the patriot of a hundred years hence would seek for every incident connected with it, and the next Centennial would be adorned by the portraits of the women who sat upon that platform.

The Hutchinsons were present and in their best vein interspersed the speeches with appropriate and felicitous songs.  Lucretia Mott did not confine herself to a single speech but, in Quaker style, whenever the spirit moved made many happy points.  As her sweet and placid countenance appeared above the pulpit, the Hutchinsons burst into, “Nearer, My God, to Thee.”  The effect was marvellous; the audience at once arose, and spontaneously joined in the hymn.  For five long hours of that hot midsummer day, that crowded audience listened earnestly to woman’s demand for equality of rights before the law.  When the meeting at last adjourned, the Hutchinsons singing, “A Hundred Years Hence,” it was slowly and reluctantly that the great audience left the house.

The headquarters were kept open for two months, the weekly receptions were largely attended and the rooms each day crowded with visitors.  The immense autograph book was signed by hundreds, most of whom also affixed their names to the Woman’s Declaration of Rights.  Lucretia Mott always came in after attending the mid-week meeting of the Friends, and the ladies had a pot of tea ready for her coming.[89] When she left she never failed to hand them $5 “to pay for the trouble she had made,” her contributions in this way amounting to $50.  George W. Childs gave $100, Dr. Clemence Lozier, $100, Ellen C. Sargent, $50, Elizabeth B. Phelps, $50, Miss Anthony herself contributed $175, and altogether about two hundred people donated nearly $1,700, all of which was expended in keeping up the headquarters and printing and circulating thousands of documents.  When the accounts were audited they showed a balance of just $4.64.

At this time Mrs. Mott sent Miss Anthony this little note, accompanied by a large package of fine tea:  “I forgot to take the tea I promised thee, so please accept it now.  Thank thee for so oft remembering me with the delicious drinks of it.  After leaving thee so hurriedly yesterday, I feared that thou wast still short of an even balance, and now enclose another $10 for thy own personal use.  It is too hard for our widely extended national society to suffer thee to labor so unceasingly without a consideration.”  But Miss Anthony did not work for personal reward and said in a letter to her old friend Clarina Howard Nichols:  “The Kansas women say, ’All we have of freedom we owe to Mrs. Nichols and yet we never have given her a testimonial.’  Well, you and I and all who labor to make the conditions of the world better for coming generations, must find our testimonials in the good accomplished through our work.”