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I made the closing address。 She had asked me to
do this and to pronounce the benediction； as well as
to say the final words at her grave。
It was estimated that more than ten thousand
persons were assembled in and around the church；
and after the benediction those who had been pa…
tiently waiting out in the storm were permitted to
pass inside in single file for a last look at their
friend。 They found the coffin covered by a large
American flag； on which lay a wreath of laurel and
palms； around it stood a guard of honor composed
of girl students of Rochester University in their
college caps and gowns。 All day students had
mounted guard； relieving one another at intervals。
On every side there were flowers and floral emblems
sent by various organizations； and just over ‘‘Aunt
Susan's'' head floated the silk flag given to her by
the women of Colorado。 It contained four gold
stars； representing the four enfranchised states；
while the other stars were in silver。 On her breast
was pinned the jeweled flag given to her on her
eightieth birthday by the women of Wyomingthe
first place in the world where in the constitution of
the state women were given equal political rights
with men。 Here the four stars representing the
enfranchised states were made of diamonds； the
others of silver enamel。 Just before the lid was
fastened on the coffin this flag was removed and
handed to Mary Anthony； who presented it to me。
From that day I have worn it on every occasion of
importance to our Cause； and each time a state is
won for woman suffrage I have added a new diamond
star。 At the time I write thisin 1914there are
twelve。
As the funeral procession went through the streets
of Rochester it was seen that all the city flags were
at half…mast； by order of the City Council。 Many
houses were draped in black； and the grief of the
citizens manifested itself on every side。 All the way
to Mount Hope Cemetery the snow whirled blind…
ingly around us； while the masses that had fallen
covered the earth as far as we could see a fitting
winding…sheet for the one who had gone。 Under the
fir…trees around her open grave I obeyed ‘‘Aunt
Susan's'' wish that I should utter the last words
spoken over her body as she was laid to rest：
‘‘Dear friend；'' I said； ‘‘thou hast tarried with us
long。 Now thou hast gone to thy well…earned rest。
We beseech the Infinite Spirit Who has upheld thee
to make us worthy to follow in thy steps and to
carry on thy work。 Hail and farewell。''
XI
THE WIDENING SUFFRAGE STREAM
In my chapters on Miss Anthony I bridged the
twenty years between 1886 and 1906； omitting
many of the stirring suffrage events of that long
period； in my desire to concentrate on those which
most vitally concerned her。 I must now retrace my
steps along the widening suffrage stream and de…
scribe； consecutively at least； and as fully as these
incomplete reminiscences will permit； other inci…
dents that occurred on its banks。
Of these the most important was the union in
1889 of the two great suffrage societiesthe Ameri…
can Association； of which Lucy Stone was the presi…
dent； and the National Association； headed by Susan
B。 Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton。 At a
convention held in Washington these societies were
merged as The National American Woman Suffrage
Associationthe name our association still bears
and Mrs。 Stanton was elected president。 She was
then nearly eighty and past active work； but she
made a wonderful presiding officer at our subsequent
meetings； and she was as picturesque as she was
efficient。
Miss Anthony； who had an immense admiration
for her and a great personal pride in her； always
escorted her to the capital； and； having worked her
utmost to make the meeting a success； invariably
gave Mrs。 Stanton credit for all that was accom…
plished。 She often said that Mrs。 Stanton was the
brains of the new association； while she herself was
merely its hands and feet； but in truth the two
women worked marvelously together； for Mrs。
Stanton was a master of words and could write and
speak to perfection of the things Susan B。 Anthony
saw and felt but could not herself express。 Usually
Miss Anthony went to Mrs。 Stanton's house and
took charge of it while she stimulated the venerable
president to the writing of her annual address。
Then； at the subsequent convention； she would listen
to the report with as much delight and pleasure as
if each word of it had been new to her。 Even after
Mrs。 Stanton's resignation from the presidency
at the end； I think； of three yearsand Miss An…
thony's election as her successor； ‘‘Aunt Susan'' still
went to her old friend whenever an important reso…
lution was to be written； and Mrs。 Stanton loyally
drafted it for her。
Mrs。 Stanton was the most brilliant conversa…
tionalist I have ever known； and the best talk I
have heard anywhere was that to which I used to
listen in the home of Mrs。 Eliza Wright Osborne；
in Auburn； New York； when Mrs。 Stanton； Susan
B。 Anthony； Emily Howland； Elizabeth Smith
Miller； Ida Husted Harper； Miss Mills； and I were
gathered there for our occasional week…end visits。
Mrs。 Osborne inherited her suffrage sympathies； for
she was the daughter of Martha Wright； who； with
Mrs。 Stanton and Lucretia Mott； called the first
suffrage convention in Seneca Falls； New York。 I
must add in passing that her son； Thomas Mott
Osborne； who is doing such admirable work in
prison reform at Sing Sing； has shown himself worthy
of the gifted and high…minded mother who gave him
to the world。
Most of the conversation in Mrs。 Osborne's home
was contributed by Mrs。 Stanton and Miss Anthony；
while the rest of us sat； as it were； at their feet。
Many human and feminine touches brightened the
lofty discussions that were constantly going on； and
the varied characteristics of our leaders cropped up
in amusing fashion。 Mrs。 Stanton； for example； was
rarely accurate in giving figures or dates； while Miss
Anthony was always very exact in such matters。
She frequently corrected Mrs。 Stanton's statements；
and Mrs。 Stanton usually took the interruption in
the best possible spirit； promptly admitting that
‘‘Aunt Susan'' knew best。 On one occasion I re…
call； however； she held fast to her opinion that she
was right as to the month in which a certain inci…
dent had occurred。
‘‘No； Susan；'' she insisted； ‘‘you're wrong for
once。 I remember perfectly when that happened；
for it was at the time I was beginning to wean
Harriet。''
Aunt Susan； though somewhat staggered by the
force of this testimony； still maintained that Mrs。
Stanton must be mistaken； whereupon the latter
repeated； in exasperation； ‘‘I tell you it happened
when I was weaning Harriet。'' And she added；
scornfully； ‘‘What event have you got to reckon
from？''
Miss Anthony meekly subsided。