the background as even to refuse to make one
of the principal speeches of the occasion. When she reached New York,
she went for the night to her cousin, Mrs. Lapham, and early the next
morning to Mrs. Stanton's to read over the birthday speech, of which she
writes: "My only criticism was that she did not rest her case after
describing the wonderful advance made in state, church, society and
home, instead of going on to single out the church and declare it to be
especially slow in accepting the doctrine of equality to women. I tried
to make her see that it had advanced as rapidly as the other departments
but I did not succeed, and it is right that she should express her own
ideas, not mine."

The next day she went to Newburgh to address the State convention,
returning to New York on the 9th. Friends had come from all parts of
the country to attend the celebration, and the three days following were
pleasantly spent in visiting with them at the different hotels. On the
evening of the 12th occurred the birthday fete. There is not room in
these pages to describe in full that magnificent gathering, the great
Metropolitan Opera House crowded from pit to dome, each of the boxes
brilliantly and appropriately decorated and occupied by the
representatives of some organization of women. On the stage was a throne
of flowers and above it an arch with the name "Stanton" wrought in red
carnations on a white ground. When Mrs. Stanton entered, the entire
audience of 3,000 rose to salute her with waving handkerchiefs. At the
right and left of the floral throne sat Miss Anthony and Mrs. Dickinson.
Instead of responding with a set speech, when called upon, Miss Anthony
paid an eloquent tribute to the "pioneers," and then read the most
important of the one hundred telegrams of congratulation which had been
received from noted societies and eminent men and women in the United
States and Europe.[116] The New York Sun said: "In ordinary hands this
task would have been dull enough, but Miss Anthony enlivened it with her
wit and cleverness and made a success of it." It may be truly said that
not one woman in that audience, not even Mrs. Stanton herself, was
prouder or happier than Miss Anthony over this splendid ovation.

The next day a large reception was given at the Savoy by Mrs. Henry
Villard, the only daughter of Wm. Lloyd Garrison; and after various
luncheons and dinners and good-by calls, Miss Anthony returned to
Rochester. She plunged in