the story of a pioneer-第45章
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last time; she was thanking them for what they had
done。 Here was one who; at a moment of special
need; had given her small savings; here was another
who had won valuable recruits to the Cause; this
one had written a strong editorial; that one had
made a stirring speech。 In these final hours it
seemed that not a single sacrifice or service; however
small; had been forgotten by the dying leader。 Last
of all; she spoke to the women who had been on her
board and had stood by her loyally so longRachel
Foster Avery; Alice Stone Blackwell; Carrie Chap…
man Catt; Mrs。 Upton; Laura Clay; and others。
Then; after lying in silence for a long time with her
cheek on my hand; she murmured: ‘‘They are still
passing before meface after face; hundreds and
hundreds of them; representing all the efforts of
fifty years。 I know how hard they have worked
I know the sacrifices they have made。 But it has
all been worth while!''
Just before she lapsed into unconsciousness she
seemed restless and anxious to say something; search…
ing my face with her dimming eyes。
‘‘Do you want me to repeat my promise?'' I
asked; for she had already made me do so several
times。 She made a sign of assent; and I gave her
the assurance she desired。 As I did so she raised
my hand to her lips and kissed ither last conscious
action。 For more than thirty hours after that I
knelt by her side; but though she clung to my hand
until her own hand grew cold; she did not speak
again。
She had told me over and over how much our long
friendship and association had meant to her; and the
comfort I had given her。 But whatever I may have
been to her; it was as nothing compared with what
she was to me。 Kneeling close to her as she passed
away; I knew that I would have given her a dozen
lives had I had them; and endured a thousand times
more hardship than we had borne together; for the
inspiration of her companionship and the joy of her
affection。 They were the greatest blessings I have
had in all my life; and I cherish as my dearest treas…
ure the volume of her History of Woman Suffrage
on the fly…leaf of which she had written this in…
scription:
REVEREND ANNA HOWARD SHAW:
This huge volume IV I present to you with the love that
a mother beareth; and I hope you will find in it the facts about
women; for you will find them nowhere else。 Your part will
be to see that the four volumes are duly placed in the libraries
of the country; where every student of history may have access
to them。
With unbounded love and faith;
SUSAN B。 ANTHONY。
That final line is still my greatest comfort。 When
I am misrepresented or misunderstood; when I am
accused of personal ambition or of working for per…
sonal ends; I turn to it and to similar lines penned
by the same hand; and tell myself that I should not
allow anything to interfere with the serenity of my
spirit or to disturb me in my work。 At the end of
eighteen years of the most intimate companionship;
the leader of our Cause; the greatest woman I have
ever known; still felt for me ‘‘unbounded love and
faith。'' Having had that; I have had enough。
For two days after ‘‘Aunt Susan's'' death she lay
in her own home; as if in restful slumber; her face
wearing its most exquisite look of peaceful serenity;
and here her special friends; the poor and the unfor…
tunate of the city; came by hundreds to pay their
last respects。 On the third day there was a public
funeral; held in the Congregational church; and;
though a wild blizzard was raging; every one in
Rochester seemed included in the great throng of
mourners who came to her bier in reverence and
left it in tears。 The church services were conducted
by the pastor; the Rev。 C。 C。 Albertson; a lifelong
friend of Miss Anthony's; assisted by the Rev。 Will…
iam C。 Gannett。 James G。 Potter; the Mayor of
the city; and Dr。 Rush Rhees; president of Rochester
University; occupied prominent places among the
distinguished mourners; and Mrs。 Jerome Jeffries;
the head of a colored school; spoke in behalf of the
negro race and its recognition of Miss Anthony's
services。 College clubs; medical societies; and re…
form groups were represented by delegates sent from
different states; and Miss Anna Gordon had come
on from Illinois to represent the Woman's National
Christian Temperance Union。 Mrs。 Catt delivered a
eulogy in which she expressed the love and recognition
of the organized suffrage women of the world for Miss
Anthony; as the one to whom they had all looked
as their leader。 William Lloyd Garrison spoke of
Miss Anthony's work with his father and other anti…
slavery leaders; and Mrs。 Jean Brooks Greenleaf
spoke in behalf of the New York State Suffrage
Association。 Then; as ‘‘Aunt Susan'' had requested;
I made the closing address。 She had asked me to
do this and to pronounce the benediction; as well as
to say the final words at her grave。
It was estimated that more than ten thousand
persons were assembled in and around the church;
and after the benediction those who had been pa…
tiently waiting out in the storm were permitted to
pass inside in single file for a last look at their
friend。 They found the coffin covered by a large
American flag; on which lay a wreath of laurel and
palms; around it stood a guard of honor composed
of girl students of Rochester University in their
college caps and gowns。 All day students had
mounted guard; relieving one another at intervals。
On every side there were flowers and floral emblems
sent by various organizations; and just over ‘‘Aunt
Susan's'' head floated the silk flag given to her by
the women of Colorado。 It contained four gold
stars; representing the four enfranchised states;
while the other stars were in silver。 On her breast
was pinned the jeweled flag given to her on her
eightieth birthday by the women of Wyomingthe
first place in the world where in the constitution of
the state women were given equal political rights
with men。 Here the four stars representing the
enfranchised states were made of diamonds; the
others of silver enamel。 Just before the lid was
fastened on the coffin this flag was removed and
handed to Mary Anthony; who presented it to me。
From that day I have worn it on every occasion of
importance to our Cause; and each time a state is
won for woman suffrage I have added a new diamond
star。 At the time I write thisin 1914there are
twelve。
As the funeral procession went through the streets
of Rochester it was seen that all the city flags were
at half…mast; by order of the City Council。 Many
houses were draped in black; and the grief of the
citizens manifested itself on every side。 All the way
to Mount Hope Cemetery the snow whirled blind…
ingly around us; while the masses that had fallen
covered the earth as far as we could see a fitting
winding…sheet for the one who had gone。 Under the
fir…trees around her open grave I obeyed ‘‘Aunt
Susan's'' wish that I should utter the last words
spoken over her body as she was laid to rest:
‘‘Dear friend;'' I said; ‘‘thou hast tarried with us
long。 Now thou hast gone to thy well…earned rest。
We beseech the Infinite Spirit Who has upheld thee
to make us worthy to follow in thy steps and to
carry on thy work。 Hail and farewell。''
XI
THE WIDENING SUFFRAGE STREAM
In my chapters on Miss Anthony I bridged the
twenty years between 1886 and 1906; omitting
many of the stirring suffrage events of that long
period; in my desire to concentrate on those which
most vitally concerned her。 I must now retrace my
steps along the widening suffrage stream and de…
scribe; consecutively at least; and as fully as these
incomplete reminiscences will permit; other inci…
dents that occurred on its banks。
Of these the most important was t