urth dawned cool and
clear, and with news of the improvement of Garfield,
everybody felt happy. The procession, marshaled by ladies on
their handsome horses, and assisted by Senator C. B. Coon,
was formed in due time, and presented a very imposing
appearance. The band wagon was followed by nearly a hundred
others, and among the novelties of the occasion was the
boys' brigade, consisting of a score of little fellows,
some with drums and some with cornets, who played in quite
tolerable time. The States were represented to indicate
their progress with regard to equal rights. Young men
represented those wherein no advance had been made; young
women those where school suffrage had been granted to women;
and Wyoming Territory was represented by two, a man and a
woman. The little girls were all dressed in the appropriate
colors, the wagons were gaily decorated, and the procession
well managed. After singing and prayer, the president, Mrs.
Ferguson, gave a short address. Mrs. Vermilion, who is a
direct descendant of one of the signers of the Declaration
of Independence, read the Woman's Declaration of
Independence and Bill of Rights, a document couched in such
forcible terms as Hancock, Adams & Co., would use if they
were women in this year of our Lord 1881. Then followed the
oration of the day, delivered by Mrs. Colby, and for the
audience it had at least two points of interest: First, that
the woman suffrage society had acted in defiance of
precedent, and had engaged a woman as their orator; and
secondly, that it was given from the standpoint of a citizen
and not of a woman. There being nothing in the address on
the matter of woman suffrage, the society desired the
speaker to address them in the evening on that subject.
Accordingly a meeting was held, and despite the fatigue of
the day, there was a good attendance and considerable
interest. A good dinner was provided on the grounds, and
afterwards they had singing and speaking. Mr. Hendershot
addressed the children. It will be an item of interest to
the readers of the _Express_ that the W. S. A. of Thayer
county