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order that those both inside and outside might hear
her。 To elevate her above her audience； she was
given an empty dry…goods box to stand on。
This makeshift platform was not large； and men；
women； and children were seated on the ground
around it； pressing up against it； as close to the
speaker as they could get。 Directly in front of Miss
Anthony sat a woman with a child about two years
olda little boy； and this infant； like every one else
in the packed throng； was dripping with perspiration
and suffering acutely under the blazing sun。 Every
woman present seemed to have brought children with
her； doubtless because she could not leave them
alone at home； and babies were crying and fretting
on all sides。 The infant nearest Miss Anthony fretted
most strenuously； he was a sturdy little fellow with
a fine pair of lungs； and he made it very difficult for
her to lift her voice above his dismal clamor。 Sud…
denly； however； he discovered her feet on the dry…
goods box； about on a level with his head。 They
were clad in black stockings and low shoes； they
moved about oddly； they fascinated him。 With a
yelp of interest he grabbed for them and began
pinching them to see what they were。 His howls
ceased； he was happy。
Miss Anthony was not。 But it was a great relief
to have the child quiet； so she bore the infliction of
the pinching as long as she could。 When endurance
had found its limit she slipped back out of reach；
and as his new plaything receded the boy uttered
shrieks of disapproval。 There was only one way to
stop his noise； Miss Anthony brought her feet for…
ward again； and he resumed the pinching of her
ankles； while his yelps subsided to contented mur…
murs。 The performance was repeated half a dozen
times。 Each time the ankles retreated the baby
yelled。 Finally； for once at the end of her patience；
‘‘Aunt Susan'' leaned forward and addressed the
mother； whose facial expression throughout had
shown a complete mental detachment from the situa…
tion。
‘‘I think your little boy is hot and thirsty；'' she
said； gently。 ‘‘If you would take him out of the
crowd and give him a drink of water and unfasten
his clothes； I am sure he would be more comfortable。''
Before she had finished speaking the woman had
sprung to her feet and was facing her with fierce
indignation。
‘‘This is the first time I have ever been insulted
as a mother；'' she cried； ‘‘and by an old maid at
that！'' Then she grasped the infant and left the
scene； amid great confusion。 The majority of those
in the audience seemed to sympathize with her。
They had not seen the episode of the feet； and they
thought Miss Anthony was complaining of the child's
crying。 Their children were crying； too； and they
felt that they had all been criticized。 Other women
rose and followed the irate mother； and many men
gallantly followed them。 It seemed clear that
motherhood had been outraged。
Miss Anthony was greatly depressed by the epi…
sode； and she was not comforted by a prediction one
man made after the meeting。
‘‘You've lost at least twenty votes by that little
affair；'' he told her。
‘‘Aunt Susan'' sighed。 ‘‘Well；'' she said； ‘‘if those
men knew how my ankles felt I would have won
twenty votes by enduring the torture as long as I did。''
The next day we had a second meeting。 Miss
Anthony made her speech early in the evening； and
by the time it was my turn to begin all the children
in the audienceand there were manywere both
tired and sleepy。 At least half a dozen of them
were crying； and I had to shout to make my voice
heard above their uproar。 Miss Anthony remarked
afterward that there seemed to be a contest between
me and the infants to see which of us could make
more noise。 The audience was plainly getting rest…
less under the combined effect； and finally a man in
the rear rose and added his voice to the tumult。
‘‘Say； Miss Shaw；'' he yelled； ‘‘don't you want
these children put out？''
It was our chance to remove the sad impression
of yesterday； and I grasped it。
‘‘No； indeed；'' I yelled back。 ‘‘Nothing inspires
me like the voice of a child！''
A handsome round of applause from mothers and
fathers greeted this noble declaration； after which
the blessed babies and I resumed our joint vocal
efforts。 When the speech was finished and we were
alone together； Miss Anthony put her arm around
my shoulder and drew me to her side。
‘‘Well； Anna；'' she said； gratefully； ‘‘you've cer…
tainly evened us up on motherhood this time。''
That South Dakota campaign was one of the
most difficult we ever made。 It extended over nine
months； and it is impossible to describe the poverty
which prevailed throughout the whole rural com…
munity of the State。 There had been three con…
secutive years of drought。 The sand was like pow…
der； so deep that the wheels of the wagons in which
we rode ‘‘across country'' sank half…way to the
hubs； and in the midst of this dry powder lay with…
ered tangles that had once been grass。 Every one
had the forsaken； desperate look worn by the pioneer
who has reached the limit of his endurance； and the
great stretches of prairie roads showed innumerable
canvas…covered wagons； drawn by starved horses；
and followed by starved cows； on their way ‘‘Back
East。'' Our talks with the despairing drivers of
these wagons are among my most tragic memories。
They had lost everything except what they had with
them； and they were going East to leave ‘‘the wom…
an'' with her father and try to find work。 Usually；
with a look of disgust at his wife； the man would
say： ‘‘I wanted to leave two years ago； but the
woman kept saying； ‘Hold on a little longer。' ''
Both Miss Anthony and I gloried in the spirit of
these pioneer women； and lost no opportunity to
tell them so； for we realized what our nation owes
to the patience and courage of such as they were。
We often asked them what was the hardest thing to
bear in their pioneer life； and we usually received
the same reply：
‘‘To sit in our little adobe or sod houses at night
and listen to the wolves howl over the graves of our
babies。 For the howl of the wolf is like the cry of
a child from the grave。''
Many days； and in all kinds of weather； we rode
forty and fifty miles in uncovered wagons。 Many
nights we shared a one…room cabin with all the mem…
bers of the family。 But the greatest hardship we
suffered was the lack of water。 There was very
little good water in the state； and the purest water
was so brackish that we could hardly drink it。 The
more we drank the thirstier we became； and when
the water was made into tea it tasted worse than
when it was clear。 A bath was the rarest of luxuries。
The only available fuel was buffalo manure； of which
the odor permeated all our food。 But despite these
handicaps we were happy in our work； for we had
some great meetings and many wonderful experiences。
When we reached the Black Hills we had more of
this genuine campaigning。 We traveled over the
mountains in wagons； behind teams of horses； visit…
ing the mining…camps； and often the gullies were so
deep that when our horses got into them it was al…
most impossible to get them out。 I recall with
special clearness one ride from Hill City to Custer
City。 It was only a matter of thirty miles； but it was
thoroughly exhausting； and after our meeting that
same night we had to drive forty miles farther over
the mountains to get the early morning train from
Buffalo Gap。 The trail from Custer City to Buffalo
Gap was the one the animals had originally made in
their journeys over the pass； and the drive in that
wild region； throughout a cold； piercing October
night； was an unforgetable experience。 Our host at
Custer City lent Miss Anthony his big buffalo over…
coat； and his wife lent hers to me。 They also heated
blocks of wood for our feet； and with these pro…
tections we started。 A full moon hung in the sky。
The trees were covered with hoar…frost； and the cold；
still air seemed to sparkle in the brilliant light。
Again Miss Anthony talked to me throughout the
nightof the work； always of the work； and of what
it would mean to the women who followed us； and
again she fired my soul with the flame that burned
so steadily in her own。
It was daylight when we reached the little sta…
tion at Buffalo Gap where we were to take the
train。 This was not due； however； for half an hour；
and even then it did not come。 The station was
only large enough to hold the stove； the ticket…office；
and the inevitable cuspidor。 There was barely
room in which to walk between these and the wall。
Miss Anthony sat down on the floor。 I had a few
raisins in my bag； and we divided them for breakfast。
An hour passed； and another； and still the train did
not come。 Miss Anthony； h