Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-04-25
BOSTON,.
Interesting Letter from Miss Slultes.
Boston. Mass. ADril a. 1881.


Interesting Letter from Miss Shultcs.
BosToN, Mass, April Il, 1888.
DEAR TRANsCRIPT:-Should obey the
poets injunction, "to count time by heart
throbs rather than by figures on the dial, -
it would he impossible for me to compute
the time since that July day on which
babe goodbye to a group of dear friends,
and from the rear platform of the north
ern-bound train took my last look at the
receding roofs and spires of my adopted
home. Scarce three quarters of a year
have passed. and yet, way out over the
fifteen hundred miles of distance stretches
proportienate lapse of time. But it is
idle for me to indulge in retrospections,
and so, ignoring the roll Of days and
months. will take a great leap down to
the busy exciting present.
MRS. j. ELLEN FOSTER
A very pleasant event ushcrcd in the
new year to me, for on that day Mrs. J..
Ellen Foster addressed large audience
at fremont Temple, on her favorite sub
ject. 1suppese there was not one among
the hundreds present. that listened with
at all the same emotions that did. To
me it was a turning backward of time, and
instead of the large auditorium with it's
cushioned seats, balconies, large pipe
organ, ornamented ceiling and carved and
tluted pillars, I was back in Austin, among
the friendly faces and warm hearts that
gathered round her from evening to
evening, in Jones Hall so long ago. But
only for little while was permitted to
indulge in the deluslon The grand notes
Of an organ-voluntary brought ME back
to my loneliness. even in the midst Of
hundreds, and then and there gave up
to one of the very few homesick hours I
have had since leaving you. waited
with some anxiety for the sound of her
voice, and it did not disappoint me.
Face, form, earnestncss, everything about
her, was as magnetic AS when she stirred
the people of Austin by her eloqucncc and
enthusiasm. At the close, after the crowd
had dispersed had the pleasure of clasp
ing her hand, and hearing her say, with
glorious time at Austin, did we not" l
need not tell you that she was very much
liked here, and people gathered round her
as warmly us in the west. The purpose
of her lecture was to urge the adoption
of some kind Of a prohibitory or local-op-
ton amendment to the state constitution.
listened to the discussion of this measure
before the committee in the Green Room
of the State House, and was made sorry
by hearing so much talent expended in
opposing it.
PROHIBITION AND THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE
QUESTION,
have occupied prominent places in the
legislature of Massachusetts this year.
The ladies have shown their interest in
both questions by attending in large num-
bers the hearings given by the committees
and the discussions in the House of Re-
warm, and I too frequented the knoll
which in ye oldcn times afforded pasturagc
for the tlocks and herds of John Winthrop,
but which is now crowned by stately
editce, with an immense bronze dome,
under which the doughty Benjamin, with
his host Of worthy supporters (?), wields
the affairs of state.
In presenting the Woman Suffrage Bill
to the committe.
LUCY STONE
and her husband Henry Blackwell, were
prominent speakers. Lucy is short,
plump little woman, with a round rosy
CHEEKY face of the full-moon order-not
at all of the type we are apt to call
'strond minded. first saw her at an
evening meeting over which she presided,
and as she sat on the stage with a becom-
ing white cap. and snowy lace 'kerchief
was of a gentle, loving, old time grandma,
1o1x kn ,nf Sho
speaks without any effort at oratorical
display; simply, though with decision,
and to the point. She is thoroughly in
earnest, and has devoted her life to the
cause. What the issue will be time only
| can tell. This question, which is consider
ed one of the most important OF the year,
had several hearings by the committee,
and occupied four days in discussion by
the House.
THE THIRD DAY OF ITS DISCUSSION
will think be long remembered and
probably recorded in the annals of lcgis-
lative incidents. 1t is said that nothing
like it was ever witnessed before under
the shadow of that mighty bronzed dome.
At an early hour the ladies began to as
semble, and at two o'clock, the time for
unlocking the galleries, the passage lead
ing to the ladies' gallery was so thronged
trance from the outside, but was obliged
the door from the inside. The ladies'
gallery and also the members gallery were
soon filled to their utmost, and many
ladies we're assigned to the gentlcmen's
gallery, and still they came. The Baron
in his castle on the Rhine was not more
thoroughly beseigcd by his devourers,
than was that august Legislative body
! by the ladies, on that memorable day.
Finally, many of the members gave up
their seats to their lady acquaintance,
chairs were placed in the aisles, and it
was not long till there we're as many ladies
as gentlemen occupying the floor of the
| House, the displaced members many of
them, being obliged to stand. This effort
to accommodate the ladies, showed a
most courteous spirit on the part of the
gentlemen, and was, am sure, fully ap-
preciated by oil. l had no idea that there
would be such rush, and alas, arrived
| late-n0t after the hour, but after the
the door of the gallery down one flight of
stairs stood waiting, with no prospect of
being admitted; so philosophically resign
| ing myself to the situation, and conclud-
! ing that the question could be settled
! without my presence, was about turning
away, when little incident occurred, the
particulars of which will not give-one
of those little events which remind one of
having 'honors thrust upon oue," &C.,
and indeed it was no small honor to me,
having no acquaintance among the
members-to be invited to take members
seat on the floor of the House of Repre-
sentatives of the commonwealth of Mas
sachusetts. If the gracious pember
could have known the feeling Of awe
with which deposited myself in his capa-
cious velvet-cushioncd seat, I think he
would have been amused; and that my
honors ~ threw me into series of emo
tional calisthenics, as it were, I must
confess. was by turns inflated and col
apsed by the dignity of my position and
surroundings. Representatives to right,
to left. before, behind me. Speaker of
the House in high backed chair behind
the desk, clerks and messengers every
where. Beautifully ornamented domed
ceiling. The arms of the state in blue and
bronze high'up on the wall in the front
of the room. Bronzed American eagle,
holding scroll work on which is inscribed
~ Il