The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-27
A CRAYON PORTRAIT.
IT RECALLED TO ELIZABETH cAoy
STANTON HER GtRLhooD.


would SEQ no visitors. as she was writing
piece" But sent up my card with a
request for an appointment. The man rc-
turned directly TO say that his mistress
would receive me at once was ushered
into room full OF suggestions Of the pur-
suits and tastes Of the woman who occu-
pied it-books, pictures, piano, nowspa-
pcrs, periodicals. a largo desk with neat
piles of manuscript and files Of correspond
onoo and small writing table with tho
pretty appointments and trifies which be-
long TO ono's social letter writing.
had hardly settled myself w.en n maid
entered with q large crayon portrait Of n
young girl which Mrs. stanton directed
her to place In good light before the Wis.,
itor.
what do you think OF it," was the
question after moments pause.
"Iti is charming face-brimful OF char
actcr and determination and courage. 1
also discover a strong family likeness"
"That Is not strange" replied my host
ess, evidently much amused, "for it Is my
own portrait at the ago Of 90. You can
trace oil the features, but the short, curly
hair was brown then, though even at that
age had number Of gray hairs.
~ was married at "a. During our en-
gagement my Aance wrote begging mo for
lock of hair when one OF my girl friends,
In pure spirit Of mischief, pulled out Of
my head enough white hairs to form
very respectable little curl which tied
up with q blue ribbon aud sent TO my
sweetheart"
She was silent moment and a little
slow smile crept over her countenancc, as
she gazed at tho youthful face in the pic-
ture. Then sho said softly:
II love TO look at that girl like 10
study her and to think how she has full
filled herself"
"HaG she any distinct idea then of what
her career would bcf"
"Yes. She had resolved upon that long
years before. / was only little child
when my attention was drawn To those
conditions OF women which / have spent
my life seeking TO improve II happened
In this way:
"My father was lawyer. Judge Cady,
and had great many young inen In his
Office who came TO him rs students. They
used 10 sit ut their books In large room
adjoining the oflloo and library. was a
child of or 0 years, brlmful OF mischief,
life and activity, with three sisters youn-
ger than myself who readily followed my
lead. Often when our noise and fun and
pranks became uncomfortable In the house
my mother restored peace by banishing
tho ringlcader TO the Office. There I ai.
ways became perfectly quiet, but IL was
because took tho keenest interest In what
l heard. 1t gradually dawned upon me
that of all the clients who came there the
women alone got no comfort. When they
took down the law books and read from
ho, ,bafr la4 oil N oarh rtf lar
tho women won't away sorrowful. My
evident interest in tho legal rights OF my
sex greatly entertained those students, and
they lot me pore over the laws myself.
thinking IL one of the funniest of sights
to soc such young child so occupied. I
was taking II all much more seriously
than any one imagined.
by and by had a birthday, and my
father gave mo n set OF corals--nccklace,
bracelets and earrings. was enchanted,
and that day loved those corals better
than anything else In the world. OF course
/ rushed to show them to my student
friends, among whom was n young man
from Delaware, named Bayard, an uncle
OF Minister Bayprd. He was always in
clined TO tease me and discerncd an oppor-
tunity on this occasion. So no said, IL
you were my wife, those would belong to
me-.
WHAT ] gaspcd.
eyes, they would be mine. You could
not oven wear them unless i gave you
leave. and could take them from you al
together and give them TO some one else IL
chose
"rhis nearly finished me. But one
straw more remained to bc added. There
was an old Scotchwoman, Flora CampbelL
who used to come To our house every Sat
urday 10 bring chickens, eggs, sweet flag,
maple sugar and herbs. Wo children were
all very fond OF Flora. She had been in
good circumstances once and was n SUI
pcrior woman. Her husband had died,
leaving all he possessed 10 his son. Then
the sons wife camc into Flora's house and
turned her out. Thcro was no redress.
This story came TO my ears, and l resolved
to act
1.-The next Saturday followed Flera to
the gate and bado her be of good cheer, as
those wicked laws were about to be abol-
ished and she would soon bo able to enter
upon n. life OF peace and plenty. The plan
/ unfoldcd to her was to avail myself of
the absence Of tho family at church tho
next morning, TO go to tho library aud
there TO cut from tho books every limo of
those dreadful laws against women. as
surcd Flora that l could do-ths In very
short timo, as i had already put mark
upon the back OF each doomed volume in
order that / might lay my hands on 10
readily.
"Of course Flora told my father But
no did not betray her. That evening no
took Inc on his kncc ard explained the en-
actment Of laws, remarking quite casually
that even II his library chanced TO take fro
and every volume was consumed IL would
not make the slightest difference in the
condition OF anybody beyond tho loss to
himself. The only way to remedy unsat-
isfactory laws was 90 go before the lcgis-
lature and got new ones passed TO replace
them. That is what wiz dol l cried.
II was only 10 years old, but from that
moment never forgot my purpose-nover
abandoned IL for nm instant until IL was
carried out Whom went before the leg
islature with the woman's property bill,
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