The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-24

l., ON II Il, 1921.
being liquor dealers. Knowing full well
the result of such action, he kept on urging
the adoption of the Maine law until he was
left to preach only 10 few of the Oldest
and poorest of his people; The young peo-
pie, however. worked with the Livermores,
and the town of Stafford and the State OF
Connecticut were carried for temperance.
1t was feared that Mr.. Livermore would be
mobbed as he went to cast his vote. but
as, after turning from the ballot box, he
went through the crowd with his wife on
his arm, shout Of three cheers for Liver
more went up, and they We're Justify
given.
After leaving Stafford the Livermores
Went to Chicago. where they became edi-
tors OF the New Covenant, Mrs LiVermore
all the time attending scrupulously to the
affairs of her household. 1T seemed as
though everybody knew l was coming, she
said, and were lying in wait at every cor
ner to urge me to join every kind of an or
ganlzation for every kind OF purpose.
There was need enough, heaven knows, for
considered the great future metropolis of
the West and people were pouring in at
the rate of two thousand a day; all kinds
OF people, with all kinds OF needs. Then
the cholera swept down upon us. For a
time there were a $50 cases reported every
day. saw twenty-seven collins carried by
my husbands office in three hours. 1 be-
came thoroughly frightened, and said to
Mr.. Livermore, We must leave Chicago
these children" CThey then had three chill
dren.) What if you should die? You and
the children must go if you feel that way
was Mr. Livermore,s reply, My place is
here OF course, l could not leave him,
and all that night, lay fighting my miser-
able cowardice. | was triumphant, and in
district, resolved to find out just what chol-
era was. and how to guard against it.
among the patients To a Catholic Sister
of Mercy l said, Are you not afraid? You
must be in great danger here?' Looking
into my face with her lovely dark, French
eyes, she replied, Until the time appointed
for me to die ] am immortal and if one is
to die is it not better to die at ones post
than in coWardly hiding from duty?' This
was pretty effective tonic for me- and 1
asked to be taken to one of her worst cases
and told how to care for cholera. 1 went
with her to visit several patients, and re-
ceiVed instructions and medicines that
afterwards saved a guest who was stop
ping in our house. None of my own family
Of the panic, said the Sister More than
half Of the deaths are caused, not by chol-
era, but by the fear of it "
WAR INCIDENTS.
Then came the war. In 1862 Mrs. Liver
more was made agent of the Northwest
ern branch of the United States Sanitary
Commission, established at Chicago.
Through many States she went explain
ing, organizing, suggesting, pleading, and
sanitary aid societies multiplied with mar
velous rapidity, and money and supplies
fairly rained down. 1t was while she was
making the trip which she was ordered to
take to the hospitals and military posts
along the Mississippi river that she found
twenty-three dying soldiers lying at a GER
tain point, destitute of the barest necessi-
ties of life and wholly without means to
reach their homes. Their papers were with
their regiments and nc one had authority
discharge them. IlVPrmOrP
sought General Grant. Give me permits
slon, she said, and | will take those SOL
dierS home" The necessary orders We're
given and the twenty-three patients, with
their woman guard were soon on the boat.
On the way up the river a man died-an
emergency which had not been provided
for. There were no means of burying the
dead. The man had been discharged, and
all the government agents refused the re-
villain. The captain of the steamer de-
clared that if the body was not buried by
shutdown it should be left on the levee. The
desperate woman returned to headquarters
and SO urged and demonstrated that at
last the official agreed to have the body
buried If the surgeon in charge Of the party
would fill out the necessary blanks. Know
ing that to declare that the party was un-
der the sole charge of a woman would
Illustrate the whole scheme, this mother
of human devices walked back to the boat,
took the dead mans blanks, filled them out,
and then, in the name of the God of the
helpless, signed them with steady hand
M A. Livermore, M. D. The soldier was
buried and she went on her way with her
twenty-five invalds.
Livermore is that OF a little unkempt ven
dor of matches who one day appeared at
the headquarters of the Chicago sanitary
commission, saying as he drew 30 cents IN
crumpled dirty postal currency from his
ragged pocket. Here, I'll give yer so much
for them fellers in the hospital spit Ne No,
a noble little fellow, but m afraid you
think. My father, he saws wood, and my
mother, she takes in washin', and l sells
matches, and p'raps we've got, more more
m MON yer think said hdeP Mrs
but he darted out as though he was shot.
When we met him on the street he eyed US
pected US of retaining our kissing 1nten-
lions. but if we passed him without speak
ing he challenged us with Halo you!
that brought to a halt Immediately.
II was not made woman suffragist by
anything I heard at home" says Mrs. Liver
more, but by things | saw in the army
cies in which men failed in conscientious
ness and carefulness that l said to myself,
The women have got to vote Ana they
have so much to do already. Dear me?
Il returned to Chicago after the war re-
solved to devote the remainder of my life
to womans advancement to procuring Tor
her better means of education, a broader
outlook more privileges and more places
for work. The first woman suffrage lecture
I ever heard l delivered myself the trst
/ called myself in Chicago | afterwards
met Lucy Stone Ghe prettiest thing | ever
saw in her Turkish trousers), Emerson,
Garrison Phillips, Elizabeth Chace and
others and felt they were my folks
And so I have kept on, taking, up my
duty wherever it has presented itself;
Wherever the old Harry pops up his head
| try to get there to hit him"
Somewhat enfeebled in health, but strong
as ever in mind and great as ever IN soul
a nd in ly1N@rmOrG goes
forth from the ideally managed Melrose
(Mass) home, of which she is the loved and
loving priestess. to lecture, and out of the
largeness of her own beautiful and effective
living to help others to really live.
Ida A. CHURCHILL.
Copyright by the Author.)
WOMAN'S PRAYER ANSWERED