The San Francisco call., 1896-05-07

purpose when she wrote Adam Bede, and
that purpose is not far to seek.
Miss Thompson of the City school
department dwelt upon the necessity for
women to work together In order to gain
the noble end which equal suffragists are
lahoring to attain.
81 am much obliged to you, Miss Thomp-
son, rejoined the lady president, ''Ior the
fine Introduction you have made for this
message which has just arrived. Listen to
it! Woman suffrage indorsed. Now think
for victory in November. Anthony, Sar-
gent, Shaw.
. Cheer upon cheer resounded through
the hall. Handkerchiefs were waved and
kid-gloved hands clapped Justify for sew
eral minutes. After the applauding Ladies
had grown tired and quiet in some degree
was restored the second and last paper or
the afternoon was announced.
Miss Dorothea Roth, student OF the
University of Michigan and member OF the
National college society of Kappa Alpha
Theta, had taken for her subject Woman
IN Poetry" She thus refers to the women
OF Shakespeare:
We must Judge of his ideas largely from the
characters he has now most sympathy Tor. We
know so little about the lives OF some poets that
no hint comes TO throw light upon their poetic
creations But. beautiful IDEALS shine through
every one OF Shakespeare's admirable women. we
may well apply the posteriori method OF reason
ing There is Cordelia, the devoted daughter:
Desdemona, the loving Wife; Ophel1a, the loyal
sweetheart. Miranda the SeDIle In0luen, NOlunl-
MIA the courageous Roman mother: the intense
Juliet, aud the bewitchinG Rosalind-and where
stop?
Each one is true to the main lines of her char
acter; any one might have been the poets ideal
The essential characteristic OF all is that in
Uehnaole quallty we all recognize as genuine
womanlinesS. l venture to say this appealed
most to Shakespeare. Ills Portia is to my mind
the oest-rounded woman TO borrow as far
reaching prophecy. In the various stages in the
development of her character she is at once the
most typical woman of the past, the best repre-
sentative OF the lofiest womanhoOd of the present
and who knows. perhaps the fifth OF her life is
prophecy of the peace that may grow out of this
discoudRnt present?
Portia Is in every sense in my opinion, one of
the most charming, best balanced women in
poetry. She is entertaining, sensible, a capa-
bic and loving woman from first to last. When
her husband has gone Oh that grievous errand
where she j. so Intimately concerned. She wastes
no time in signing over her loneliness but exer-
cises the splendid gifts with which she il endoIed
That fine, quick mind which can discern and dis
Criminate by a natural intuition comprehends in a
flash what the situation requires and She Snccea4S
in her undertaking. That was inevitable She is
a clear-headed and q brave woman. She has q
cause at heart and is not seeking Sc faggrandIze-
ment. She does not hesitate in doubt. and p-r
pleXity. And now can this professional world in
which she has covered herself with glory hoId
speed she flies back to Belmont-back TO where she
feels her nature has the greatest scope for useful
activity.
Miss Roth's paper, from which che fore.
going paragraphs are only brief extract
was warmly applauded.
Mrs. Alice Cooley, introduced by Mrs
Cooper as "Fanchon the Cricket" had this
to say about the new woman:
"She has taken advantage of me, anu
now wants me TO say something The new
woman 1t seems to me is the same woman
l have known in the past.
'If the new woman should DO what
Shakespeares heroines did in arrayine
themselves in masculine attire, they would
be arrested.
In Shakespeare's day, Juliet proposed
and women can't do that to-day, and there
are not so many marriages as there used
to be.''
Before the adjournment the president
announced that the following message
would be sent in answer to the dispatch
from Sacramento ii agreeable to the
congress:
The Woman's Congress sends joyful, reveren
and grateful greetings to Susan b. Anthony ane
all other workers and TO the convention In thest
hours OF victory. SARAH B. COOPER,
President OF Congress.
The message was indorsed and cheereo
to the echo, and the afternoons session
ended with its being taken to the neares
telegraph station