nding their emissaries under the false
garb of friendship to induce me to decline, without success, they
were reduced to the desperate means of producing a letter, which
was read by the secretary of the executive meeting, February 2,
purporting to come from me, and withdrawing my name. I pronounce
it publicly to be a forgery. I have not withdrawn, neither do I
intend to withdraw. Would that I had the power of Brutus or a
Patrick Henry, that I might put these designing, intriguing
politicians in their true light! They deserve to be held up to
the contumely and scorn of the community.

_February 3, 1874._ HARRIET W. PAIST.

Despite the action of the committee, these talented ladies will
be run as the regular candidates for school directors. A
committee of citizens of the Republican party will prepare the
tickets and see that they are properly distributed, and take all
precautions against fraud at the election and against any effort
that may be made to count out the fair candidates at the meeting
of the ward return judges. It is of the greatest importance that
all good citizens of the ward shall do all in their power to
secure not only the fullest possible number of votes for the lady
candidates, but a fair count when they have been received. It
remains to be seen whether the Republican citizens of the ward
will endorse the action of a committee which from mere prejudice
can throw off regularly-elected candidates from a ticket.

The ladies were elected, and Mrs. Paist served her term. Mrs.
Woelpper died immediately after the election.

Anna McDowell, in the _Sunday Republic_ of April 8, 1877, in a long
article shows the necessity of some legal knowledge for women,
enough at least to look after their own interests, and not be
compelled through their ignorance to trust absolutely to the
protection of others. They should be trained to understand that all
pecuniary affairs should be placed on a business basis as strictly
between themselves and their fathers and brothers as men require in
their contracts with each other. After giving many instances in
which women have been grossly defrauded by their relatives, she
points to the will of the great railroad king of Pennsylvania:

Let us glance for a moment at the will of the late J. Edgar
Thomson, than which no more unjust testame