citizen." Elated with his new-found dignity, Jo ran down the
road, and with a light heart and shining face deposited his vote.
On his return Mrs. Stewart questioned him as to his success at
the polls. "Well," said he, "first one man nabbed me and gave me
the tickets he said I ought to vote, and then another man did the
same. I said yes to both and put the tickets in my pocket. I had
no use for those Republican or Democratic bits of paper." "Well,
Jo," said Mrs. Stewart, "what did you do?" "Why I took that piece
of paper that I paid $2.50 for and put it in the box. I knew that
was worth something." "Alas! Jo," said his mistress, "you voted
your tax receipt, so your first vote has counted nothing." Do you
think, gentlemen, said Mrs. Stewart, that such women as attend
our conventions, and speak from our platform, could make so
ludicrous a blunder? I think not.

The Rev. OLYMPIA BROWN, a delegate from Connecticut, addressed
the committee as follows: _Gentlemen of the Committee_--I would
not intrude upon your time and exhaust your patience by any
further hearing upon this subject if it were not that men are
continually saying to us that we do not want the ballot; that it
is only a handful of women that have ever asked for it; and I
think by our coming up from these different States, from
Delaware, from Oregon, from Missouri, from Connecticut, from New
Hampshire, and giving our testimony, we shall convince you that
it is not a few merely, but that it is a general demand from the
women in all the different States of the Union; and if we come
here with stammering tongues, causing you to laugh by the very
absurdity of the manner in which we advocate our opinions, it
will only convince you that it is not a few "gifted" women, but
the rank and file of the women of our country unaccustomed to
such proceedings as these, who come here to tell you that we all
desire the right of suffrage. Nor shall our mistakes and
inability to advocate our cause in an effective manner be an
argument against us, because it is not the province of voters to
conduct meetings in Washington. It is rather their province to
stay at home and quietly read the proceeding of members of
congress, and if they find these proceedings correct, to vote to
return them another year. So th