The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-20
The EDening Story
Prudence Riding.
(PV CioiIu Wnhh !

don't stop making my front lawn a
sort of suffrage campmeeting center
I'll have to send for the sheriff, or
whoever it is that keeps peace and
harmony in the place. It's an out
rage, and it has been going on for a
week, ever since 1 came up from New
have her called an advanced woman
She was my ancestress and l presume
| that 1 have right to uphold her
memory, and not to have it dragged
into the-pardon me, madam, l had
forgotten that you were laboring I'M
der the same delusion as the rest
| You surely do not look the least like
a suffra gist.''
Robert Riding had gone a little
farther than he had intended, and now
as he stood looking into the straight
forward, calm, brown eyes of Hilda
Hoover he was decidedly discour-
aged.
| II don't so much OBJECT to your
coming here if you want to-though
there have been a hundred or so of
you pilgrims within the past week.
but what I do object to is having you
carrying those hideous yellow banners
with the name of my ancestress-
name-spread over them. Why, Pru-
dence Riding has been dead for 200
years and she has never given us the
slightest bit of trouble till now, and
why you banner-carrying, loud-voiced
persons-pardon me, madam, but you
are obviously an eXception-choSe to
Tush and nonsense! She was no more
a suffrag ist than I am
THAT is just what we hope" Hilda
Hoover, famous for her wel1-turned
suffrage speeches, was not in the least
disturbed by Robert Rulings indigna-
ton. Il mean that we hope you will
soon be as good SumragiSt as your
iuustrious ancestress, who was the
is this state. You can get the facts in
the lease from several authentic CO.
1onial histories. Prudence Riding re-
sentedS the fact that she. one of the
largest property holders in the colony,
should have no voice in the assembly,
and she collected her servants and
tenants about her and went to the leg
islative hall, battered down the door
and made her demand"
'I am not at all sure she battered
down the door. One of her servants
may have done it. Besides, it was not
as a woman that she demanded it 1t
was because she thought it due to her
family. No, I am quite sure that she
would have left those things to her
husband had he been in the colony at
the time, as any womanly woman
would do Besides, you. have only
what others say about it.
THAT is lust the point ] am lead
ing up to- HiIda continued amiably,
edging her way as she did toward the
cool. inviting. old fashioned veranda
where Mr.. Riding had been seated
intrusion of Hilda Hoover and her
band of enthusiasts. You see. we
want to learn more about Prudence
Riding. We have taken her as our pa
troness. We have named our organi-
zation after her. We are making the
name of Riding famous"
This with a flourish and a mock ora
tory that drew a smile even from Mr..
Riding's vexed face. Hilda KEW she
was gaining ground She laughed one
of her famous disarming, teasing
laughs-it was that more than any
thing else that made the district lead
err of her ward in the city come
across with his signature on the suf-
frage petition-and Robert felt the
ground slipping beneath his feet. He
actually invited her to continue the
conversation on the veranda, provid-
ing, of course, she would not invite
the rest of the pilgrims to join her.
self gracefully in one of Roberts most
You see,'' said Hilda, settling her
comfortable chairs, Il know that in
side that dark, interesting old house
of yours L could find some papers, per-
haps diaries, that would tell me more
about Prudence. We want to have a
account of her life published
before the suffrage bill is presented to
the state legislature. I am quite sure
you will help us. And another thing
1 wanted to ask you-please don't
think I am impertinent, but for the
cause one doesn't hesitate at anything.
You know that you are very seldom |
here at Riding hall. 1t is the merest |
chance that you are here now, and all
the rest of the time this wonderful old !
place is closed. tor the farmer I am /
sure doesn't live in the front of the !
house. Well, don't you think you |
could let US, the suffra gists of our or !
ganiZation, mean, have the privilege |
of visiting the house, say one day a. |
week? You know it is a sort of shrine /
to US 1t is where our patroness lived |
and died and it was from this very
house that she started out on her /
trip to the legislature. And !
another thing I want to ask, Mr.. Rid /
ing when we get our little life of /
Prudence Riding ready. won't you let t
is have your photograph as a picture
Of the only living descendant of our
1Iustrious heroine %
Robert gasped and jumped to his
feet in amazement-
Now, please, Mr.. Riding" Hilda
Hoover soothed- Il was almost sure
you wouldn't. 1 could tell that you
thought you opposed the suffrage just
% look at you" Here again Hilda
aughed her contagious laugh and
gave him a one-sided glance caIcu-
ated to excite his curiosity.
I'D like to know how you could
ELL he said.
I'm the first place, you are bach
eIor past so, and every bachelor past
30 thinks that woman's place is in the