The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-04
CHAPTER x,

1t was liberal education in the size |
and impetus Of the club movement to be |
on the edge of the current that swirled
into the Great Blank theater the morn
ing OF the opening exercises. Nine hun
dred and forty seven earnest, devoted
ing their seats in the quickest possible
time, while nearly a thousand more.
altho mere visitors, were evidently de.
termlned to secure front seats where
they could see and hear. California
locked arms in the scramble with
Maine; Georgia was determined to get
there ahead Of New York; Minnesota
lostled MASSACHUSETTS,; even little Rhode
Island pushed brave1y ahead of big
Texas. while they ali rushed by in q
solid phalanx Of silk-petticoated fem
ininity.
| had come away, in the excitement
OF the morning, without my credential
card, and discovered my lack only wheD
| had been borne INCREASINGLY on the
tide more than half way up the big
green baize doors at the end Of the
, "You IL have to go back for it, said
Mrs. Parsons. "There is no other way;
but FL save good seat for you. Hurry,
Hurrying against that mad rush' I'm
possible. I wormed my way to the edge
oAio SoU OuC DIV d Sldll 3 pace.
l. cit reminds me Of tho rush for seats
at q Symphony rehearsal in Boston,"
said a Denver woman who spent her
winters in the east. "I've been taken
|up bodily and carried along ten feet in
the old Music hail.
It reminded me of a stampede Of cat
tie IN Kansas roundup, but I, did not
see fit to say SO: So I fattened myself
against the wall, while Illinois and In
diana and Ohio and Wyoming and Yer
mont and New Jersey and all the other
federated states pushed and scrambled
in the mad procession.
But I finally reached the street and
was hurrying on when I met Minnie
Morrison.
~, *3id you see the stsry3 r., she sx;
a hundred Women have been at me 1 this
: morning trying t, find out where got
, my information
MYou haven't told them," gasped.
ct reckon not,' was the: coo1' reply.
81 shut them up finally by. telling them
) anyone could get the whole story, and
more, too, just by standing around. in
! all chatter SO freely and SO openly. They
| let me alone after that. And now
!; what 8 the prospects for a row todays
, Are the colored and polygamous sisters
: seated7''
I told her had only dipped into the
l edge Of the maelstrom as yet and ad.
vised her to wait until the delegates had
gained their seats.
"Come late and avoid the rush, is my
motto always at these meetings. she
replied. "1've had my experience in
: clothing. I Vent to Louisville and to
t Philadelphia. And I've been to a score
!; Of w. G. T. U. and W. R. G. and suffrage
and several other conventions. Don 7
5. talk to me. Now, I IN going to depend
r on you to keep me informed,' she
+ added.
: ooh, dear me, no. 7 answered. 81
Q know SO little of their ways. Go to Mrs
Parsons, She, is hand and glove with thu
+ real leaders, A.
? Miss Morrison went on her way with
j a smile on her face, but knew she
would extort from me every bit of in
+ formation I could muster, and that
y y was powerless against her. p
=, When reached the theater again, the
foyer was deserted except for the few
= struggling ones who had dared to bt
a late. A big policeman stood at the dool
and looked at my credential card a!
: held it up. Inside, group of white
v gowned ushers in college caps were try
I and to put her in her place. But
: waited in vain for FIVE long minutes
:: when 1 discovered "Illinois well dowl
/, in front; and, slipping dexterously pas
an usher who was trying to convince 1
a woman against her will that she be
: longed in the gallery, / hurried dowI
: the aisle to where Mrs. Parsons sat be
. iside the state president, and found my
!. seat.
i The theater was bower Of roses
P and smilax and cut flowers. Palm
: screened the stage, whereon sat the ma
tional officers in stylish garments, thei
: Paris gowns and gay headgear givin,
t the right touch Of color to the scene
/ Bunting was festooned back Of then
8 and across the boxes, where sat the dis
g }tinguished guests who could not be &C
/ commodated on the stage. In the cente
r of the platform were few men, amoni
q them the mayor, the governor, and tn
7 president Of noted college. A flute
l. Of fans and waving handkerchiefs, lik
], a fiower-bed tossed by the southwes
q wind, greeted the president, a tall, mag
7 nifcent- looking woman, as she came fol-
ward and let her gavel fall three times
d and then the Biennial was open.
To Be Continued Next Saturday.