and bade Columbus
give to the world Columbia. The second scene would be the
antithesis of the first, as to-day, the women of the United
States make haste to lay at the feet of our statesmen and
prophets their jewels of thought and influence, bidding
them, in the name of woman, give to the world a perfected
government, a genuine republic, a purer civilization. Now,
as then, there are many ready with mocking jeers; but,
turning not to the right nor the left, the faith of woman
and the courage of man move on apace to sure success. That
historic "first gun" not only jarred loose every rivet in
the manacles of 4,000,000 slaves, but when the smoke of the
cannonading had lifted, the entire horizon of woman was
broadened, illuminated, glorified. On that April day when a
nation of citizens were suddenly transformed into an army of
warriors, American women, with a patriotism as intense as
theirs, a consecration as true, quietly assumed their
vacated places and became citizens. Out from market-place
and forum, counting-house and farm--keeping time to the
chime of the music of the Union--marched father, husband and
son; into office, store and farm, called there by no
ambitious desire to wander out of their sphere, but by the
same dire military necessity that called our men to the
front stepped orphaned daughter and widowed wife. Anna
Dickinson captured the lyceum and platform. The almost
classic scene of "Corinne at the Capitol" is not more
remarkable than that historic scene of the Quaker girl at
Washington, called there to receive the plaudits of the
highest officials of our nation, for services rendered in
the then vital political campaigns of New Hampshire,
Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York.

The cruel, scarlet days of war dragged wearily on. Up from
the Southern battle-fields, borne northward in the lull of
the war tempest, came a wailing appeal from "the boys," who
hitherto had never appealed to "mother" in vain: "We are
wounded, sick and starving." Instantly the mother-heart
responded--waiting not for "orders," snapping official
red-tape, as though it had