The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-07-29
MRS. LEASES START.
HOW SHE ENTERED POLITICS.
Will Soon be Housekeeper Again.

Will Soon be Housekeeper Again.
Kansas City Journal.
Those who have been lavlshing their
sympathy upon "poor Mr.. Lease" the
husband of the "uDcrowned Kansas
Queen" should recall it at once. Mr..
Lease does not deserve any sympathy.
He brought it all on himself. There
was a time when he was master OF his
own house, but he voluntarily stepped
aside and permitted the mantle to fall
on his laxative wife. At one time he
actually had the temerity to stand up
and boldly defy his better bali. Not
only this, but he screwed up enough
courage to promulgate an order COM
polling his wife to forsake the washtub
and kitchen and enter politics, and,
what's more, enforced the order.
Whether or not he is sorry he issued
the ukase only he can tell, and he won't.
Mrs. Lease entered politics in 1890.
And she did so at the solicitation of
her husband. Prior to that time she
was an ordinary housekeeper. She
could do as big days washing as any
woman, could cook fairly we'll and keep
her little home neat. While doing
this she found spare time to post up on
reform movements, In which she had
a natural interest In 1890 the Farm
ers' Alliance sprang into existence, and
there she saw an opportunity. She
pleaded with her husband to join the
movement and develop himself into a
politician. She told him that it was
his chance to make ten-strike. But
Mr.. Lease was not of political turn OF
mind.
"Mary, you know that am no poll
tician; never could make one; could
not make speech to save my life. It's
no use for me try it,"
Mrs. Lease insisted, but he stood
firm.
Then, mindful OF the perfect ease
with which she could rattle it off to the
kids around the house, and occasional
" to him as well, an idea seized him.
"Why can't you branch off into poll
tlcian yourself" he said. "You are
GLIB talker, have studied the thing
some and take an interest in politics"
Mrs. Lease had never thought of en-
tering politics before. Her mind was
On the welfare of her family and her
home. She took the matter under ad-
visement, and in the meantime her
husband kept insisting.
Finally she consented to try it. But
how she was to get start. was the
question. She had never made q
speech, and no politician had ever
heard OF her. How, when, and where
to get the first speech off was the puz-
zle. Finally neighbor, Dixon, was
taken into. the deal and he arranged it
SO that Mrs. Lease could appear before
the next Farmers Alliance county con-
vention and make talk. That was In
the summer of 1890. She was tn ere
on the appointed day, and when all 9th
er business of the convention had been
finished, Dixon called on Mrs. Lease to
make speech. It didn't take any
committee to escort her to the platform.
As soon as her name was mentioned
she rose and made a bee line to the
stage so as to get the ear of the dele
gates before they started out. Her
maiden speech, they say, was STEM
winder. She captured the entire long
whiskered outfit by her eloquence. She
was the sensation of the hour. From
all oyer Sedgwick county came de-
mands for her to speak, and she was
kept busy for several weeks filling these
engagements. Her light could not be
hidden under a bushel. Adjoining
counties heard of her and before that
campaign was oyer Mrs. Lease was the
best advertised politician in Kansas.
Her fame spread like wild-fire
throughout the country, and she was
in great demand. She has at last about
talked herself to death politically, and
must soon be content with household
duties again but she won't have to do
the family washing unless she wants to.
She has made enough so she can al
ford to let that job out.
Mrs. Lease, when she had broken in
to politics, did not forget Dixon. When
a member of the State board of chart
ties she had him appointed steward of
the Olathe Asylum.
How to Drink Water.