Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-07

mere lawyer" But the lord chancellor
swore an oath that the ladies should
not come in-and "her grace with n
noble warmth. answered by G. they
would come in in spite Of the chan
cellor and the whole house" The
doors were closed against them and
the russell of the lords versus the la
dies began. This Is how Lady Mary
describes the first part of the action
These amazons now showed them
selves qualified for the duty even Of
foot soldiers, they stood there till FIVE
In the afternoon without either susie
nance or intermission. every now and
then playing volleys of thumps kicks,
and raps against the door with so
much violence that the speakers In the
house We're scarce heard"
EIGHT HOURS A DAY.
This is one OF the most interesting IL
Illustrations on record Of an eight hours
day-spent in humping. kicking and
rapping at the door OF the peers cham
Der. But those stubborn peers cared
not a rap for the raps. and the indig.
nant ladies discovered that force was
no remedy. II may be that the noble
lords inside thought that they were
were mistaken. as they soon found out,
when the lords were not TO be con-
quered by this" says Lady Mary. "the
two duchesses. very we'll apprised Of the
use of stratagems in war, commanded
dead silence of half an hour; and
the chancellor, who thought that a
certain proof of absence gave orders
for the opening OF the door. upon which
they all rushed In. pushed aside their
competitors. and placed themselves in
the front rows of the gallery"
] wonder what the lord chancellor
looked like at that supreme moment.
What a thrilling scene 1t is to look
back upon-the ladies standing for half
an hour In grim, watchful silence,
while the foolish men inside wer,
chuckling prematurely over an imagin-
airy victory. The lord chancellor, re-
lying on the old notion that women and
silence are never found together. waA
utterly and absolutely defeated. and
probably felt inclined to eat his wig.
The women not only won the day but
they remained on the field OF conquest
until the sitting was over, openly re-
joiclng over their victory and der1ding
the defeated foe, according to Lady
Mary, ''by noisy laughs and apparent
contempts." II may be due to this
heroic siege OF the Amaaons that tho
lords now treat their women folk so
much more literally than the com.
mons, In the gilded chamber there Is
no grille" and no placards admonlsh-
ing feminine visitors TO keep silence.
Women sit openly In the galleries. on
the floor. and even, as when the king
opens parliament, among their noble
relatives on the crimson benches.
SAT INDIsCRIMiNATELY.
Formerly women and men sat indis-
crlmlnately in the Strangers gallery of
the house of commons. They were even
admitted TO the sacred door OF the
house itself. How the women came TO
fall from their high estate is soon told.
On Feb. ., l7Is, big debate had been
foreshadowed, and strangers OF both
sexes attended In large numbers Many
women being unable TO obtain admis-
sion. motion was made that the gal
lery be cleared OF all male strangers.
This excess of gallantry defeated its
purpose. The men We're east forth. but
Governor Johnson rritated that his men
friends had been hustled out. insisted
that all strangers must withdraw. The
mandate was issued. For two hours,
however the women fought against it's
enforcement. Thereafter they were rig
orously excluded.
The only concession made was to per-
nit limited number OF them, not ex-
ceeding IA, 20 climb over the ceiling OF
the house and look down through tho
ventilation hole--an awkward position
where they were nearly stlfied by the
foul air and the smoke OF the candles
by which the chamber was then illum-
lt,a g. Al
not content with such location. Thus
Wraxall mentions that he saw thu
beautiful Duchess Of Gordon, hablted as
man, sitting among men In the
strangers gallery. And Mrs. sheridan,
when DESTROYS Of feastlng on her dis.
tlngulshed husbands eloquence also
used go ADOPT the disguise OF doublet
and hose
Thus matters stood TN the whole
place was burned down in 1894 Lord
Brougham strenuously opposed maxim,
any provision FOR the accommodation OF
women IN the new building. The bird
cage gallery. whore they could see
without being seen. was the result OF
compromise between the chivalrous and
the unchivalrous, Sevcrals gallnnt A..
tempts have been made 10 abolish the
grille IN years past, but without sue
cess. Parliament Is the hardest nlacs,
In the world TO get a thing one done.
undone. one pensatlon the women
have. They are the only strangers who
are permitted TO gaze at the edlfylnh
spectacle OF the legislators a their de.
votions with which the days work Is
always commenced. They are allowed
this pious privilege because their cage
Is not considered rs being within the
fcrw yals q the house
ELLIS Ef,1.SEN.