Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
During the next half hour gentlemen rose at three several times and
requested Mr. B---- to "postpone the class business till the close of
the lecture: that people had come from a distance to hear the lecture,
and were anxious to return home, the night being dark and rainy." "I
will be through soon. I like to finish a thing when I begin."
"There'll be time enough," were the several replies, given in a tone
and with an emphasis that suggested to my mind a doubt of the
speaker's sympathy with my subject. When the clock pointed to eight, I
quietly took my seat in the desk and was smoothing my page of notes
when there fell on my astonished ear--"I was about to introduce the
lady speaker, but she has suddenly disappeared." Stepping forward, I
said, "Excuse me, sir; as the hour is very late I took my place to be
in readiness when you should be through with your class." "Madam, you
will speak on this platform." "I noticed, sir, that I could not see my
audience from the platform, also that the desk was lighted for me."
"Madam, you can't speak in that pulpit!" "This is very strange. Will
you give me your reasons?" "It's none of your business!" "Indeed, sir,
I do not understand it. Will you give me your authority?" "It's my
pulpit, and if you speak in this house to-night you speak from this
platform!" "Excuse me, sir; I mistook you for the music-teacher, who,
as I was told, was organizing a class in music." And stepping quickly
to the platform to restore the equanimity of the house, I remarked, as
indicating my position, that my self-respect admonished me to be the
lady always, no matter how ungentlemanly the treatment I might
receive; that the cause of humanity, the cause of suffering Kansas was
above all personal considerations, and proceeded with my lecture.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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