Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-14

Pardon me, madam, but If you don't
stop making my front lawn a sort OF
suffrage camp meeting center I'll have
to send for the sheriff of whoever it is
that keeps peace and harmony In the
place. It's an outrage, and it has been
going on for a week, ever since came
up from New York for hoped for rest
I won't have her called an advanced
woman. She was my ancestress and
presume that have right to uphold
her memory, and not to have 1t drag.
ged into the pardon me madam,
had forgotten that you were laboring
under the same delusion as the rest
You surely do not look the least like
suffragist.''
Robert Riding had gone little far.
Their than he had intended, and now
as he stood looking into the straight
forward, calm, brown eyes OF Hilda
Hoover he was decidedly disconnected.
II don't so much object to your COM
ing here If you want to - though
there have been a hundred or so OF
you pilgrims within the past week 10
J but what do object to Is having you
carrying those hideous yellow banners
with the name of my ancestors - my
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 discredit her now really can
not see. Tush and nonsense! She
was no more suffragist than / am
THAT is just what we hope" Hilda
Hoover. famous for her we'll turned
suffrage speeches, was not in the least
disturbed by Robert Rulings indigna-
ton II mean that we hope you will
soon be as good suffragist as your
illustrious ancestress, who was the
first woman to demand a vote In what
is now this state. You can get the
facts in the case from several auth
entic colonial histories. Prudence RID
ing resented the fact that she, enc OF
the largest property holders IN the col
ony, should have no voice In the as
sembly and she collected her servants
and tenants about her and went to the
legislative hall, battered down the
door and made her demand"
I'll am not at all sure she battered
down the door. One Of her servants
may have done it. Besides, it was not
as q woman that she demanded 1t. 1t
was because she thought it due to her
family. No, 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 Just the point / am leading
up to-" Hilda continued amiably, edg-
ing her way as she did toward the
cool, inviting, old fashioned veranda
where Mr.. Riding had been seated
when he came forward to resent the
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 pat
roness. We have named our organiza-
ton after her. We are making the
name of Riding famous"
This with a flourish and mock
oratory that drew smile even from
Mr.. Riding's vexed face. Hilda knew
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
or Of her ward in the city come
across" with his signature on the suf-
frage petition and Robert felt theI
ground slipping beneath his feet. He
actuallyy invited her to continue the
conversation on the veranda, providing
Of course, she would not invite the rest
of the pilgrims to join her.
"You see," said Hilda, settling her
self gracefully in one of Roberts most
comfortable chairs 81 know that in
side that dark, interesting old house OF
yours could find some papers, per-
haps diaries, that would tell me more
about Prudence. We want to have a
complete account Of her life published
before the suffrage bill is presented to
the state legislature. am quite sure
you will help us. And another thing
I wanted to ask you - please don't
think I'm 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. for the farmer | am