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and filling the hall； and when the men realized
what it all meant； and recognized their wives； sis…
ters； and women friends in the throng； they sheep…
ishly unlocked the front doors and left us in posses…
sion； though we politely urged them to remain。 We
had a great meeting that night！
Another reminiscence may not be out of place。
We were working for a prohibition amendment in
the state of Pennsylvania； and the night before
election I reached Coatesville。 I had just com…
pleted six weeks of strenuous campaigning； and that
day I had already conducted and spoken at two big
outdoor meetings。 When I entered the town hall
of Coatesville I found it filled with women。 Only
a few men were there； the rest were celebrating
and campaigning in the streets。 So I arose and
said：
‘‘I would like to ask how many men there are in
the audience who intend to vote for the amendment
to…morrow？''
Every man in the hall stood up。
‘‘I thought so；'' I said。 ‘‘Now I intend to ask
your indulgence。 As you are all in favor of the
amendment； there is no use in my setting its claims
before you； and； as I am utterly exhausted； I
suggest that we sing the Doxology and go home！''
The audience saw the common sense of my
position； so the people laughed and sang the Doxol…
ogy and departed。 As we were leaving the hall
one of Coatesville's prominent citizens stopped me。
‘‘I wish you were a man；'' he said。 ‘‘The town
was to have a big outdoor meeting to…night； and
the orator has failed us。 There are thousands of
men in the streets waiting for the speech； and the
saloons are sending them free drinks to get them
drunk and carry the town to…morrow。''
‘‘Why；'' I said； ‘‘I'll talk to them if you wish。''
‘‘Great Scott！'' he gasped。 ‘‘I'd be afraid to let
you。 Something might happen！''
‘‘If anything happens； it will be in a good cause；''
I reminded him。 ‘‘Let us go。''
Down…town we found the streets so packed with
men that the cars could not get through； and with
the greatest difficulty we reached the stand which
had been erected for the speaker。 It was a gorgeous
affair。 There were flaring torches all around it； and
a ‘‘bull's…eye；'' taken from the head of a locomotive；
made an especially brilliant patch of light。 The
stand had been erected at a point where the city's
four principal streets meet； and as far as I could
see there were solid masses of citizens extending
into these streets。 A glee…club was doing its best
to help things along； and the music of an organette；
an instrument much used at the time in campaign
rallies； swelled the joyful tumult。 As I mounted
the platform the crowd was singing ‘‘Vote for Betty
and the Baby；'' and I took that song for my text；
speaking of the helplessness of women and children
in the face of intemperance； and telling the crowd
the only hope of the Coatesville women lay in the
vote cast by their men the next day。
Directly in front of me stood a huge and ex…
traordinarily repellent…looking negro。 A glance at
him almost made one shudder； but before I had
finished my first sentence he raised his right arm
straight above him and shouted； in a deep and
wonderfully rich bass voice； ‘‘Hallelujah to the
Lamb！'' From that point on he punctuated my
speech every few moments with good； old…fashioned
exclamations of salvation which helped to inspire
the crowd。 I spoke for almost an hour。 Three
times in my life； and only three times； I have made
speeches that have satisfied me to the degree； that
is； of making me feel that at least I was giving the
best that was in me。 The speech at Coatesville was
one of those three。 At the end of it the good…natured
crowd cheered for ten minutes。 The next day
Coatesville voted for prohibition； and； rightly or
wrongly； I have always believed that I helped to win
that victory。
Here； by the way； I may add that of the two other
speeches which satisfied me one was made in Chicago；
during the World's Fair； in 1893； and the other in
Stockholm； Sweden； in 1912。 The International
Council of Women； it will be remembered； met in
Chicago during the Fair； and I was invited to preach
the sermon at the Sunday…morning session。 The
occasion was a very important one； bringing to…
gether at least five thousand persons； including
representative women from almost every country
in Europe； and a large number of women ministers。
These made an impressive group； as they all wore
their ministerial robes； and for the first time I
preached in a ministerial robe； ordered especially
for that day。 It was made of black crepe de Chine；
with great double flowing sleeves； white silk under…
sleeves； and a wide white silk underfold down the
front； and I may mention casually that it looked
very much better than I felt； for I was very nervous。
My father had come on to Chicago especially to
hear my sermon； and had been invited to sit on the
platform。 Even yet he was not wholly reconciled
to my public work； but he was beginning to take a
deep interest in it。 I greatly desired to please him
and to satisfy Miss Anthony； who was extremely
anxious that on that day of all days I should do my
best。
I gave an unusual amount of time and thought to
that sermon； and at last evolved what I modestly
believed to be a good one。 I never write out a
sermon in advance； but I did it this time； laboriously；
and then memorized the effort。 The night before
the sermon was to be delivered Miss Anthony asked
me about it； and when I realized how deeply in…
terested she was I delivered it to her then and there
as a rehearsal。 It was very late； and I knew we
would not be interrupted。 As she listened her
face grew longer and longer and her lips drooped
at the corners。 Her disappointment was so obvious
that I had difficulty in finishing my recitation； but
I finally got through it； though rather weakly toward
the end； and waited to hear what she would say；
hoping against hope that she had liked it better
than she seemed to。 But Susan B。 Anthony was
the frankest as well as the kindest of women。 Reso…
lutely she shook her head。
‘‘It's no good； Anna；'' she said； firmly。 ‘‘You'll
have to do better。 You've polished and repolished
that sermon until there's no life left in it。 It's dead。
Besides； I don't care for your text。''
‘‘Then give me a text；'' I demanded； gloomily。
‘‘I can't；'' said Aunt Susan。
I was tired and bitterly disappointed； and both
conditions showed in my reply。
‘‘Well；'' I asked； somberly； ‘‘if you can't even
supply a text； how do you suppose I'm going to
deliver a brand…new sermon at ten o'clock to…morrow
morning？''
‘‘Oh；'' declared Aunt Susan； blithely； ‘‘you'll find
a text。''
I suggested several； but she did not like them。
At last I said； ‘‘I have it‘Let no man take thy
crown。' ''
‘‘That's it！'' exclaimed Miss Anthony。 ‘‘Give us
a good sermon on that text。''
She went to her room to sleep the sleep of the
just and the untroubled； but I tossed in my bed the
rest of the night； planning the points of the new
sermon。 After I had delivered it the next morning
I went to my father to assist him from the platform。
He was trembling； and his eyes were full of tears。
He seized my arm and pressed it。
‘‘Now I am ready to die；'' was all he said。
I was so tired that I felt ready to die； too； but
his satisfaction and a glance at Aunt Susan's con…
tented face gave me the tonic I needed。 Father
died two years later； and as I was campaigning in
California I was not with him at the end。 It was
a comfort to remember； however； that in the twilight
of his life he had learned to understand his most
difficult daughter； and to give her credit for earnest…
ness of purpose； at least； in following the life that had
led her away from him。 After his death； and imme…
diately upon my return from California； I visited
my mother； and it was well indeed that I did； for
within a few months she followed father into the
other world for which all of her unselfish life had
been a preparation。
Our last days together were perfect。 Her attitude
was one of serene and cheerful expectancy； and I
always think of her as sitting among the primroses
and bluebells she loved； which seemed to bloom
unceasingly in the windows of her room。 I recall；
too； with gratitude； a trifle which gave her a pleasure
out of all proportion to what I had dreamed it would
do。 She had expressed a longing for some English
heather； ‘‘not the hot…house variety； but the kind that
blooms on the hills；'' and I had succeeded in getting
a bunch for her by writing to an English friend。
Its possession filled her with joy； and from the
time it came until the day her eyes closed in their
last sleep it was rarely beyond reach of her hand。
At her request； when she was buried