A Lady's Choice (28 page)

“I've done a lot of soul-searching since you left, and I don't like some of the things I found out about myself. I want to help you in this campaign. Since the news got out about what happened in Occaquan, there's a new attitude sweeping the country. The president is embarrassed, and it looks like there'll be a nineteenth amendment to the Constitution before long. When it comes, it's going to be a fight to get enough states to ratify it. There's a lot we can do back in Tennessee convincing our legislators to support women's rights. I just don't want any more experiences like you've had.”

Sarah smiled. “A nineteenth amendment? I can hardly believe it.”

“And you helped to achieve that, Sarah. You stood up for what you believed and didn't give up.”

“That's not always a good trait to have, Alex. Are you sure you want to tie yourself to a woman who's stubborn and opinionated and argues at the drop of a hat?”

He chuckled. “Do you remember the day Ellen and I came to visit and you'd been working in the garden?”

She smiled. “I looked a mess and didn't have any shoes on.”

He nodded. “And I said you were feisty.”

“I remember.”

He leaned closer. “Well, I liked feisty then, and I still do. We're going to have a wonderful life, Sarah.”

They laughed together, and Sarah's heart reached to God in silent gratitude. When she had thought she was so alone, He'd been watching over her and reminding those who loved her to keep praying for her. God had seen her through a terrible time, and now a new life lay before her. She would never be alone again.

Tennessee State Capitol
Nashville, Tennessee
August 18, 1920

The day Sarah had waited years for had finally arrived. If all went well, the long struggle would soon be over. Only one more state was needed to ratify the nineteenth amendment giving women the right to vote, and today the nation's attention focused on the Tennessee legislature. From her front row seat next to Alex in the public balcony above the Tennessee House of Representatives' floor, Sarah studied the men below. The legislators huddled in small groups and glanced up from time to time at the rapidly filling public balcony. Try as she might, she couldn't make out anything they were saying to each other. She glanced down at the basket of yellow rose petals in her lap and gripped the handle of the container more tightly.

The newspapers had sensationalized the governor's called session and dubbed it the War of the Roses. The delegates who supported suffrage wore yellow roses in their lapels, and those against wore red. From all appearances, an equal division occupied the coats of the men.

A tug on her arm distracted her, and she turned to smile at her year-old daughter sitting in Alex's lap. She raised the baby's chubby hand to her mouth and kissed it. “Do you think we should have let Dora keep Catt at home instead of bringing her with us?”

Alex glanced down at the child and held her closer. “No, I want her to know she was in the legislature the day history was made. Besides, Dora wanted to be here too.”

Sarah glanced at her family beside her. Edmund, Ellen, and Dora had joined them to witness what could be the end of a struggle that began many years before. Ellen smiled at her brother and leaned over to pat the silky blond hair of the baby. “If you get tired of holding her, just pass my little angel over. Edmund and I don't mind taking our turn.”

Edmund smiled his agreement. “That's right.”

Sarah laughed. “You just want to spoil her and then give her back to me.”

Ellen arched her eyebrows. “What's an aunt and uncle for if we can't spoil her when we're with her?”

Alex laughed and patted his sister's arm. “We're glad you came to Nashville with us. It means a lot that you're here supporting this vote today.”

A rustling sound in the aisle next to her caught Sarah's attention, and she turned to see a woman who had become a close friend over the past few years. “Good morning, Sarah. Is this precious child the one I've heard so much about?” Carrie Chapman Catt leaned over and chucked the baby under the chin.

Sarah smiled up at the woman. “This is Catherine Ellen Taylor. But we call her Catt.”

Mrs. Catt's eyes softened. “So you're my namesake. What a beautiful daughter you have. I'm honored you wanted to name her after me.”

The manner in which Carrie addressed the child contradicted the take-charge attitude Sarah had seen in the woman during the last three years. Her almost regal bearing and her white hair gave the appearance of a kindly grandmother, but Sarah had seen the woman in action and knew her ability to evaluate situations and make quick decisions.

Sarah grasped the woman's hand. “I'm honored to have worked with you these last three years. I know we're going to see the fruits of our labors today.”

“I hope so. You and Alex have certainly gone way beyond the call of duty in traveling across your state and talking with the legislators. I hope your work didn't suffer because of taking time off.”

Alex waved his hand in dismissal. “That's one of the good things about having your own firm. You can arrange your schedule like you want. Of course, having a partner like Will Page who shares your beliefs helps a lot.”

Sarah nodded and smiled. “And he's praying for us today. We know God's in control of what happens here today.”

Mrs. Catt looked toward the men on the floor. “I see they're all wearing roses. Our last count on each one's position tells us we're deadlocked with forty-eight on each side of the issue. With thirty-five states having ratified the amendment so far, I had hoped when the vote passed in the Tennessee senate two days ago, this state would be the final one in the needed thirty-six for ratification.”

Sarah smiled. “But that just means we're only a half state away from ratification.”

Mrs. Catt smiled at her. “Ever the optimist, Sarah.”

“Where do you go from here if Tennessee fails today?” Alex asked as he jiggled his daughter on his knee.

Mrs. Catt sighed. “I don't know. The prospects aren't good in any of the remaining states. We'll just have to decide after today.”

Sarah hugged her basket closer. “There's no need to go anywhere else. I know God has listened, and I've called on Him for a victory. The Tennessee representatives will come through for us.”

Mrs. Catt stared at her for a moment, and Sarah saw a hint of tears in her eyes. “I envy you the great faith you have.” Then she turned and found her seat among the women who sat across the aisle from Sarah.

When the Speaker of the House finally called the assembly to order, Sarah clasped her hands in her lap and squeezed so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms. She fidgeted through the opening of the session and waited impatiently for the question of the day to be called. Just as she thought it was about to happen, the Speaker pounded his gavel and addressed the group.

“Representatives of the Tennessee Legislature, I surrender my chair so that I may address the assembly.”

Sarah scooted to the edge of her seat and held her breath as he walked from the podium and stood on the floor facing the delegates. “I move that the Tennessee House of Representatives table the vote on ratification of the amendment for enfranchisement for women.”

A quick second to the motion rose from the seated assemblymen.

Waves of unrest rippled across the gallery. Alex swiveled in his seat and muttered under his breath. “I can't believe he would do a cheap trick like this. He knows if this is tabled, there's no chance of getting it back before the legislature, and the amendment, along with the vote for women, is dead.”

Sarah reached over and patted her husband's arm. “It's all right.”

The roll call began as names of the assemblymen rang out. One after another they voted. “Ayes” and “Nays” echoed throughout the chamber until all had answered.

The temporary speaker turned to the recorder. “What is the vote?”

The man glanced at the totals. “Forty-eight ayes, forty-eight nays.”

The temporary Speaker pounded the gavel on the podium. “The motion is defeated. We will now proceed to the matter at hand. Please vote for or against ratification of the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States when your name is called.”

The roll call began again. Sarah bowed her head and listened to the men who called out their vote, one after another. She had memorized the names of the delegates and took mental note of each of their answers. Suddenly she jerked her head up and stared in disbelief at the floor below. She glanced across the aisle at Mrs. Catt, who whispered excitedly to the woman next to her.

Alex frowned and leaned close to her. “What is it?”

“Harry Burn just voted for ratification. He's wearing a red rose.” Her pulse began to race, and those seated in the gallery began to stir. An air of anticipation hovered over the listeners.

The minutes ticked by slowly with one after another responding to the question. A hush fell across the room as the Speaker asked for the results. The clerk rose to report the tally. “The vote is as follows. Forty-nine Ayes, and Forty-seven Nays. The motion to ratify the amendment passes.”

Screams of joy rose from the gallery. Sarah jumped up with all the women who stood along the front row and scattered her yellow rose petals over the assemblymen below. She then turned to Alex, who was on his feet, and hugged him before running across the aisle to embrace Mrs. Catt. Tears of joy ran down their faces as they hugged.

Loud cries rang out from below. Sarah looked to the floor below where policemen formed a protective circle around Harry Burn. They pushed through the mob of angry legislators who screamed and shook their fists in Representative Burn's face.

Sarah turned to Alex. “I've got to find out why he changed his vote.”

She ran from the gallery and raced down the steps to the lower level. Harry Burn, surrounded by policemen and reporters, stood outside the assembly room.

The reporters shouted questions, but the angry roars from inside the assembly room almost drowned them out. A reporter beside Harry called out. “Why did you do it, Harry?”

Sarah shoved her way through the crowd and wedged into the group as close to Representative Burn as she could get. He glanced over his shoulder as if expecting to be attacked any moment before he spoke. “I grew up on a farm that my mother still runs in East Tennessee. She gets mighty upset that the men who work for her can vote, and she can't. She wrote me a letter this week and told me she's been thinking about this ratification thing. She told me to help Mrs. Catt put the rat in ratification, and you know a boy needs to do what his mother says.”

The reporters all laughed. “Is there more to the story?”

He hesitated before answering, and a somber expression covered his face. “I knew that I had an opportunity like few ever have to change history, and I wanted to do that.”

He pushed from the reporters and walked quickly down the hall with his police escort. Sarah watched him go, his shoulders back and his head held high. Her eyes filled with tears at the courage it had taken for him to stand against his friends, and she closed her eyes.
Thank You, God, for using this man. Thank You for the victory for today's women and those yet to come
.

“Are you ready to go, Sarah?”

She opened her eyes and looked around at Alex standing beside her with their daughter in his arms, and her heart nearly burst with joy. Catt leaned over toward Sarah and grabbed the locket she wore.

Sarah smiled and pulled the pendant from Catt's hand just before the child stuck it in her mouth. A loud wail erupted from Catt's mouth, and Alex struggled to hold his daughter still.

Sarah looked into Alex's eyes and laughed. “My mother used to tell me I'd pay for my raising. I didn't understand then, but I can see this little girl is going to keep me on my knees.”

Alex put his arm around Sarah, and they walked to the front entrance of the capitol and exited into the sunshine. She looked up at her husband and remembered a conversation they'd had years ago.

Alex had told her once that people's lives were ruled by the choices they make. Today Harry Burn had made a choice that wasn't a popular one with many people. Because of his choice, women would now have the privilege of walking into a voting booth and casting a vote for a candidate. It never ceased to amaze her how God could take a situation doomed to failure and turn it into something for good.

God had taken the bad choices she made and turned them into a life filled with joy and a family who loved her. Today He had added another blessing that at times she thought might never come to be.

Sarah glanced down the steep steps to the street below, where cars honked and people on foot rushed by without looking to the right or left. She reached over and took her daughter's small hand in hers. “Look at all the people going about their business, Catt. They don't realize this is a special day. Today we're citizens.”

S
ANDRA
R
OBBINS
is the author of nearly a dozen novels in the historical romance and romantic suspense genres. Her books have been finalists in the Daphne du Maurier Contest for excellence in mystery writing, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for romance, the Holt Medallion, and the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award.

Prior to working as a full-time writer, Sandra was an elementary school principal. She lives with her husband in the small college town in Tennessee where she grew up, and they have four grown children and five grandchildren. Read more at
SandraRobbins.net
.