r authority?" "It's my
pulpit, and if you speak in this house to-night you speak from this
platform!" "Excuse me, sir; I mistook you for the music-teacher, who,
as I was told, was organizing a class in music." And stepping quickly
to the platform to restore the equanimity of the house, I remarked, as
indicating my position, that my self-respect admonished me to be the
lady always, no matter how ungentlemanly the treatment I might
receive; that the cause of humanity, the cause of suffering Kansas was
above all personal considerations, and proceeded with my lecture.

At the close, Mr. B---- arose and said: "I owe this audience an
apology for my ungentlemanly language to Mrs. Nichols. I am aware that
I shall get into the public prints, and I wish to set myself right." A
gentleman in the audience rose and moved, "that we excuse the Rev. R.
B---- for his ungentlemanly language to Mrs. Nichols to-night, on the
score of his ignorance." The motion was seconded with emphasis by a
man of venerable presence. "Friends," I appealed, "this is a personal
matter; it gives me no concern. It will affect neither me nor my work.
Please name suitable women for the committee of relief which I am here
to ask." Business being concluded, I turned to Mr. B----, who was shut
in with me by a press of sympathizing friends, and expressed my
regret, that he should have said anything to place him under the
necessity of apologizing, adding, "but I hope in future you will
remember the words of Solomon: 'Greater is he that controlleth his own
spirit, than he that taketh a city.' Good-night, sir." I learned that
a few months before he had prevented his people from inviting
Antoinette Brown to speak to them on Temperance, by declaring that "he
would never set his foot in a pulpit that had been occupied by a
woman." When three weeks later I heard of his dismissal from his
charge in S----, I could appreciate the remark of his brother
clergyman in a neighboring town, to whom I related the incident, that
"Brother B---- is rather given to hooking with those horns of his, but
he's in hot water now."

In the winter and spring of 1856, I had, by invitation of its editor,
written a series of articles on the subject of woman's legal
disabilities, preparatory to a plea for political equality, for the
columns of the Kansas _Herald of Freedom_, the last number of which
went down with the "_form_" and press of the office to the bottom of
the Kansas river, when the Bor