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Date
1900-03-29
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vassar:46807,vcl_Susan-B-Anthony_F01-73_1900-03-29
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: vcl_Susan-B-Anthony_F01-73_1900-03-29_001
Rochester, N. Y., Mar. 29, 1900.
Mrs. J. P. Smith,
Buffalo, N. Y.
My Dear Friend, —-
Many thanks for your good word of greeting on ray eightieth birthday.
It duly reached me in Washington, with scores and hundreds of other messages from personal friends and strangers.
I wish every one who thus remembered me could have been with us, not only at the birthday celebration but through the whole convention. Both were very successful, and I think all who attended felt it was good to be there.
Thanking you again for your Kind thought of me, I am, with best
wishes,
Very sincerely yours,
Susan B. Anthony
Mrs. J. P. Smith,
Buffalo, N. Y.
My Dear Friend, —-
Many thanks for your good word of greeting on ray eightieth birthday.
It duly reached me in Washington, with scores and hundreds of other messages from personal friends and strangers.
I wish every one who thus remembered me could have been with us, not only at the birthday celebration but through the whole convention. Both were very successful, and I think all who attended felt it was good to be there.
Thanking you again for your Kind thought of me, I am, with best
wishes,
Very sincerely yours,
Susan B. Anthony
: vcl_Susan-B-Anthony_F01-73_1900-03-29_002_tr
Alma Lutz Collection
(COPY)
Rochester, N. Y., Mar. 29, 1900.
Mrs. J. P. Smith,
Buffalo, N. Y. My Dear Friend, —
Many thanks for your good word of greeting on my eightieth birthday. It duly reached me in Washington, with scores and hundreds of other messages from personal friends and strangers.
I wish every one who thus remembered me could have been with us, not only at the birthday celebration but through the whole convention. Both were very successful, and I think all who attended felt it was good to be there.
Thanking you again for your kind thought of me, I am, with best wishes,
Very sincerely yours,
Susan B. Anthony
Enclosure: Poem (printed), "Love's Rosary", by Lydia Avery Coonley
Ward.
(COPY)
Rochester, N. Y., Mar. 29, 1900.
Mrs. J. P. Smith,
Buffalo, N. Y. My Dear Friend, —
Many thanks for your good word of greeting on my eightieth birthday. It duly reached me in Washington, with scores and hundreds of other messages from personal friends and strangers.
I wish every one who thus remembered me could have been with us, not only at the birthday celebration but through the whole convention. Both were very successful, and I think all who attended felt it was good to be there.
Thanking you again for your kind thought of me, I am, with best wishes,
Very sincerely yours,
Susan B. Anthony
Enclosure: Poem (printed), "Love's Rosary", by Lydia Avery Coonley
Ward.
: vcl_Susan-B-Anthony_F01-73_1900-03-29_003
SUSAN B. ANTHONY
February 15, 1820 February 15, 1900
Love's Rosary
Come, let us tell upon Love's rosary
With years for beads,—eight decades in the chain,—
The record of a life's true history,
Its joy and grief, its pleasure and its pain.
Within the first decade a little child
Love-welcomed, lived within a happy home ;
And from a well of home joy undefiled,
Wise lessons drew for all the years to come.
She learned to love the quiet Quaker gray ;
She learned the sweet inflections that belong
To Quaker speech ; the "Thee" and "Thou" they say;
The gentle conscience that can do no wrong.
The second decade saw her at the post
Of duty, teaching, that she might relieve
Her father's burden. Since then what a host
Have learned of her to think first, then believe.
'Twas then she saw her father's noble way
Of setting principles above mere gain :
No liquor would he sell; no taxes pay
To government that justified war's stain.
With these great lessons she learned humbler ones;
The sweet home duties that the home endears ;
To cook, to sew, to weave the thread that runs
Home joys throughout the fabric of the years.
Within the third decade the world's great need
Knocked loud upon the door of her great heart;
She yearned toward the oppressed ; no race or creed
But in that wealth of sympathy had part.
February 15, 1820 February 15, 1900
Love's Rosary
Come, let us tell upon Love's rosary
With years for beads,—eight decades in the chain,—
The record of a life's true history,
Its joy and grief, its pleasure and its pain.
Within the first decade a little child
Love-welcomed, lived within a happy home ;
And from a well of home joy undefiled,
Wise lessons drew for all the years to come.
She learned to love the quiet Quaker gray ;
She learned the sweet inflections that belong
To Quaker speech ; the "Thee" and "Thou" they say;
The gentle conscience that can do no wrong.
The second decade saw her at the post
Of duty, teaching, that she might relieve
Her father's burden. Since then what a host
Have learned of her to think first, then believe.
'Twas then she saw her father's noble way
Of setting principles above mere gain :
No liquor would he sell; no taxes pay
To government that justified war's stain.
With these great lessons she learned humbler ones;
The sweet home duties that the home endears ;
To cook, to sew, to weave the thread that runs
Home joys throughout the fabric of the years.
Within the third decade the world's great need
Knocked loud upon the door of her great heart;
She yearned toward the oppressed ; no race or creed
But in that wealth of sympathy had part.
: vcl_Susan-B-Anthony_F01-73_1900-03-29_004
How kindly have the years all dealt with her !
She proves that Bible promises are true ;
She waited on the Lord without demur,
And He failed not her courage to renew.
Oft on the wings of eagles she uprose;
On mercy's errands have her glad feet run ;
And yet no sign of weariness she shows;
She does not faint, but works from sun to sun.
Deep in her eyes burn fires of purpose strong ;
Her hand upholds the scepter of God's truth;
Her lips send forth brave words against the wrong ;
Glows in her heart the joy of deathless youth.
Kindly and gentle ; learned too, and wise ;
Lover of home and all the ties of kin ;
Gay comrade of the laughing lips and eyes;
Give us new words to sing your praises in !.
Yet let us rather now forget to praise,
Remembering only this true friend to greet,
As drawing near by straight and devious ways,
We lay our hearts—Love's guerdon—at her feet.
Blow, O ye winds, across the oceans blow!
Go to the hills and prairies of the West!
Haste to the tropics,—search the fields of snow;—
Let the world's gift to her become your quest!
Shine, sun, through prism of the waterfall,
And build us here a rainbow arch to span
The years, and hold the citadel
Of her abiding work for God and man.
What is the gift, O winds, that ye have brought ?
O sun, what legend shines your arch above?
Ah ! they are one ! and all things else are naught!
Take them, beloved—they are love, love, love !
Lydia Avery Coonley Ward
She proves that Bible promises are true ;
She waited on the Lord without demur,
And He failed not her courage to renew.
Oft on the wings of eagles she uprose;
On mercy's errands have her glad feet run ;
And yet no sign of weariness she shows;
She does not faint, but works from sun to sun.
Deep in her eyes burn fires of purpose strong ;
Her hand upholds the scepter of God's truth;
Her lips send forth brave words against the wrong ;
Glows in her heart the joy of deathless youth.
Kindly and gentle ; learned too, and wise ;
Lover of home and all the ties of kin ;
Gay comrade of the laughing lips and eyes;
Give us new words to sing your praises in !.
Yet let us rather now forget to praise,
Remembering only this true friend to greet,
As drawing near by straight and devious ways,
We lay our hearts—Love's guerdon—at her feet.
Blow, O ye winds, across the oceans blow!
Go to the hills and prairies of the West!
Haste to the tropics,—search the fields of snow;—
Let the world's gift to her become your quest!
Shine, sun, through prism of the waterfall,
And build us here a rainbow arch to span
The years, and hold the citadel
Of her abiding work for God and man.
What is the gift, O winds, that ye have brought ?
O sun, what legend shines your arch above?
Ah ! they are one ! and all things else are naught!
Take them, beloved—they are love, love, love !
Lydia Avery Coonley Ward
: vcl_Susan-B-Anthony_F01-73_1900-03-29_005
The fourth decade : she entered public life;
She heard above all else the cry of slaves :
"Come, break our chains!" No sound of drum or fife
Could drown that cry, re-echoed from their graves.
"No compromise!" her daring voice proclaimed,
"Emancipation unconditional—NOW !"
Fearless she faced great mobs,—jeered at, defamed ;
Yet gentle peace was ever on her brow.
This same decade bestowed the best of gifts-
Comrades and friends like those the bards have sung;
Pure, noble, filled with passion such as lifts
The worker, and impels the pen and tongue.
Lucretia Mott great leader of the band ;
Of Quaker birth,—a preacher, heaven inspired;
Gentle yet strong, and fitted to command;
Radiant in beauty, and with ardor fired.
Stanton came next, with brilliant, noble face,
And splendid gift of glorious eloquence:
And Lucy Stone, whose sweet and gentle grace
Brought even enemies to her defense.
Mott, Stanton, Stone and Anthony; what names
To bear aloft for pure nobility,
The while each voice with gratitude proclaims :
"They gave to us our Woman's Century!"
The fifth decade saw some dreams coming true;
This great association chose to stand
For Woman Suffrage ; 'twas its founders' due
That name and deed its great work should expand.
The sixth, seventh, eighth,—let us not separate;
Her work went on with added power and joy ;
Her boundless courage nothing could abate,
No pain could daunt, no failure could annoy.
Here are three beads apart from all the rest,
Yet hung upon our golden rosary;
And who shall say which one of them is best,—
For they are Faith and Hope and Charity.
This pearl is Faith,—reward of earnest quest ;
The turquoise, Hope, is ever in her sight;
The topaz, Charity, lies on her breast;
And over all Love's moonstone sheds it light.
She heard above all else the cry of slaves :
"Come, break our chains!" No sound of drum or fife
Could drown that cry, re-echoed from their graves.
"No compromise!" her daring voice proclaimed,
"Emancipation unconditional—NOW !"
Fearless she faced great mobs,—jeered at, defamed ;
Yet gentle peace was ever on her brow.
This same decade bestowed the best of gifts-
Comrades and friends like those the bards have sung;
Pure, noble, filled with passion such as lifts
The worker, and impels the pen and tongue.
Lucretia Mott great leader of the band ;
Of Quaker birth,—a preacher, heaven inspired;
Gentle yet strong, and fitted to command;
Radiant in beauty, and with ardor fired.
Stanton came next, with brilliant, noble face,
And splendid gift of glorious eloquence:
And Lucy Stone, whose sweet and gentle grace
Brought even enemies to her defense.
Mott, Stanton, Stone and Anthony; what names
To bear aloft for pure nobility,
The while each voice with gratitude proclaims :
"They gave to us our Woman's Century!"
The fifth decade saw some dreams coming true;
This great association chose to stand
For Woman Suffrage ; 'twas its founders' due
That name and deed its great work should expand.
The sixth, seventh, eighth,—let us not separate;
Her work went on with added power and joy ;
Her boundless courage nothing could abate,
No pain could daunt, no failure could annoy.
Here are three beads apart from all the rest,
Yet hung upon our golden rosary;
And who shall say which one of them is best,—
For they are Faith and Hope and Charity.
This pearl is Faith,—reward of earnest quest ;
The turquoise, Hope, is ever in her sight;
The topaz, Charity, lies on her breast;
And over all Love's moonstone sheds it light.
: vcl_Susan-B-Anthony_F01-73_1900-03-29_006
These are the reliquaries,—memories they;
Some dark with pain that racked the very soul;
Some bright with the self-sacrifice that may
Mean joy unspeakable, but never dole.
Here is the Cross,—ah me ! the heavy cross!
It speaks of disappointments multiplied ;
Of work defeated, and the bitter loss
Perchance of hopes for which she fain had died.
We've told our beads—the annals of a life
To others given. Now let us look abroad
And see, amid the record of the strife,
If we behold her adequate reward.
These years so freely given to the cause
She made her own, have radiated far;
In evolution there can be no pause;
The circles vibrate past the horizon's bar.
In the great cauldron of experience
Her thoughts and deeds and words were stirred, until
The world drew from the seethings a true sense
Of woman's rights, untrammeled by man's will.
To-day we know man's life is incomplete
Unless the woman close beside him stand,
Sharing his interests—for this is meet;
It is as God ordained and nature planned.
The perfect whole, poet and seer conceive
Inclusive of both parts; who could desire
A world by woman ruled ? Do we believe
A man-ruled world is even an atom higher ?
No ! man and woman for the sake of truth
And love must join ; then seer and poet's voice :
"Here is the fountain of eternal youth!"
Shall cry ; and future nations will rejoice.
Behold our Queen ! Surely with heart elate
At homage given to her love and power;
World-famed, associate of the wise and great,—
She is herself the woman of the hour !
Priestess of righteousness without pretense ;
Her greatness shielded by simplicity;
Justice and mercy join in her strong sense
Of service owing to humanity.
Some dark with pain that racked the very soul;
Some bright with the self-sacrifice that may
Mean joy unspeakable, but never dole.
Here is the Cross,—ah me ! the heavy cross!
It speaks of disappointments multiplied ;
Of work defeated, and the bitter loss
Perchance of hopes for which she fain had died.
We've told our beads—the annals of a life
To others given. Now let us look abroad
And see, amid the record of the strife,
If we behold her adequate reward.
These years so freely given to the cause
She made her own, have radiated far;
In evolution there can be no pause;
The circles vibrate past the horizon's bar.
In the great cauldron of experience
Her thoughts and deeds and words were stirred, until
The world drew from the seethings a true sense
Of woman's rights, untrammeled by man's will.
To-day we know man's life is incomplete
Unless the woman close beside him stand,
Sharing his interests—for this is meet;
It is as God ordained and nature planned.
The perfect whole, poet and seer conceive
Inclusive of both parts; who could desire
A world by woman ruled ? Do we believe
A man-ruled world is even an atom higher ?
No ! man and woman for the sake of truth
And love must join ; then seer and poet's voice :
"Here is the fountain of eternal youth!"
Shall cry ; and future nations will rejoice.
Behold our Queen ! Surely with heart elate
At homage given to her love and power;
World-famed, associate of the wise and great,—
She is herself the woman of the hour !
Priestess of righteousness without pretense ;
Her greatness shielded by simplicity;
Justice and mercy join in her strong sense
Of service owing to humanity.
