ms, so arranged that a comfortable privacy was
secured to the jury-women. I did my best to have the same improvement
adopted here, but, alas! I have not the ability of Selina Whiston
in such matters, and there is nothing to this day but the one vile,
miserable room, properly furnished in no particular except spittoons.

The nominating Conventions were held in August, also, and we were
therefore called upon to move at once, in order to secure our fair
share. Much valuable time had been lost in discussing a question of
policy, namely, whether we should attach ourselves to the two parties
already in existence, according to our individual inclinations, or
whether we should form a third party for ourselves. We finally accepted
the former proposition, and I think wisely; for the most of us were so
ignorant of political tricks and devices, that we still needed to learn
from the men, and we could not afford to draw upon us the hostility of
both parties, in the very infancy of our movement.

Never in my life did I have such a task, as in drumming up a few women
to attend the primary township meeting for the election of delegates. It
was impossible to make them comprehend its importance. Even after I had
done my best to explain the technicalities of male politics, and fancied
that I had made some impression, the answer would be: "Well, I'd go,
I'm sure, just to oblige you, but then there's the tomatoes to be
canned"--or, "I'm so behindhand with my darning and patching"--or,
"John'll be sure to go, and there's no need of two from the same
house"--and so on, until I was mightily discouraged. There were just
nine of us, all told, to about a hundred men. I won't deny that our
situation that night, at the Wrangle House, was awkward and not entirely
agreeable. To be sure the landlord gave us the parlor, and most of
the men came in, now and then, to speak to us; but they managed the
principal matters all by themselves, in the bar-room, which was such a
mess of smoke and stale liquor smells, that it turned my stomach when I
ventured in for two minutes.

I don't think we should have accomplished much, but for a 'cute idea of
Mrs. Wilbur, the tinman's wife. She went to the leaders, and threatened
them that the women's vote should be cast in a body for the Democratic
candidates, unless we were considered in making up the ticket.
THAT helped: the delegates were properly instructed, and the County
Convention afterward nominated two men and