Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-07-09

SUFFRAGIST
CASTLE
How Ii Was Taken by
Officers OF the Law
By MARY q. ARNOLD

~ parry Va sobA4S thNAA 49,
ing through a wood In October with
guns on their shoulders. and from The
season and the guns ii is evident that
they were sportsmen. Presently they
emerged from among the trees and
stood on the bank of lake. A PENN
sula-at high water an island-jutted
out Id front of them. In its center was
a large dwelling house inclosed within
a high wall. on the roof was cupela.
and above the cupola foated banner
on which were embroidered the words.
Votes For Women
What the dickens do you suppose
fellows" said Ned Bixby. that the
suffragists are doing housed In that
fashion, with a big wall all around
Them
TITS some kind of headquarters."
suggested Tom Singleton.
But the suffragists don't put them
selves away OFF from anywhere.
There's no hiding of their light under
a bushel. They sound the loud timbrei
and advertise their cause"
MY opinion is" rejoined Bixby.
that there is some plotting going on
under that flag"
What kind Of plottingT
I've heard through sister Of mine
who is a suffragist that the English
militant tactics are about to be inau-
gurated In this state. and I'll bet the
women come together here to lay down
a program. You see. in that case they
wouldn't want cops and detectives
shopping around to head them off,"
~ move,' said Singleton. that we
storm the citadel"
Not by force?' queried Bixby.
''Oh, no. Nobody wants to storm a
feminine citadel by force, One must
use persuasion"
The huntsmen resolved themselves
into a committee Of the whole to con-
slider how TO effect an entrance into
the citadel, and. Influenced by Bixby's
suggestion that the women were plot
ting to set fire to or blow up something,
1t was finally agreed that the men
make themselves up for toughs and
offer their services for the work. Owen
wagstafr. the homeliest man in the
party. was selected to make wedge
of himself and open the way for the
others.
That same afternoon Wagstaff, who
had four days growth Of stubble
beard on his face and had REDEEMED
his nose and torn his clothes. took ad-
vantage of a supply wagon entering
the suffragist grounds to get in as a
deliveryman and. going TO the front
door, rang the bell. The summons was
answered by a young lady with a
Votes For Women" badge on her
bosom. and wagstaf told her that he
would like to see the principal Of the
establishment A handsome woman.
aged about thirty. appeared, and Bixby
after telling her how hard up he was
asked If the lady couldn't give him
something to do by which he could
turn an honest penny. The lady told
him to remain where he was and went
out Presently she returned with two
others. one of whom Wagstaff consid-
cred pretty enough TO kiss. Then the
principal told him that they had work
enough of a peculiar kind to give EN-.
ployment TO dozen men. whereupon
Wagstaff said he was captain of a
gang of half dozen. all of whom had
been in Jail the principal part Of their
lives and We're ready to blow up or
set fire to anything One of the ladies
asked where his men were. and he
said he had them handy.
Two of the committee were in favor
of dealing only through wagstaff. but
the other said they should not employ
men without having seen them The
single member carried the day, and
Wagstaff was directed TO bring his
men into Suffragist castle the next
morning. when quite likely a propo-
sition would be made to the gang.
That was all he wanted. and he took
himself away.
That night the huntsmen went into
camp a few hundred yards from the
castle and in order 10 produce IA
vorable impression during the evening
set up bowls such as men would in
dulge in who were carousing and
yells were bloodcurdling and were
intensified by the firing of guns. II
did not seem to the ladies' In the In
closure that enough men would be
alive the next morning to form a cor
porars guard.
However. when day came there was
no evidence of any one having been
killed during the night. and after
breakfast the toughs were seen NOV
ing In body toward the castle They
had made themselves look as disrepu-
table as possible. but most of them
We're swell and found il difficult not to
behave as such They were inspected.
and the women. influenced by the
dreadful sounds sent up the night be
fore. We're inclined to think them fit.
ted for any job. including murder.
The principal addressed them as fol.
lows: