een, but
that her opponents in the party would unite with the "other
party" and defeat her. Mrs. Paist was firm, and Mr. Lukens
retired foiled. A day or two after, the chairman of the
Thirteenth ward Republican executive committee received somehow
this letter:

PHILADELPHIA, February 2, 1874.

DEAR SIR: Please accept this as my declination as school director
on the Thirteenth ward Republican ticket. Hoping it will please
those opposed to a lady director.

Respectfully yours, HARRIET W. PAIST.

A week previous to this the husband of Mrs. Woelpper was called
upon by Mr. William B. Elliott, a member of this executive
committee, and was informed by him that Mrs. Paist had withdrawn,
and that it would be unpleasant, if not inexpedient, for Mrs.
Woelpper to run alone. Mr. Woelpper expressed his belief that if
such were the case his wife would withdraw. At a meeting of the
executive committee a short time after, it was announced that
both the ladies had withdrawn, and everything looked serene for
victory, when the next day the members were individually informed
that the letter of declination written above was a base forgery,
and that neither of the ladies intended to withdraw from the
contest. Another meeting of the executive committee was held on
the 2d inst., at which Mr. Woelpper, jr., was present. He
declared that the statement made to his father was false, and
that he was present to say for his mother that she was still a
candidate. This announcement fell like a bomb in a peaceful camp,
causing great confusion. After order was restored, William B.
Elliott, the collector, offered a resolution declaring it
inexpedient to have any ladies on the ticket at this time. This
resolution was opposed by F. Theodore Walton and a number of the
members, who denied the power of the committee to change the
ticket regularly chosen at the primary election. They favored the
fair candidates, for whose election as school directors the
constitution had made special provisions, and whose presence in
the school-boards had been very favorably commented upon by all
the papers of the city. Besides, the ladies were as legitimately
entitled to their candidacy as Mr. Dunlap, and it would be a
gross