Marietta Holley

“ No they don’t do any harder work, Samantha, votin’ wears on us strong minded men turribly, and what would it do to a weak, fraguile woman? Oh that man puts men and wimmen in their different spears so beautiful and so plain that it seems as if a infant babe, or even a woman, could understand it. (Josiah steps nearer to Samantha and points to the piece in the paper) . If you’d foller this man’s idees, Samantha, I’d be the happiest man in Jonesville or the world. ”

“ Samantha. Oh don’t git agitated, Josiah, this butter has got to be churned and worked over, and the rest of my mornin’s work done, and I wish you’d pull up a pole of water, and help finish the churnin’ and bring up that tub from the suller and help pack it. It is hard work for a woman’s back and arms when they’re most broke already.
Josiah. (Rising and speaking very cross) . If I go to Jonesville that democrat has got to be greased. How can you expect a democrat to run without ilein’? And sometimes they won’t run then. ”

“ I tell you, Josiah, that wimmen that don’t keep a hired girl and have to bring up five or six children by hand, besides doin’ all the housework, washin’ and ironin’, sewin’, skimmin’ milk and makin’ butter and cleanin’ house and settin’ hens and feedin’ chickens and makin’ rag carpets and quiltin’ bed-quilts and knittin’ stockin’s and pickin’ geese and dryin’ apples and makin’ soap and paperin’ walls and paintin’ doorsteps and tendin’ flower gardens and weedin’ onions and etcetery, they have to do some important work, they cannot set still and allure and charm, not for any length of time. ”

“ You know I always contended that wimmen wuz too weak and helpless to vote, even if they knew enough, which they don’t.
(Samantha stretches up her weary form and leans on the churn dasher and says) . Yes, I know you always argyed that way, but what is the piece, Josiah?
Josiah. Oh, he is answerin’ a Woman’s Sufferage argument. He sez the idee of a great strong man allowin’ a weak and delicate woman to vote or endure any other hardship is perfectly obnoxious and repugnant to any man that has the sperit of a man. ”

“ The very idee of lettin’ them angels strain themselves liftin’ at the political pole is more than a tender-hearted man can endure. And he goes on to say, If I were a woman I would do nothin’ important, I would emulate the rose and its wisdom, I would allure and charm and be silent. Man wuz made to protect woman, to work for her, and vote for her. ”