New-York tribune., 1912-04-07
Suffragettes Discover Symp-
toms of the Modern Malady
in Virtuous Puritan Maid.

Imaginc Priscilla that model of all New
Enclaud virtues getting notions about
votes for women in her pretty little Puri-
tan head, 10 doesn't really seem possible
that she of the trailing arbutus and the
milk white palfrey, honeymooning through
the spring woods with her hand in Johns
could ever entertain notions about corrupt
male politics or the economic independence
of woman or of stone throwing. Yet per-
hars she could throw stones. 1t might
have been necessary in those days. and
Priscilla wouldn't have heStated at the
pronricties when II was a question Of saw
ing her jelics from Il wicked little thieving
fox or Indian boy. Then there is the fact
of her being first To jump out on Plymouth
Rock Such a suffragctte-y thing to do.
pushing ahead OF all her superiors in that
unmaldenly way, No. discountng her
actions on her wedding day (when even d
suffragcttc may lose her head, Priscilla
seems 10 have been the stuff Of which suf-
fragettes arc made
At any rate, that IS the point Of view of
the New York suffragists who have enlisted
.heir little Puritan sister in their tableau'
st tho Republic Theatre on Friday. Mrs.
Robert Walton is to represent the original
American suffragette In that touching old
tcene in which she. at her spinning
wheel, with poor John all tied up in her
yarn, asks the now we'll known question
why don't you speak for yourself, john?
Only the text is changed a bit TO suit the
occasion on Friday, and Priscilla will ask
coyly: "Nhy don't you let me speak for
myself. John?" II is all incorporated in a
toem-iust like Longfellow's, only different
land the maidens exact words are:
Speak for yourself, John; and when election day
sp.ak for yourself. John, and don't Try to speak
for Priscilla
The poem was written by Mrs Wilfred
Lewis. and will be read by Mrs Otis Skin
ser, the wife of the actor. There are -ap-
propriate suffrage sentiments in connection
n4th every heroine Any stray anti who
a. inveigled into seeing the exhibition is ex-
pected TO be made violently uncomfortable
by such shots as this on Ida Lewis, the
lighthouse heroine:
And when the shipwrecked mariners hail hel
from the murk,
DO they hasten 10 inform her this rs not "oni-
ans works
When she hauls them. spent and breathless
from out the stranging foam,
SAY they with chill pOliteness, 'Womsn's place
IS In the homer
Or tell her thro their gasping, she pulls
them in the boat,
That woman's too hysterical 70 be allowed tc
voto.
Mrs Lyle Evans Mahan. who is the
daughter-in-law of Admiral Mahan, is going
10 be Ida. Lewis I'm her small boat in a
storm, wearing her sou'wester and rubber
coat.
The "antis" will suffer another shock
when the picture of Margaret Brent is
shown She was the first woman in
America TO demand the vote, way back IN
the early history of Maryland. Margaret
Brent, says the legend, demanded from the
Maryland Assembly, not the vote, but two
votes, as Calvert's heir and Lord Balti'
more's agent The practice Of plural vot'
ing. dependent on the amount Of ones
properly, was then in vogue in this coun-
try. as II is in England to-day. Mrs. James
u. Livingston will be Margaret Brent. and
the Maryland councillors will be Frederick
Wurster, Harold Camp and Robert Ed