Miriam Amanda Moves

There is nothing harder on a woman than moving. For a man, it means signing a lease or something of that kind and perhaps hiring an expressman. But a woman has to see that her china is packed so that it won't break, see that her clothes are all properly packed in trunks, see that a thousand and one things are accommodated in boxes, see that everything is properly disposed of at the destination, see that closets and floors and woodwork and corners are cleaned. There isn't any fun in it at all for her. Naturally, she cannot regard it as much of a celebration.

For example, Sam Houston--moving never bothered him. At 13, he moved to Tennessee from Virginia where he was born in 1793. As a lad he spent much of his time with the Cherokee Indians. At 20, he began moving on his own account. He joined the Army and served in the War of 1812. At the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, serving as an ensign, he was shot in the thigh with a barbed arrow. He ordered a soldier to pull it out, but the man couldn't, so he drew his pistol and threatened: "If you don't pull it out, I'll shoot you." When it was out he rushed back into the fray.

At 25, he resigned from the Army, studied law for six months, was admitted to the bar. Soon he moved to Washington as a Congressman. At 33, he was elected Governor of Tennessee. Two years later, married, but soon after, his wife left him. He resigned and went to Arkansas to live with the Cherokees; there he married a half-breed. In 1832, President Jackson sent him on a mission to the Indians of Teras. Jackson remarked: "Thank God, there is one man at least in Texas who was made by the Almighty and not by a tailor." Indeed, Houston looked it: 6 ft. 3 in. in moccasins, straight as an arrow, with deep, flashing eyes, high forehead, dressed like a frontiersman in leggings, hunting shirt and coonskin cap.

He was not a man to worry about moving. Texas was on the point of revolution. He attended the Convention of San Felipe in 1835 (where he was elected Commander-in-Chief of the Texan Army), and dominated it with his eloquence. Word came that Santa Anna, the Mexican General, had invested the Alamo. In an hour, Sam Houston was leading a force to relieve the fort; but before he could do so it had fallen and its garrison had been massacred. But he met the Mexican Army at San Jacinto, routed it and took Santa Anna prisoner. Before the captive, Houston took a gnawed ear of corn from his pocket, saying: "Sir, do you ever expect to conquer men who fight for freedom, when their General can march four days with one ear of corn for his rations?"

"Old Sam Jacinto," as they called him, advanced from Commander-in-Chief of the Texas army to President of the Republic of Texas. After Texas was admitted to the Union, in 1845, he was sent to Washington as Senator. There he went, moving once more, but going with his tiger- skin vest, his shoulder blanket and his sombrero. He would sit in the Senate all day whittling sticks, occasionally rising to deliver an oration. In his bedroom at the hotel, he hung signs saying, "My bedtime is nine o'clock."

He married a third time and had eight children, four sons and four daughters.

Finally, in 1859, he became Governor of Texas, kissed the little Bible that was offered him and went courageously on his way. But within two years came the Civil War. He was loyal to the Union. Said he of Jefferson Davis: "He is as ambitious as Lucifer and as cold as a lizard." When the legislature sent the Lieutenant Governor to demand his official papers, he demanded scornfully, "What is your name, sir?" But his fighting days were done. He retired, and died in 1863, heartbroken, they say.

After all, a man of such temper must have taken the disposition of his household goods very lightly.

Perhaps moving is a more serious business in the life of Miriam Amanda Ferguson. Perhaps the thought of it made her so grave, last week, when the park of artillery before the Texas Capitol saluted with 17 guns; and, on the arm of Governor Neff, she squeezed down the crowded aisle of the House of Representatives. Governor Neff was smiling; so was Mr. Ferguson, her two daughters, her son-in-law, her little grandson perched on his father's arm; so was the roaring, jubilating crowd of 1,000 which for three hours had been awaiting her coming in the chamber. Mrs. Ferguson was very solemn.

The "Old Grey Mare" Band struck up a tune to which Miss May Peterson, onetime singer in the Metropolitan Opera Company, now returned .to her native Texas and clad in cowboy costume, trilled:

Put on your old gray bonnet With the blue ribbons on it, And hitch old Dobbin to the shay; For from Gulf to Coston, Folks are bound for Austin, For Ma's inaugural day.

At this a little page rushed up and presented Mrs. Ferguson with a great bunch cf red roses. She debouched to the Speaker's platform In a black satin gown with grey fur trimming, imported from Manhattan. Her hat was brown with a downturned rim and black goose feathers. The hall echoed with acclamations.

First the ceremony of changing Lieutenant Governors was gone through. The Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court then read the oath of office and Mrs. Ferguson repeated the oath after him, phrase by phrase, swearing that she had never fought a duel with deadly weapons, that she would be a good Governess to Texas, all without a smile. Then she kissed a little, worn Bible, the same that Sam Houston had kissed in taking office in 1859, the same that her own husband had kissed in taking office ten years and one day before.

Next, Mr. Pat Neff, until that moment Governor, stepped forward to make his farewell. Golden oratory flowed from his tongue:

"If in my hands at times, the white plumed flag of public interest went down in defeat, it was never dragged in the dust of dishonor.* "I am retiring to the sylvan shades of private life. I am going back to take my place in the rank and file of the people, where the great heart of humanity beats.

"I have left three things in the Executive Office for you. One is a portrait of Woodrow Wilson/-, the next is a white flower and the third is an open Bible.

"The flower is a white rose, symbol of purity. . . . The Bible is opened to the 109th psalm, 105th verse: 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.' . . .

"May the God who guides the migratory birds in their flight, and who holds within the hollow of his hand the destinies of men, guide and guard you, and keep all Texas aright."

Next Mrs. Ferguson came forward. Her inaugural speech was less than seven minutes in length. Quoth she:

"By the decree of our Supreme Court we women have been recognized and admitted into all the rights and privileges of citizenship.** Many women will be invited to take an active part in this Administration. Let us give to Texas the best there is in us. Let us render full service, not so much because we are women, but because we are citizens, who are now equal to stand side by side with men for equal rights and equal justice to all.

"With love for all, with malice toward none, trusting in God, I consecrate my life to Texas."

A guardsman in a window signalled to the artillery without. Within there were shouts, applause. Mrs. Ferguson began to smile. People rushed up to shake hands with the Governess. Flowers were piled upon her. She was inaugurated. That night, there were three great balls and a reception to amuse the thousands who congested the city. Mrs. Ferguson was kept up late. Mrs. Ferguson and her consort with their grandson led three grand marches. Next morning, the Governess and her husband arrived at the Executive Office together. Mrs. Ferguson took the Governor's chair, her husband took a small desk at her right.

"Governor," declared Mr. Ferguson, "I think you first should consider the matter of extending the parole of the penitentiary convict, Sylvester Montalbano."

"You look over the papers in the case and tell me what you think about it."

Mrs. Ferguson made answer. The parole was extended.

Mrs. Ferguson spent only the morning at her office and then went home to superintend the moving of her things into the Executive Mansion. Mr. Ferguson stayed behind to take care of things at the office, moving over to sit in his wife's chair.

*It was suggested that this was a reference to Mr. Ferguson, said to be the only Governor of Texas ever impeached.

/-The Fergusons opposed Woodrow Wilson's policies.

**When Texas rejected the 19th Amendment, the Fergusons joined in the opposition. Mr. Ferguson, in his forceful vernacular, told just what he thought of women who wanted to vote.