The Washington herald., 1914-03-23
By NARY n. MuLLETT.

Every woman ought to keep the story
OF Agnes Riddle in a convenient corner
OF her desk and read II once in a while
1t would do her good In two ways IL
would warm her heart with pride In her
sex, and IL she happened to be thinking
that she herself was doing more than
her own share OF the worlds work the
story o. this other woman might save
her from too much self-pity.
Not that one woman In hundred
Thousand could do what Agnes Riddle
has done. MOI nor one man, either!
Not every one is blessed with her splen-
did health, her active mind, and her
warm heart
Agnes Lucwis-as she was then-czme
10 this country from Germany when sne
was sixteen years old. She wasn't long
in showing that she had brought with
her an unusual stock OF ambition and
Judgment
The first thing she did was to take
two years course in domestic science
A little later she entered training
school for nurses and she followed THAI
profession for seven years. She had gone
West in the meantime, and II was there
that lucky George Riddle met her and
won her for his wife.
The luck wasn't all his, either. II
was shared by everybody living witnih
twenty miles or so of Glen hiddie
ranch, in Colorado. They say around
there that whenever there was SICK
uess or an accident Agnes Riddle was
sent for first Then. as a matter OF
secondary Importance, somebody went
after the doctor.
She eased the last hours Of the dy-
ing. She helped TO born" the oaoies-
Solid with the people Of that country
side? Why. il makes politician fairly
squirm with envy. He thinks he could
n
favor IL he could have done the sort
os things Agnes Riddle did
But she didn't stop at nursing the
neighborhood. For eight years she
was the secretary and State organizer
Of the Colorado Grange. During that
time the number OF locals" grew from
twenty-four to eighty-hve, with a
membership of 5000. She and her hus-
band built a clubhouse near their home
for the social life OF the country
around.
Mrs. Riddle was also the secretary OF
the board of education in her school
district, as well as a member of the ad-
Nsory board of the State Agricultural
College. For more than twelve years she
was superintendent OF a Union Sunday
school to which children of all denomi-
nations came from miles around.
as easy as falling of log to elect her
to the State legislature. Imagine any
body having a chance against such a can
didate, She ran on the Republican ticket.
but one can feel genuine pity for the
Democrat who opposed her. OF course,
he didn't even get a look-in- His fellow
Democrats deserted him in shoals.
He couldn't even argue that Agnes
Riddle might perhaps be a praiseworthy
public character but that she neglected
her home, which after all was "woman's
true sphere"
They would have laughed him to scorn
IL he had so said. She is one of the best
housekeepers in the State. And as for
mothering, she has no children of her
nephews and nieces.
Really. you know, nobody on earth
could beat a candidate like that
So she was elected.
The Glen Riddle ranch is six miles
from Denver. Instead OF moving into
town for the session of the legislature.
Agnes Riddle stayed on the farm. Every
morning she got up about 3 o'clock and
began the following daily program:
First, she got breakfast for the driSers
who were to start out on the milk route.
Next came the family breakfast. Then
she started the children for school and
got things in readiness for the family
dinner. which would be eaten at noon
while she was at the capital.
This done. she drove to the trolley and
took a car for town. She was always
one of the first members at her desk in
the house. By p. m. she was again at
home, getting the family supper, unless
there happened to be a night session
That sometimes kept her until midnight.
leaving her only a few hours for sleep.
Such a program calls for splendid
health and energy. Agnes Riddle has