From 1869 to 1873 Miss Anthony and I made several trips through Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Nebraska, holding meetings at most of the chief towns; I speaking in the afternoons to women alone on “Marriage and Maternity.”  As Miss Anthony had other pressing engagements in Kansas and Nebraska, I went alone to Texas, speaking in Dallas, Sherman, and Houston, where I was delayed two weeks by floods and thus prevented from going to Austin, Galveston, and some points in Louisiana, where I was advertised to lecture.  In fact I lost all my appointments for a month.  However, there was a fine hotel in Houston and many pleasant people, among whom I made some valuable acquaintances.  Beside several public meetings, I had parlor talks and scattered leaflets, so that my time was not lost.

As the floods had upset my plans for the winter, I went straight from Houston to New York over the Iron Mountain Railroad.  I anticipated a rather solitary trip; but, fortunately, I met General Baird, whom I knew, and some other army officers, who had been down on the Mexican border to settle some troubles in the “free zone.”  We amused ourselves on the long journey with whist and woman suffrage discussions.  We noticed a dyspeptic-looking clergyman, evidently of a bilious temperament, eying us very steadily and disapprovingly the first day, and in a quiet way we warned each other that, in due time, he would give us a sermon on the sin of card playing.

Sitting alone, early next morning, he seated himself by my side, and asked me if I would allow him to express his opinion on card playing.  I said “Oh, yes!  I fully believe in free speech.”  “Well,” said he, “I never touch cards.  I think they are an invention of the devil to lead unwary souls from all serious thought of the stern duties of life and the realities of eternity!  I was sorry to see you, with your white hair, probably near the end of your earthly career, playing cards and talking with those reckless army officers, who delight in killing their fellow-beings.  No!  I do not believe in war or card playing; such things do not prepare the soul for heaven.”  “Well,” said I, “you are quite right, with your views, to abjure the society of army officers and all games of cards.  You, no doubt, enjoy your own thoughts and the book you are reading, more than you would the conversation of those gentlemen and a game of whist.  We must regulate our conduct by our own highest ideal.  While I deplore the necessity of war, yet I know in our Army many of the noblest types of manhood, whose acquaintance I prize most highly.  I enjoy all games, too, from chess down to dominoes.  There is so much that is sad and stern in life that we need sometimes to lay down its burdens and indulge in innocent amusements.  Thus, you see, what is wise from my standpoint is unwise from yours.  I am sorry that you repudiate all amusements, as they contribute to the health of body and soul.  You are sorry that I do not think as you do and regulate