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failures； I was a modest young person。 The amount
seemed too large； and I told Mrs。 Stone as much；
after which I humbly fixed my salary at fifty dollars
a month。 At the end of a year of work I felt that
I had ‘‘made good''； then I asked for and received
the one hundred dollars a month originally offered
me。
During my second year Miss Cora Scott Pond and
I organized and carried through in Boston a great
suffrage bazaar； clearing six thousand dollars for
the associationa large amount in those days。
Elated by my share in this success； I asked that my
salary should be increased to one hundred and
twenty…five dollars a monthbut this was not done。
Instead； I received a valuable lesson。 It was freely
admitted that my work was worth one hundred and
twenty…five dollars； but I was told that one hundred
was the limit which could be paid； and I was re…
minded that this was a good salary for a woman。
The time seemed to have come to make a practical
stand in defense of my principles； and I did so by
resigning and arranging an independent lecture tour。
The first month after my resignation I earned three
hundred dollars。 Later I frequently earned more
than that； and very rarely less。 Eventually I lec…
tured under the direction of the Slaton Lecture
Bureau of Chicago； and later still for the Redpath
Bureau of Boston。 My experience with the Red…
path people was especially gratifying。 Mrs。 Liver…
more； who was their only woman lecturer； was grow…
ing old and anxious to resign her work。 She saw
in me a possible successor； and asked them to take
me on their list。 They promptly refused； explain…
ing that I must ‘‘make a reputation'' before they
could even consider me。 A year later they wrote
me； making a very good offer； which I accepted。 It
may be worth while to mention here that through
my lecture…work at this period I earned all the money
I have ever saved。 I lectured night after night； week
after week； month after month； in ‘‘Chautauquas''
in the summer； all over the country in the winter；
earning a large income and putting aside at that
time the small surplus I still hold in preparation for
the ‘‘rainy day'' every working…woman inwardly
fears。
I gave the public at least a fair equivalent for
what it gave me； for I put into my lectures all my
vitality； and I rarely missed an engagement； though
again and again I risked my life to keep one。 My
special subjects； of course； were the two I had most
at heart…suffrage and temperance。 For Frances
Willard； then President of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union； had persuaded me to head the
Franchise Department of that organization； suc…
ceeding Ziralda Wallace； the mother of Gen。 Lew
Wallace； and Miss Susan B。 Anthony； who was be…
ginning to study me closely； soon swung me into
active work with her； of which； later； I shall have
much to say。 But before taking up a subject as
absorbing to me as my friendship for and association
with the most wonderful woman I have ever known；
it may be interesting to record a few of my pioneer
experiences in the lecture…field。
In those daysthirty years agothe lecture bu…
reaus were wholly regardless of the comfort of their
lecturers。 They arranged a schedule of engagements
with exactly one idea in mindto get the lecturer
from one lecture…point to the next； utterly regardless
of whether she had time between for rest or food or
sleep。 So it happened that all…night journeys in
freight…cars； engines； and cabooses were casual com…
monplaces； while thirty and forty mile drives across
the country in blizzards and bitter cold were equally
inevitable。 Usually these things did not trouble
me。 They were high adventures which I enjoyed at
the time and afterward loved to recall。 But there
was an occasional hiatus in my optimism。
One night； for example； after lecturing in a town
in Ohio； it was necessary to drive eight miles across
country to a tiny railroad station at which a train；
passing about two o'clock in the morning； was to be
flagged for me。 When we reached the station it was
closed； but my driver deposited me on the platform
and drove away； leaving me alone。 The night was
cold and very dark。 All day I had been feeling ill
and in the evening had suffered so much pain that
I had finished my lecture with great difficulty。 Now
toward midnight； in this desolate spot； miles from
any house； I grew alarmingly worse。 I am not
easily frightened； but that time I was sure I was
going to die。 Off in the darkness； very far away； as
it seemed； I saw a faint light； and with infinite effort
I dragged myself toward it。 To walk； even to stand；
was impossible； I crawled along the railroad track；
collapsing； resting； going on again； whipping my
will power to the task of keeping my brain clear；
until after a nightmare that seemed to last through
centuries I lay across the door of the switch…tower
in which the light was burning。 The switchman
stationed there heard the cry I was able to utter；
and came to my assistance。 He carried me up to
his signal…room and laid me on the floor by the stove；
he had nothing to give me except warmth and shel…
ter； but these were now all I asked。 I sank into a
comatose condition shot through with pain。 Tow…
ard two o'clock in the morning he waked me and
told me my train was coming； asking if I felt able
to take it。 I decided to make the effort。 He dared
not leave his post to help me； but he signaled to the
train； and I began my progress back to the station。
I never clearly remembered how I got there； but
I arrived and was helped into a car by a brakeman。
About four o'clock in the morning I had to change
again； but this time I was left at the station of a town；
and was there met by a man whose wife had offered
me hospitality。 He drove me to their home； and
I was cared for。 What I had； it developed； was a
severe case of ptomaine poisoning； and I soon re…
covered； but even after all these years I do not
like to recall that night。
To be ‘‘snowed in'' was a frequent experience。
Once； in Minnesota； I was one of a dozen travelers
who were driven in an omnibus from a country hotel
to the nearest railroad station； about two miles away。
It was snowing hard； and the driver left us on the
station platform and departed。 Time passed； but
the train we were waiting for did not come。 A true
Western blizzard； growing wilder every moment； had
set in； and we finally realized that the train was not
coming； and that； moreover； it was now impossible
to get back to the hotel。 The only thing we could
do was to spend the night in the railroad station。
I was the only woman in the group； and my fellow…
passengers were cattlemen who whiled away the
hours by smoking； telling stories； and exchanging
pocket flasks。 The station had a telegraph operator
who occupied a tiny box by himself； and he finally
invited me to share the p