Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-07
ONE W0MAE's TxFERIENCE
Distributes Suffrage Literature a The
State House aEd Finds Ready
Helpers
tContfibuted

The phone rang and a voice that
sounded like Mrs. MOSES announced
that my judgment day had come:
must 90 to TIE State House and dis
tribute literature. have always
been happy in my belief that / am a
tall woman. Nov / felt myself
shrinking pereeptibly. | could no
longer reach the telephone, and my
short hobble skirt fell shamefully
about me and lay on the floor.
had the usual distress in finding
myself short. but cast about for
comfort, and bethought myself Of
that standard Lincoln had established
for the stature of man any man is
tall enough If his feet reach the
inor. Then rememb red Alice in
Wonderland. SC rich in resources and
ate something out OF the other
pocket and felt myself growing up
light. said ] must not be cravenl
that man is not brave who feels no
fear, but he who conce ais il. "
arose, got my pack Of suffrage liters-
ture and strsightway proceeded to
that Venerable pile-the State Houst
Hesitstingly / turned the knob, and
entered the sacred precincts. On my
right, was the room where a distin-
guished Virginian surrendered his
commission. In what was he nObler
or better than myself | was ready
to surrender mine. but no person came
forward to receive It. With uplifted
head and sinking heart, / trod the
length of the corridor and my feet
Numbered into that chamber where
the solons sit-those Seats Of the
scornful, into which Scripture en-
Joins US not 10 enter. Having been
bred in Virginia. whenever | had
disagreeable task to perform, there
mad always been blessed boys and
boys of Charger growth" to rise up
and declare that they only living ana
dying to do that service for me, but
was not in Virginia. There is no
suffrage literature in Virginia, and
no one so poor az TO do it reverence
il there was.
But my luck was with me, and
four or five Of the loveliest looking
lads stepped forward and said LET
Us distribute that for you, "Please
allow me-" etc, and in the least
time they had spread that literature.
On the records, as it were, thanked
aud, figuratiyely, embraced those
boys. What would Heaven on esrth
be without boysH think / would
especially enjoy them in Heaven,
where they would go on wings and
not on roller skates. Three boys re-
tanned some literature for themselves,
/ made bold 10 say: 81 suppose
when you are old enough to vote you
will vote for woman's suffrage7"
They locked upon me wide-eyed with
that clear plying gaze one bestows
upon the. feeble minded. Then those
BOYS grew two inches each and lifted
themselves with that exaltation Of
righteous Indignation that belongs to
extreme youth and said ono mann
neverl Never will we vote for wo-
man Suffrage. neveri"
Seeing how chastened and sad
seemed as they registered this aw ful
oath, they grew contrite and one,
stepping towards me, said 1--WE DO
not know yet; will not say thht
again. might change my mind
| beamed upon him, spoke OF tie fair
and open mind he must bring to all
great questions, and of the good that
always accrued to the world by a sus-
pension of judgment, and mertslly !
added: "Dear and reverend boy,
when you come to YOUR majority and
wake up easily on some election day
t. vote, you will find your mother has
already been out to cast her ballot
and is hurryiDg home to see that you
and Dad have a good and comfortable
breakfast to fortify yourselves for
your stupeudous and sacred priv.
lege achieved for you in the past.
A. A. II.