Three

Fortunately, Sunday dawned bright and clear. A cold wind was blowing, sending cotton-wool clouds racing across the sky, but there was no hint of rain as we left Patchin Place and caught the trolley to Forty-seventh Street, then walked to Fifth Avenue, where the parade would begin. A crowd had already formed along both sides of the avenue, starting at St. Nicholas Church, and some rather elegant carriages were lined up, in the starting gate, so to speak. Even a rapid glance showed some startling Easter bonnets that were not bonnets at all but hats adorned with every kind of fruit, flower, feather, and even bird known to creation.

In contrast, the Vassar girls were easy to pick out, standing together around the corner on Forty-seventh, and dressed so simply that I looked right at home in my business suit. To my amazement, Sid and Gus were dressed in uncharacteristic fashion, like prim and sober young women in two-piece costumes not dissimilar to my own. Sid’s was dove-gray; Gus’s, dark-green pinwale. They were warmly welcomed by the Vassar contingent. I was introduced and received one or two inquisitive stares as well as some friendly smiles. Someone handed me a sash to wear over one shoulder: “VWVW. Votes for Women.” The banner proclaimed, more fully, “Vassar graduates demand their rights. Votes for women now.” Other banners read, “We can do anything a man can, except vote. Half the population has no voice. Women, demand to be heard! Take your rightful place in society.”

I felt rather pleased and excited as I took the pole of the banner I was to carry with one of the Vassar girls. The young woman who was holding the other pole smiled at me. “Hello,” she said. “I don’t believe we’ve met before. I’m Emily Boswell. What year were you?”

“I’m afraid I’m an impostor,” I said. “My name’s Molly Murphy and I’m only here because my neighbors dragged me along to boost numbers. And because I feel strongly about the cause.”

She was tall, with a thin, sallow face, serious brown eyes, and black hair severely drawn back into a bun beneath a plain bonnet. One would never call her a beauty, but there was something vaguely exotic about her, and her face lit up in a lovely smile as I indicated Sid and Gus. “Why, it is you, Augusta,” she said. “I was hoping you’d be here.”

“Emily, dear. How good to see you again,” Gus said, and they embraced. “Sid, look, it’s Emily.” As Sid greeted the newcomer, Gus turned to me. “I was Emily’s mentor during my senior year. She is quite the brightest girl I have ever encountered.”

“You exaggerate, Augusta.” Emily blushed. “But I will admit to having a thirst for knowledge.”

“Sid and I were quite devastated when we didn’t see you at the reunion earlier this year,” Gus said. “It was marvelous fun seeing the old crowd again, and you were sorely missed.”

Emily’s smile faded. “I really wanted to attend, but my employer would not hear of my taking time off work. He’s a disagreeable old man, someone akin to Mr. Scrooge, and would probably not even grant me the day off for the death of my mother. Since my mother is already dead, I’ve yet to test that theory.”

“You have a real job? How wonderful.”

“I wouldn’t describe it as wonderful. More necessity than anything,” Emily said. “I am alone in the world and need to support myself. I balked at being a governess so I’m working at a pharmacy.”

“How perfect for you,” Gus said. “You were always interested in chemistry, I remember.”

“I was and still am, but my employer resists letting me do anything more than work at the counter, taking the money and wrapping up the prescriptions. I have tried to persuade him to give me a chance to be his apprentice, but he thinks that such work is beyond any woman, even a Vassar graduate.”

“How typical,” Sid said. “What will it take for men to see that we are as capable as they are of rational thought?”

“Let us hope that demonstrations such as this one will begin to change their minds,” Emily said.

“I had hoped for a bigger turnout,” Sid said, looking at the group, which numbered less than twenty. “Frankly, this is a disappointment.”

Emily nodded. “I contacted several friends but they declined. Some thought it was a lost cause. Some thought this was neither the time nor the place for this kind of demonstration, and some husbands or fathers forbade them.”

“Forbade them? Then why did they bother to educate us if they didn’t want us to think for ourselves,” Sid said angrily. “Never mind, we’ll wave our banners proudly and maybe we’ll open a few minds today.”

“I see we are starting to line up,” Emily said. “We had better take our places.”

Emily and I unfurled our banner and held it aloft. She gave me an encouraging smile. “So where were you educated, Miss Murphy?”

“In Ireland. But I wasn’t fortunate enough to go to college like you and your friends. And please call me Molly.”

“Gladly, if you’ll call me Emily. So you’ve recently come from Ireland, have you? With your family?”

“Two years ago and quite alone.”

“And you’ve managed to make your way in New York City? I admire you for that. New York is not a city that is kind to immigrants, so I’ve heard.”

“No, it’s been a struggle at times, but I’ve managed to keep my head above water, with the help of Sid and Gus, who have been so good to me.”

“You are also employed then?”

“I run my own business. A small detective agency.”

Those brown eyes shot open. “A detective agency? How thrilling. But can you actually make a go of it? Do men entrust their secrets to a woman?”

“Sometimes they do. I have just this week concluded an assignment for Mr. Macy.”

“Of department store fame?”

“The very same. And earlier this year I went abroad for Tommy Burke, the theater impresario.”

“Mercy me,” she said. “How I envy you such an exciting life.”

“Sometimes it’s a little too exciting,” I confessed. “I try to take only simple cases but they’ve landed me in hot water more than once. My young man tells me that I’ve used up most of my nine lives.”

“You have a sweetheart too? You are indeed fortunate.”

“Sometimes I dispute that claim as well.” I grinned. “He’s a policeman.”

“Then you can be of assistance to each other in your work. That is ideal, isn’t it, when a couple can share interests and talk as intellectual equals.”

“It is indeed,” I said, deciding to keep quiet about Daniel’s tendency toward chauvinist ideas. “Do you have a young man yourself?”

She blushed prettily. “I do. He works at the same drugstore as I, but he’s studying hard. He’s a real apprentice and Mr. McPherson is teaching him the art of compounding medicines. He’s very good at it too. He has a brilliant brain. It’s a pity his family has no money and that he didn’t have a chance to further his education at a university.”

“You said you are also having to make your own way in the world,” I said. “How did you manage to go to Vassar?”

“Relatives paid for me,” she said, and I saw a trace of annoyance cross her face. “But look, the parade is starting ahead of us. See those carriages moving off?”

We started to walk. The wind tugged at our banners and the effort of holding them aloft made conversation impossible. As we entered Fifth Avenue the crowd became aware of us. I heard some shouts of encouragement as well as some wolf whistles and improper suggestions. “Show us a bit of leg, girlies. You’ll never find yourself a husband dressed like that. Where are your Easter bonnets?”

Among these was a buzz of genuine disapproval. “Women will never get the vote,” one man shouted, stepping out to wave a fist at us. “Over my dead body.”

“That’s what comes of educating women,” another man yelled. “Keep ’em home having babies. That’s their rightful place.”

“Can you imagine what a mess of silliness there would be if women had a say in running the country?” the first man countered. “Why, they might even try to elect a woman president.”

There was a roar of laughter at this suggestion.

“Go home, girls. Go back where you belong and stop making fools of yourselves.”

“You seem to be the one making a fool of yourself at the moment, sir,” one of the young women ahead of us said calmly. “Now please stand back and let us proceed.”

Emily and I glanced at each other. I had never considered that our little demonstration would turn ugly. Or that people would react so violently. I noticed that there were women among those shouting abuse at us. Some looked sorry for us. The term bluestocking was repeated as we processed up the avenue.

“I think we shall not have an easy fight on our hands,” I said to Emily, as the parade ahead of us halted for a moment.

“No, it certainly won’t be easy. Most women are content with their lot and have no wish to worry about politics.”

“But it’s not just politics, is it?” I said. “It’s about having a say in the running of a community.”

“Of course it is. Local measures regarding water and transportation. School bonds. Women have no voice in things that are important to them—their health, their safety, and their children. This is what we have to get across to the women of America. But they don’t want to listen.”

The parade moved on again. Since we were following a considerable number of horse-drawn carriages, we had to walk carefully and watch where we put our feet. As I looked down something struck me on the shoulder. I reacted with alarm and saw that my costume was now caked with mud. Another clod of mud struck the hat of the woman in front of me. A roar of laughter went up from the crowd.

“Pay no attention to them,” Emily said. “It’s just urchins amusing themselves.”

“Go home!” The chant rose again.

We marched on, chins held high as mud spattered our banners.

Suddenly a man darted out from the crowd. “Lucinda. What do you think you are doing!” he shouted, grabbing the arm of one of the young women at the head of our procession. “Leave this absurd farce at once. You are embarrassing yourself and your family.”

He was a young man with an impressive mustache and he carried a silver-tipped cane.

“Go away, Laurence,” the girl said, shaking him off. “It’s none of your business what I choose to do. And it is you who are embarrassing me.”

“I will not allow you to make a fool of yourself like this. You are coming with me.” He started to drag her out of the line.

“Let go of me. I’m not leaving my friends. This is a free country. I’ve a right to express my opinion.” The girl was shouting now.

“Leave her alone!” the girl behind her joined in the fray.

More men from the crowd dashed out and soon there was an out-and-out fracas. Whistles were blown and policemen appeared.

“All right. Enough of this,” one of them said sternly. “Step aside. Move out of the way and let the parade proceed.”

“But we’re part of the parade,” Sid said.

“Not anymore, miss. You’re causing a right disturbance but I’m letting you off with a warning. Disperse now and go home or I’ll have to arrest you for disturbing the peace.”

“We were doing nothing but marching peacefully,” Sid said. “It was that man who attacked a member of our group.”

“Only trying to protect my sister, Officer,” the man said. “I’m Laurence Patterson the Third and I believe you know my father, Justice Laurence Patterson.”

“Know the gentleman well, sir.” The sergeant touched his cap. “I suggest you take the young lady home before any harm comes to her. Off you go, miss.”

Lucinda shot us a furious look as she was led away.

“This isn’t fair, Sergeant,” Sid said. “We have the same right as any citizen of New York to march in the parade.”

“Not if your presence causes a disruption, which it clearly was. It’s my job to make sure the parade goes nice and smoothly. So this is my final warning. Go home or get arrested.”

“We choose to get arrested,” Sid said. “Are you with me, sisters?”

The policeman sighed. “Very well, if you insist. Take ’em away, men. There’s a Black Maria waiting around the corner on Fiftieth.”

“This is outrageous!” Sid exclaimed.

“My father will hear of this,” another woman shouted.

“Your father will thank me, miss, for keeping you safe,” the sergeant called after us.

“Why, it’s Miss Murphy, isn’t it?” said a voice in my ear, and I looked into the face of a young constable I recognized. He was one of the few who had been loyal to Daniel during his time of disgrace.

“Hello, Constable Byrne,” I said, giving him a weak smile.

“What are you doing mixed up with this lot?” he said.

“Campaigning for the vote for women, like the others.”

“Listen,” he said quietly, “why don’t I just escort you through the crowd and let you make your own way home. No need for you to go through the unpleasantness of jail. I’m sure Captain Sullivan wouldn’t want it.”

I must admit I was sorely tempted, having experienced jail on more than one occasion. But then I saw Sid and Gus and Emily being marched down the street like common criminals.

“I’m sorry,” I said, “but I can’t abandon my friends now. I know where my duty lies. Take me to the Black Maria with them.”

“Very well, if you insist.” He looked most worried. “But Captain Sullivan won’t like it.”

“You could do me one favor, please, Constable. Could you get word of this to Captain Sullivan? I’ve no wish for my friends and me to spend longer in jail than necessary.”

“I’ll do my best, Miss Murphy,” he said, and helped me up into the back of the police wagon.