asked if there was no other entrance
to the hall except through the locked front doors, and were told that
the judge's private room opened into it, and that one of our committee
had the key, as she had planned to use this room as a dressing and
retiring room for the speakers. After some discussion we decided to
storm the hall and take possession. Within five minutes all the women
had formed in line and were crowding up the back stairs and into the
judge's room. There we unlocked the door, again formed in line, and
marched into the hall, singing "Onward, Christian Soldiers!"

There were hundreds of us, and we marched directly to the platform,
where the astonished men got up to stare at us. More and more women
entered, coming up the back stairs from the street and filling the hall;
and when the men realized what it all meant, and recognized their wives,
sisters, and women friends in the throng, they sheepishly unlocked the
front doors and left us in possession, though we politely urged them to
remain. We had a great meeting that night!

Another reminiscence may not be out of place. We were working for a
prohibition amendment in the state of Pennsylvania, and the night
before election I reached Coatesville. I had just completed six weeks of
strenuous campaigning, and that day I had already conducted and spoken
at two big outdoor meetings. When I entered the town hall of Coatesville
I found it filled with women. Only a few men were there; the rest were
celebrating and campaigning in the streets. So I arose and said:

"I would like to ask how many men there are in the audience who intend
to vote for the amendment to-morrow?"

Every man in the hall stood up.

"I thought so," I said. "Now I intend to ask your indulgence. As you are
all in favor of the amendment, there is no use in my setting its claims
before you; and, as I am utterly exhausted, I suggest that we sing the
Doxology and go home!"

The audience saw the common sense of my position, so the people laughed
and sang the Doxology and departed. As we were leaving the hall one of
Coatesville's prominent citizens stopped me.

"I wish you were a man," he said. "The town was to have a big outdoor
meeting to-night, and the orator has failed us. There are thousands of
men in the streets waiting for the speech, and the saloons are sending
them free drinks to get them drunk and carry the town to-morrow."

"Why," I said, "I'll talk to them if you wish."

"Great Scott!"