debate.
Mr. Alcott. with fa,herly desire to make
the new step as easy as possible for us, pri-
va,ely asked the moderator when the women
were to vote. and on being told that they
could take their chance with the men, or
come later. proposed that they should come
first as a proper token Of respect and for the
credit Of the town. One Of the selectmen
said by all means;" and proved himself .
tower Of strength by seconding the philoso-
pher on this momentous occaaion.
Tbs moderator (who is also ths reRisees.
and has most kindly and faithfully done bis
duty TO the women in spite Of his own dlder-
ence Of opinion) then announced that the
ladies would prepare their votes and dsposi,
them before the men did. No one objected,
We were ready, and 6led out in good order.
dropping 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 pleasing
surprise created = general outbreak 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 q mans voting;
perfectly fair proceeding We thought, since
We were allowed no voice on any other ques-
ton.
The superi intendent Of schools expressed
hope that the whole town would vote, but
was gracefully informed that j, made no
difference, as the women had all voted - the
men would.
Not quite correct statement, BY the way.
As many men would probably have voted for
other candidates, as tickets were prepared.
and some persons looked disturbed al being
deprived Of their rights. II was too late. how
ever, 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 theE
fitness for the Office
At the Housewives retired to get tea fos
the exhausted gentlemen, some of whom cer-
tainly looked as If they would need refresh
ment of some sort after their labors /;
was curious to observe as the women went
out how the faces which had regarded them
with disapproval, derision or doubt when
they went in nov smiled affsbly, while sew
eral men hoped the ladies' would come again,
and asked how they liked it, and assured
them that there had not been SO orderly
meeting for years.
One OF the pleasant sights to my eyes vas
dock OF school boys watching with great
interest their mothers. aunts and sisters, who
were showing them how to vote when their
own emancipation day 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
question
Among the new voters were descendants
Of Major Buttrick of Concord fight rep9yp,
two OF Hancock and Quincy, and other,
whose grandfa,hers or great grandfsthers
had been among the first settlers OF the
town.