Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-10-26
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LUCY STONE. part in CONVEX
sation. At 9 o'clock she grew little
more restless and gave signs of slight
pain. These, however, were superseded
an hour later by "A calm of manner and
talk that showed quite conclusively to
the attendants at her bedside that the last
moments were close by. At l0:30 a super
natural influence stole into the atmos-
phere of the death chamber, and the hus-
band and daughter spoke encouragngly
to the dying woman. The life, although
ebbing fast from its mortal boundaries,
still flashed back substantial evidence of
the noble and determined characteristics
that made it famous to the world.
At 1910 life still remained. A minute
later Mrs. Stone slowly Enclosed her eyes
and smiled one Of those smiles that have
fascinated thousands. AT 10;45 Mrs Stone
again smiled, murmured an inarticulate
sound and died. Thus ended the career Of
world-famcd Mrs. Lucy Stone.
Sketch of Her Career.
Mrs. Lucy Stone (BlackwelD was born
few miles from West Brooktied, Mass,
Aug ID 1878 She WAS the second young
est in IA family of nine children, and her
father was a prosperous farmer That
fighting blood is evidenced by the fact
that her atgrandfather was killed in
the French and Indian war, and her grand
father served in the war of the revol ution
and was afterwari captain of the 400 men
in Shay'5 rebellion.
Mrs. stones father ruled his family
with strong hand. 1t is perhaps due to
this fact that Mrs. Stone became the great
champion of womans rights that she
afterwards did. Under her fathers re-
straining influence little Lucy grew up
fearless, hardy child-strong, truthful,
resolute, good student in school, IA hard
worker in her home and on the farm, and
filled with a secret rebellion against the
way in which she saw woman treated all
around her
Reading the Bible while yet young she
came across the passage which reads,
"Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he
shall rule over thee" 1t had never be-
fore occurred to her that subsection Of
woman was diviney ordained, and She
Went to her mother aim ost speeches. with
distress. Her query was pitful and
showed n character that afterward was to
make the world stir She asked her
mother, as there no way to put an end
to mc:'
Her mother attempted to console her
and persuade her that it was woman's
duty to submit but of that Lucy refused
to be convinced Later she wished to learn
Hebrew and Greek, that she might be en-
abled to read the Bible in the original,
and satisfy herself rs to the correctness
of the translation Of these texts.
Her Perseverance.
She was obliged to earn her own way
e oil ,NrI1 eI,ae h.,
accomplishing the plan that was nearest
and dearest her heart. She had at
tanned the age of % before she had pro-
cured the means to take her to the goal
of her aspirations and hopes, Oberlin col
lege. This was the only college at the
time that admitted women. She earned
her way through college by teaching dur
ing the vacations in the departments
and by doing housework at cents an
hour. In lS41 she graduated with great
honor
She carried out her plan of studying
Greek and Hebrew, and has ever since be-
lieved that when passages in the Bible
were properly translated they were on the
side of equal rights for women. In the
same year OF her graduation at Oberlin
she delivered her first lecture on women's
rights in her brothers church at Gardner,
Mass. In the following year, 1915 she be-
came lecturer Tor the Massachusetts Anti
Slavery society, and Travelled extensively
in New England, the west and in Canada.
While lecturing in behalf of anti-slavery
interests, she saw Powers statue of The
Greek Slave, exhibited in Boston. The
sight SO moved her that her next lecture
was wholly confined to the discussion of
woman's rights At the conclusion of the
lecture Rev. Samuel May, agent for the
Anti slavery society, in whose behalfIMrs.
Stone was occurring, said to her that the
lecture would never do on an anti-slavcry
platform Mrs. Stone replied, II know
il, but | was woman before | was an
abolitionist, and | must speak for the
women"
Beset with Dificulties.
During her lecturiuG tour she was often
obliged to undergo se:erc trials in various
ways, at one period being Obliged to put
up at a boarding house on Hanover street,
and ut another, while Occurring on Cape
Cod, she was nearly mobbed. The fore
most of her assailaIts leapad upon the
stage with club in hand. A companion OF
Mrs. stones advised her TO retire, but she
exclaimed that she preferred to trust her
safety to her foremost intended assailant
The latter heard the expression, and, over
come by her soft voice ana trusting man
ner, swore that he would protect her, AMI
Selling her he tucked her beneath his arm
aud fought his way through the crowd
lie then placed her upon stump, mounted
guard over her, and she lectured to the ex-
tent of her own sweet will.
In 1855 she married Henry Is. Black we'll
& young merchant Of Cincinnati and an
abolitionist, retaining by his consent AND