NOT AFRAID OF A MOB.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVIII, Issue XVIII, 1 May 1897, Page 558

NOT AFRAID OF A MOB.

The late Lucy Stone, for many years of a long life a fearless advocateof unpopular causes in public was gifted with one charm in which the majority of her countrywomen are sadly deficient. She was the foitunate possessor of a sweet, rich, mellow voice, penetrating but persuasive, and so delightful in quality that persons who had only heard her speak once would sometimes recognize her years afterward if they chanced to hear her utter a single sentence. This winning voice, united with a dignified, gentle, and entirely feminine demeanour, sometimes enabled her to win curious triumphs over rough and turbulent crowds. Once at an anti-slavery meeting, at a time when Abolitionists were dangerously unpopular, the crowd which gathered around the open-air platform as the time approached for the speaking to begin, became so unmistakably threatening and mischievous that the speakers announced to appear, one after another slipped quietly away, until only Stephen Foster and Lucy Stone remained. Looking down upon the heaving and riotous assembly, she said to him quietly :— ‘ You had better run, Stephen ; they are coming.' ‘ But who will take care of you ?’ he naturally inquired. At that moment the mob made a rush for the platform, and their leader, a big man with a club, sprang upon it close beside her. Turning to him without a moment's hesitation, and calmly laying her hand within his arm, she said : * This gentlemen will take care of me.' The astonished rioter declared immediately that he would, and tucking her under his arm —she was a little woman—and keeping his club in the other hand, he marched her through the crowd, who were already handling Mr Foster and a few other Abolitionists pretty roughly, and found for her a place of safety. Not only that, but presently, in compliance with her fervent entreaty, be mounted her upon a stump and stood guard over her with his club while she delivered her address, which was so eloquent and effective that her hearers desisted from further violence, and capped the climax by actually taking up a collection of twenty dollars to repay Mr Foster for the destruction of his coat, which had been torn from top to bottom in the melee. On another occasion, when a meeting in a hall had been so disturbed by howls and hisses that none of the speakers had been beard excepting herself, she tnrned indignantly to a number of the disturbers after it was over, and remonstrated with them for their behaviour. They beard her good naturedly, but the leader remonstrated in his turn : ‘ Oh, come !’ he protested. • You needn't say anything ; we kept still for you "