The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-21
BOOKS OF THE TIME.
Eighty Years and More, Mrs. f.. G.
StantOn's "Reminiscences.


to her volume OF "reminiscences, and though
those years are meant to indicate only the
length of her life she covers nearly the
entire period IN her recollections. The first
chapter contains memories of her early
childhood, spent in Johnstown n. y. and
the last describes the celebration of her
eightieth birthday. She does not undertake
to give a history of the woman suffrage
work with which her name has been so
closely identited-that story having been
told in another form-but offers the volume
as the story of her private life as the wife
of an earnest reformer as an enthusiastic
housekeeper proud of her skill In every
department of domestic economy, and as
the mother of seven children. Her purpose
is merely to afford amusement for another
generation The announcement of such
purpose is sufficient to disarm criticism at
once and to lead the reader who may have
looked for sociological study to accept the
| book foIA what it is, u discursive review
of personal events, with delightfully."- posi-
tive opinions on all sorts of -ubjects in
terspersed. 1t is something of a disappoint-
ment to find that she gives so little that Is
new about the many noted personages with
| whom she was associated and that she has
no store of documents or correspondence
| to draw upon. She depends almost entirely
upon memory, which, at eighty years, must
have allowed many interesting details TO
escape. Her plan of procedure does invest
the work, however, with the strictly per-
sonal character that is so lacking in mod
ern autobographies, so called, and is al
ways so great a charm. 1t is easy TO I'M.
agine, in passing through the chapters, tnat
what is said is very much as the autnor
would have spoken 1t in conversational
little gossip about people, an account OK
a
dignation against mans injustice to woman
an opinion on religion or on dressing
baby. In spite of the occasional lndigna-
ton and the far from amusing experiences
in the early period OF her reform
work the impression is conveyed OF
rather gay humor and cheerfulnesS
investing all her proceedings, and deprlVing
even the cause of woman's rights OF tnaL
awful seriousness with when most Oh ,,. isS
never entered very deeply into the philo-
sophical phases of the reform work she un-
dertook-her mind was not of that sort She
was sympathetically moved by the legal dis
abilities of women brought TO her attention
even in childhood. and IT was TO ara IN uo iii
lie life. When she eleven years old her
only brother died. we early felt, she
says, that this SON filled larger place IN
the five daughters together. When tne
father was sitting by his SOUS h conn hnaS Sns
deep sigh and said: - .
ooh, my daughter, ] wish you were d
boy' Throwing my arms AROUND ms n ntHshr
| replied: II Will try to be all my brother
Then and there 1 resolved that ] would
not give so much time as heretofore 70
play. but would study and strive to be at
the head of all my classes and thus dehgnt
my fathers heart; All that day ana lar mo INTO
the night / pondered the problem or boy
hood. thought that the CHIEF tnlng 70 20
done in order to equal boys was 70 pe
learned and courageous. so DECIDED 10
study Greek and learn TO manage horse.
Having formed this conclusion, fell asleep.
My resolutions, unlike many such mitne
at night did not vanish with the coming
light / rose early and fastened 10 put
them into execution They were resolu,,
tions never to be forgotten, destined TO mold
nv chara ter anew As soon as l Was
dressed l FASTENED to cur good pastor, TIE TIE
Rev. Simon Hosack. who was always carry
at .D U said T. (Which do you like best.
| boys or girls? ,,,,,,d moi Give
a girl like you for all the boys III Sillis'cn-
0o MY father" replied, prefers boys ss he
near like one as possible. l am gong 70
ride on horseback and study Greek. W. VIZ
| YOU give me Greek lesson now uoS'oi
We. wss' child = said he, throwing down his
hoe; come into my. library, and we WIN
og She WORKED hard hoping that her father
might some day say to her. wen, $ So
~ ts, aS Sbe Went because he said nothing.
| once she won a prize in Greek, anu WI" ,i
she ran home in triumph 10 snuw - , ~ IA, "a
| he kissed her and then exclaimed WI" VII :,
I Sigh: siAh you should have been a ooy.
Later she was sent to Mrs. Whiarus oe .i
for Girls in Troy, much to her inaign Hidra
for she desired to go to Union %ohg5sSii
where the boys in whose classes she nae
been were going. Incidentally she en * e
| herself as to the result OF that ana lalet ca
| neriences in favor of coeducation
| Although this chronicle processes 70 rs-
| late onlv to private life II is Impossible 70
senarate her private from her public career
| She went on her wedding tour 70 EnsiaiIu,
| Mr. Stanton being delegate 10 lne No.tut
| anti-slavery convention. she TOOK no paae
| in this though in sympathy with the move
| ment The first WoTnans rlgnts coi,sensao,
was held in lS4S largely az h bored Win the
Legislature at Albany IN penali VI DSa.Sa
! laws for women, but with TINS conVeh'iVR,t
1 this period she met Susan b. Anthony anu
| speaks Of her with the utmost anecliioI
The early history or the plon ,,ts "a ah,se
| for suffrage was one of insult ana apuse,
their appearance in "A hall being In some
| cases the excuse for riot undlsturped py
police She had rather unique experience
| in fine West particularly in Kansas, ana
| relates a variety of anecdotes pertaining "
It, She did not lack for Wit IN Tepa tI,iDl:
| Once q man said to her: Don't you thlnk
| that the best thing a woman can 90 u 70
| perform we'll her part in the role OF u, w VIZ.
| and mother? My wife has presented me
! with eight beautiful children; is not lhls
a better lifework than that OF exerelsl ras
| the right of suffrage MIS-. St tirton hin,
! from head to foot remarked: i have met
| few men in my life worth repeating eight
But if these women suffered abuse at
| first they lived to experience the reverse:
| and to met with respect and honor III al
| quarters. Mrs. Stanton's later years nave
| heen free from all unpleasant adventures,
! and were crowned with birthday celepra-
| tion of which she gives an appreciatlVe ac-
| count She has too, the satisfaction or
| Knowing that though suffrage for which
| abe fought so valiantly, has not been Sc
| cured the desired modification or the laws
! affecting women has been brought about
! and they have now more legal rights than
| even she contemplated >, ~
| There are a number of portraits In inc
| book among them one OF susan b. AntnohS
| at the age of thirty-five, n clear-eyed
| woman with a most determined mouth. me
| volume is dedicated to Miss Anthony.
Dumas's Novels.
Little Brown & Co., Boston, continue
their handsome edition of the works of
| Alexandra Dumas by the publication or
| 1.-THE Horoscope and Monsieur de Chau-
| veins WILL" The first is romance OF
| the reign of Francis III. and has never be-
| fore been translated into English. Its chro-
biological place in Dumas works is be-
TWEEN THE Page OF the Duke of Savoy
| and Marguerite de Valois." 1t Is referred
| to by the author in the first named work,
and its issue in this edition fills an histori-
| cal gap in the reigns of the Valois Kings
| as treated by the great novelist. Mon
| sieur de ChauVehn's WILL which, Ike the
| other has never before been translated,
| deals with the last days Of Louis XIV. and
the volume contains another story entitled