Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-29
4 PRoPos OF KANSAS AND CRINoLIyE


story told bya participant in the first Kansas
conflict. Eyewitnesses of the recent ridiculous
events in legislative halls in Kansas had been
relating some OF the incidents of the lombard
ment. and remarked that it was a vast pity that
Kansas had not completed the farce by sending
a woman to the United States Senate.
kansas really ought to have conceded tina.
much to her women, for they have done much
for Kansas said grizzled old suniiower poll
tician. Whercat there was much surprise ex
pressed. for the ex-offce holder was not known
TO favor ''petticoat politics. The old fellow
enjoyed the good-natured chatting for a moment,
then added:
'.Oh, hold on bows; the LEOPARD hasn't
changed his spots. lie is just Illuminating on
events of the past and recognizes that in the
eternal fitness of things the women of Kansas
have able-bOdiel right to hold any Office
they reach for. because they helped to make
the state what it is. Those are my moral con-
victiou+. Politically I'm the same old hard
shell always WAS Morals and politics don't
mix.
The pioneer women of Kansas we're the
bravcst Of the brave. They endured fearful
hard hips. more CALLING perhaps because many
of these women had been reared in luxurious
eastern homes. They were women of education
and culture. perfectly able to stand by their
husbands in legislative halls or to lead in social
circles. While they were working OIL the W yam
dore constitution under which Kansas was
admitted to statehood. n woman. Mrs. {. |. III.
Nichols. sat III the convention hall day after
day, placidly knitting on long wool stocking.
aud wagcd war in her clam way against all
clauses in thu constitution that would deprive
woman of her rights. While women are not cx-
Plicitlg recognized in the Kansas constitution.
il IL sngu!arly free from ali the Objectionable
features that tie women of property down in
many other states. In recognition Of this the
women of Kansas are having the portrait of
Mrs. Nichols done in OIL for the wOmans
building at the world fair.
TWO HERoINEs IN CRISoLiNE.
81 heard a weighty subject discussed by two
society women this morning. They were strug-
CLING with the question OF crinoline or no Grim
oline in their new spring gowns and it re-
minded me OF an episode i'll Kansas in which
the cousin german 10 crinolne a filter hoop
played a prominent part 1t was at Lawrence
in the fall of 1855. Ny paper had sent me there
"a correspondent from Kansas territory. and
let me tell you. trends,It was a confOunded tick
lish position 20 occupy. had good company.
however There James Eedpath of the
Missouri Democrat. William y Phillips of the
New York Tribune. Joseph J.. Speer of the
Chicago Tribune and Douglas Hrewerton Of the
New York HerGd We were all of us equally
good with Den or pistol We cad to be. The
times demanded versatility of talent
1T was in November. think. and Lawrence
| was fOrtify ing for siege against the border
| rutiians. who had declared that they would
| wipe L,i Out Every able bodied man was
detailed for duty. Men We're drilling. artillery
| PTacticiug with little howitzer and mud de-
| lenses were thrown up all round the city.
| '.Our supply of ammunition was limited. and
| if the siege was long continued II was bound To
| become exhausted. 4 big lot of powder. caps
| for Sharpe's rifles and othe- ammunition was
cached under the house of free state man,
| over on the Santa Fe trail. a mile or more away
| from the town. but no man dared venture after
| il. The rro-slaverv forces were camped on the
| Wakarusa and their lines reached clear around
! the city. almost within firing distance of the
| heart of the town. man who went through
! those lines from Lawrence. or who came into
| Lawrence from the outside. was subjected TO
| close examination and Swallowed from begin
| ming to end of his journey.
| In this dilemma two women precipitated
/ themselves. They volunteered to undertake
the perious trip. They were both of them
| Young. rather handsome and stylish dresser-
| One Mrs. sam Wood. wife of pioneer who
| had price let on his head oftener during his
4 life in Kansas than any other man who ever
| lived there. His name is written on every page
| of Kansas history and nearly always IN connec-
| ton with the under dog IN the tight. whose
| rights he championed. just thirty -seven years
| TO IA dav from the time he entered Kansas ter
| rtory he shot in a county seat row and
| died in the presence of his wife without moan.
| The other woman was Mrs. Brown. wife of the
| editor of the Herald Of FreetoDi. which q
few DAYS later dumped into the Kaw river by
| the border rufliau hordes.
These two women arraved themselves for
| conquest. They had not been away from tine
| states long enough for their wardrobe to be-
! come depleted and were gotten up regardless.
| / remember the general stunning effect, but no
detail. except the expansive hoops. They got
into their 'carryall and with huge work
| baskets filed with knitting and mending they
started ostensibiy for day visiting with "a
neigEbOr a mile distant.
| They reached the encmy's lines and we're
| stopped by the mounted patrol and asked their
| business and destination. They said their les
| son giibly. for they bad IL well learned. and,
after few broad compliments on their hand
| some appearance, passed by he guards. and
some sprightly replies on their own part. for
all of which they had prepared themselves. they
were permitted to pass on. The chivalrous
I sons of Missouri were no match for the wit and
| beauty of the enemys women. They were in
deed followed a short distance by the mounted
posse but as they took the direction of the
neighbor named. they pursued their way without
further molestation- They crossed the strip Of
prairie into a neck of woods and here being
out of sight of the encmys guards. they cut
straight for the house Of the free state man
where they proceeded to load up. They Sc
GREETED under those hoops. In their stockings,
across the backs and IN the bosoms of their
dresses nearly two kegs of powder and caps and
lead to the amount of several pounds, They
were so Weighted down that they had to b,
hols'ed into the buggy. Then they put some
packages of ammunition in their work basket.
and started for Lawrence.
LOADED WITH AMMUNITION.
"As they emerged from the woods they saw
coming up the trail but some distance away
two of the enemys mounted patrol. and Just
ahead OF them was a youth OF some twelv,
| years pIodding along with OK team. The
/ darR Unfra he. NnFE has kRt az IN