New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-28
ONCE A GIRL
Youth of Early Sufragist Not
Unnaturally Serious.

Young persons Of this generation usually
find il hard 10 believe that their elders ever
PLAYED pranks IL Is especially hard Vnen
the elder in question was or is associated
with matters like dress reform and the
woman suffrage movement Take Eliza
beth Smith Miller. who died the other day
at her home in Geneva. y. Y. fun OF years
Would anybody who knew only the public
aspect 81 her life-that she was the hrst
treasurer Of the National Woman Suffrage
Associa ton. that she introduced the bloom
or costume FOR women. that the home In
which her clrlhood was spent was one of
the stations on the underground rsilroad
for escaping slayes-would anybody VINO
knew only these things about her ever sup
pose that she was once mischleVous
romp? But she was. Elizabeth Cady
Stanton and others OF her childhood FRIENDS
have told on her. and a romp she certainly
was I'm her youth at times. I, must have
been A delightful home. that great mansion
at Pe.erboro. " Y. over which Cierrt
Smith and his wife Nancy presided, and az
which Elizabeth Smith was the only daush-
ter. Here came the great aboiitionists to
discuss the cause that burned az their
hearts; here came members Of the old
Dutch aristocracy here came charming
Southerners. drawn by the mistress Of the
house. who was Southern by birth. Ger
rit Smiths hospitality was boundless. and
he was a. cordial 20 the representa- tives
from the Oneida tribe Of Indians who made
a pilgrimage every year 10 visit him as ne
was to Garrison, Phillips. Judge Alfred
Conkling John Brown and Lucreua Mott
II was in such an atmosphere OF generosity
that Elizabeth Smith grew up. an atmos-
phere moreover. enlivenei by endless and
mos, animated arguments on the burning
topics CT The day Perhaps /, was the high
and ardent mental atmosphere Of Peter
boro that brought abou, in the younger
ones rolllcking reactions like one In which
Elizabeth Smith and Eliza beth Cady-they
were couslns-flled huge syringes with
milk and bombarded two sleeping relatives.
Before this outbreak was over Cousin
Charley Miller''-who afterward married
Elizabeth Smith-joined in. and there was
a wild race over the mansion. and not only
milk but liquid backing was used for am
mun!tion. 10 the great detrimsnc Of some
81 the Peterboro furniture. More than one
prank like this Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
who sDen; many OF her erlhood days at
Peter, pro. relates in her "Reminiscences"
SulrCgses were often in the SOUP" IN
those DAYS. as now. but perhaps Elizabeth
Smith Miller was never 50 taken by sur
prise az when she once found herself lit
orally in the soup. X was while she was
still Elizabeth Smith. and everybody Al Pc
terboro was helping 10 prepare for the we'd
ding Of one Of the numerous cousins Some
ore rad made z painful of Beautiful soup
and se. I. on a high shelf in the buffers
pantry. IN came Elizabeth Smith. want
ing a pan for some cOncoction Of her OWE
She seized this one. It slipped. and the
future sisner OF woman suffrage memorials
10 political conventions was instantly
soaked and dripping with thick white
liquid mass
Elizabeth Smith Miller was beautiful
ard charming woman bur that did no, him
der her from adopting in 1852. the bloom
e. costume. Indeed. II vas she who orig
mated IL. and not the woman by whose
name ii is known. Mrs Amelia Boomer
Mrs. Miller wore IL in Washington during
her fathers term in Congress There AIRS
stanton reports that il was "a los. he
coming costume and exceedingly conven-
ent, and many women. among them susan
3. ANTHONY. Lucy stone and Charlotte
Beehe Wiloour. adopted 1t. But public ridi-
cule was too much For these women. Mrs
Miller kept 10 il the lonssst-seyen wears
nut then s1e was brayely sustained in wear
irs Il ny her father and by her husband.
Colonel Miller
To the end ~ her ~. Elizabeth Smith
Miller showed rare executive ability. and
her activities were many sided. That she
wss not as prominent in the movemAn, 70.
equal rights FOR women As susan r IN.
'hory Lucy Stone and some others va,
due. no doubt. 70 the fac, tina, hsr ocri,-
tiles were 50 many sided 50 much con.
cernsd with various philanthronias With
her home and with her friends