en I
was young, if a girl married poverty, she became a drudge; if she
married wealth, she became a doll. Had I married at twenty-one, I
would have been either a drudge or a doll for fifty-five years.
Think of it!" and she laughed again....

Miss Anthony's seventy-sixth birthday was celebrated by the Rochester
Political Equality Club at the residence of Dr. and Mrs. S. A. Linn. The
spacious and beautifully decorated rooms were crowded with guests, and
interesting addresses were given by Mrs. Greenleaf, Mrs. Gannett, Mr. J.
M. Thayer and Mary Seymour Howell, to which Miss Anthony made a happy
response. On February 17 she spoke at a church fair given by the colored
people of Bath, and then completed her preparations for a long journey
and a great campaign. It will be remembered that Miss Anthony had
decided to rest from "field work" during 1896, and to arrange her papers
for the writing of the history of her life, which her friends felt was
now the most important thing for her to do. To this end a roomy
half-story had been built on the substantial Rochester home, and therein
were placed all the big boxes and trunks of letters and documents which
had been accumulating during the last fifty years and stored in
woodshed, cellar and closets; a stenographer had been engaged and all
was in readiness for the great work. Then came an appeal from 3,000
miles away which rent asunder all her resolutions.

When she had been in California the previous year and had helped the
women plan their approaching campaign, nothing had been further from her
thoughts than returning to give her personal assistance. As the time for
action drew near, those who had the matter in charge began to realize
that the task before them was far greater than they had anticipated, and
that they were lacking in the experience which would be needed. There
were very few women who could be depended on to draw together and
address great audiences of thousands of people, to speak thirty
consecutive nights in each month, and to be equal to every emergency of
a political campaign; nor were there any considerable number who
understood the best methods of organization. It was then both natural
and sensible that the State society should appeal to the national
association for assistance. It is an essential part of the business of
the officers of that body to respond to such calls.

Miss Anthony had been home from California but a short time in 1895 wh