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times became necessary to do this。 Miss Anthony
was subject to contractions of the throat； which for
the moment caused a slight strangulation。 On such
occasionsof which there were severalshe would
turn to me and indicate her helplessness。 Then I
would repeat her last sentence； complete her speech；
and afterward make my own。
The first time this happened we were in Washing…
ton； and ‘‘Aunt Susan'' stopped in the middle of a
word。 She could not speak； she merely motioned
to me to continue for her； and left the stage。 At the
end of the evening a prominent Washington man
who had been in our audience remarked to me； con…
fidentially：
‘‘That was a nice little play you and Miss An…
thony made to…nightvery effective indeed。''
For an instant I did not catch his meaning； nor
the implication in his knowing smile。
‘‘Very clever； that strangling bit； and your going
on with the speech；'' he repeated。 ‘‘It hit the au…
dience hard。''
‘‘Surely；'' I protested； ‘‘you don't think it was a
deliberate thingthat we planned or rehearsed it。''
He stared at me incredulously。 ‘‘Are you going
to pretend；'' he demanded； ‘‘that it wasn't a put…up
job？''
I told him he had paid us a high compliment； and
that we must really have done very well if we had
conveyed that impression； and I finally convinced
him that we not only had not rehearsed the episode；
but that neither of us had known what the other
meant to say。 We never wrote out our speeches；
but our subject was always suffrage or some ramifica…
tion of suffrage； and； naturally； we had thoroughly
digested each other's views。
It is said by my friends that I write my speeches
on the tips of my fingersfor I always make my
points on my fingers and have my fingers named for
points。 When I plan a speech I decide how many
points I wish to make and what those points shall
be。 My mental preparation follows。 Miss An…
thony's method was much the same； but very fre…
quently both of us threw over all our plans at the last
moment and spoke extemporaneously on some theme
suggested by the atmosphere of the gathering or by
the words of another speaker。
From Miss Anthony； more than from any one else；
I learned to keep cool in the face of interruptions
and of the small annoyances and disasters inevitable
in campaigning。 Often we were able to help each
other out of embarrassing situations； and one incident
of this kind occurred during our campaign in South
Dakota。 We were holding a meeting on the hottest
Sunday of the hottest month in the yearAugust
and hundreds of the natives had driven twenty；
thirty； and even forty miles across the country to
hear us。 We were to speak in a sod church； but it
was discovered that the structure would not hold half
the people who were trying to enter it； so we decided
that Miss Anthony should speak from the door； in
order that those both inside and outside might hear
her。 To elevate her above her audience； she was
given an empty dry…goods box to stand on。
This makeshift platform was not large； and men；
women； and children were seated on the ground
around it； pressing up against it； as close to the
speaker as they could get。 Directly in front of Miss
Anthony sat a woman with a child about two years
olda little boy； and this infant； like every one else
in the packed throng； was dripping with perspiration
and suffering acutely under the blazing sun。 Every
woman present seemed to have brought children with
her； doubtless because she could not leave them
alone at home； and babies were crying and fretting
on all sides。 The infant nearest Miss Anthony fretted
most strenuously； he was a sturdy little fellow with
a fine pair of lungs； and he made it very difficult for
her to lift her voice above his dismal clamor。 Sud…
denly； however； he discovered her feet on the dry…
goods box； about on a level with his head。 They
were clad in black stockings and low shoes； they
moved about oddly； they fascinated him。 With a
yelp of interest he grabbed for them and began
pinching them to see what they were。 His howls
ceased； he was happy。
Miss Anthony was not。 But it was a great relief
to have the child quiet； so she bore the infliction of
the pinching as long as she could。 When endurance
had found its limit she slipped back out of reach；
and as his new plaything receded the boy uttered
shrieks of disapproval。 There was only one way to
stop his noise； Miss Anthony brought her feet for…
ward again； and he resumed the pinching of her
ankles； while his yelps subsided to contented mur…
murs。 The performance was repeated half a dozen
times。 Each time the ankles retreated the baby
yelled。 Finally； for once at the end of her patience；
‘‘Aunt Susan'' leaned forward and addressed the
mother； whose facial expression throughout had
shown a complete mental detachment from the situa…
tion。
‘‘I think your little boy is hot and thirsty；'' she
said； gently。 ‘‘If you would take him out of the
crowd and give him a drink of water and unfasten
his clothes； I am sure he would be more comfortable。''
Before she had finished speaking the woman had
sprung to her feet and was facing her with fierce
indignation。
‘‘This is the first time I have ever been insulted
as a mother；'' she cried； ‘‘and by an old maid at
that！'' Then she grasped the infant and left the
scene； amid great confusion。 The majority of those
in the audience seemed to sympathize with her。
They had not seen the episode of the feet； and they
thought Miss Anthony was complaining of the child's
crying。 Their children were crying； too； and they
felt that they had all been criticized。 Other women
rose and followed the irate mother； and many men
gallantly followed them。 It seemed clear that
motherhood had been outraged。
Miss Anthony was greatly depressed by the epi…
sode； and she was not comforted by a prediction one
man made after the meeting。
‘‘You've lost at least twenty votes by that little
affair；'' he told her。
‘‘Aunt Susan'' sighed。 ‘‘Well；'' she said； ‘‘if those
men knew how my ankles felt I would have won
twenty votes by enduring the torture as long as I did。''
The next day we had a second meeting。 Miss
Anthony made her speech early in the evening； and
by the time it was my turn to begin all the children
in the audienceand there were manywere both
tired and sleepy。 At least half a dozen of them
were crying； and I had to shout to make my voice
heard above their uproar。 Miss Anthony remarked
afterward that there seemed to be a contest between
me and the infants to see which of us could make
more noise。 The audience was plainly getting rest…
less under the combined effect； and finally a man in
the rear rose and added his voice to the tumult。
‘‘Say； Miss Shaw；'' he yelled； ‘‘don't you want
these children put out？''
It was our chance to remove the sa