Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-10-06
Christening the Babies.

Perhaps the most unique and pleas
ing features of the Des MOines
woman suffrage convention was the
christening Of the babies which i'm
mediately followed Mrs. CraKmer's
address,
Three pretty young mothers carry
ing their infants in their arms,
came upon the platform and pre-
scented them to Bev. Olympia Brown
to be cttf,stered. In the absence of
the fathers, Miss Susan b. AntR0fly,
Henry b. Blackwell, of Massachu-
sets, and Senator Castle, of Illinois,
acted az sponsors. The three beauti-
full yonng mothers, with their babies,
SAT side BY side, a charming spectacle,
while Rev. Mrs. Brown read the
scriptures and offered prayer. The
three infants meanwhile crowed
merrily and tried to pull each others
hair, Then Mrs. Emma Smith De-
Voc. of Illinois, sang 'Ffccious
Jewels" the audience joining in the
chorus. At the invitation OF Rev.
Mrs. Brown, the mothers and spOn-
sors then came forward and stood in
a semi=cirele, under the three Wyom-
ing banners; amid 4 perfect bower of
golden rod and suffrage sunfowers.
They promised TO bring up the
children in the nuture and ad-
monition of the Lord, aud in a belief
in the equal rights of women. Mrs.
Brown then c~hristened the babies
successfully as Hugh Waugh McCul-
loeh, Abigail Scott DunNay Lutz, and
Bella Blackwell.
Mrs. Brown then said that if there
were in the audience any children
who had already been christened, but
whose parents desired to dedicate
them 10 the woman suffrage cause,
they should be brought forward.
Another very pretty child was
brought upon the platform by its
mother. Rev. Mrs. Brown, IN II brief
prayer, asked the Lord TO bless them,
and prosper the cause to which they
had bAen c~onsecrated. In behalf Of
the Iowa Woman Suffrage kssocia-
tion each baby was then presented
with a small sunfiower, the Suffrage
emblem. The children clutched the
bright yellow flowers with evident
appreciation. One black-eyed baby
boy, waving his sunfower in the air
kicked and crowed with special
enthusiasm. Rev. Mrs. Brown then
invited all the women in the audience
TO rise and promise TO bring up the
children and grandchildren, their
nephews and neices; in a firm belief
in the enfranchisement of women.
Every women in the hall arose.
Mother Benedict then spoke a few
words in behalf of the children who
have no parents to care for them.
The four babies, who behaved with
good humor throughout,
were then carried away, and after
this novel interlude the regular order
Of business was resumed.
The Dakota Republican boasts OF
being the Oldest paper liz both Da-
kotas. Carl Gunderson has sold out
his interest 20 E. H. Wiley, who is
again sole manager of the paper.
The Republican was started in 1860
and has een much trouble-has been
washed out by the Missouri, burned
out, and nearly starved out, but has
never been thoroughly prosperous
until Mr.. Wiley became connected
it in 1883. Gunderson resumes his
work as civil engineer and surveyor.
Thomas III. Ayres, publisher of the
Dakota independent, at Grand
the peoples party organ, has
inally been compelled to surrender to
The typographical union, and consents
20 unioniZe the Office. Ayres has con
the only non-union Office in