By Karin Gaffney

Call for the doctor, Call for the nurse,
Call for the Lady with the Alligator Purse!

Does this sound familiar? Just who is the lady with the alligator purse, and how did she and her purse end up in a jump-rope rhyme?

Susan B. Anthony lived a very long time ago, from 1820-1906, and was an important historical figure who fought for the right of women to vote.

She spent much of her life tirelessly traveling the United States, delivering speeches to crowds and meeting famous people, such as President Theodore Roosevelt and former slave Frederick Douglass. She was even put in jail for voting, when women weren’t allowed to cast a vote.And during many of her adventures, one item was at Ms. Anthony’s side: an alligator purse.

Along with her familiar black dress and red shawl, this brown, bulky bag became a signature piece that traveled with Ms. Anthony from upstate New York to sites across the country where she bravely made an impact on the history of the nation.

Ms. Anthony spent several months in San Francisco directing a campaign to give women of California the right to vote. The children grew familiar with her hurrying figure passing by as they played on the sidewalks. They noticed she always carried an alligator bag full of printed speeches and other important papers. As a result, they made up a jump-rope rhyme that spread from coast to coast and has lasted more than 100 years.

Mumps! said the doctor.
Measles! said the nurse.
Vote! said the Lady with the Alligator Purse.

It is believed the alligator bag was given to Ms. Anthony before her first trip to Europe in 1883. Her initials and hometown are embossed on the bottom: S.B.A., Rochester, N.Y. It carried papers and the gavel she used at meetings. She and her sister, Mary, often tossed apples, cookies and treats into it for the long carriage rides to appointments. Everyone needs a snack sometimes, even Susan B. Anthony.

Stories about the bag have been handed down from one generation to the next. One tells of Ms. Anthony as a frequent guest at a home on the shore of Lake Ontario. She visited at times when her schedule was busy and she needed a peaceful break from her hectic life.

The children of the home were asked by their parents to be quiet as mice while Ms. Anthony was staying with them, so she could rest. It was a difficult task at times. But on the mornings Ms. Anthony left, she always set her alligator bag outside her bedroom door in preparation for her departure. The children then knew they could soon make noise again.

He drank up all the water.
He ate up all the soap.
He tried to eat the bathtub
But it wouldn’t go down his throat.

Because of its age ­ the satchel is 120 years old ­ the people at the Susan B. Anthony House became worried about its condition a few years ago. In an effort to save the important piece of American history, two community groups donated money to have the leather bag restored by an expert. The bag in its new-and-improved condition is again on display at the Susan B. Anthony House.

"This bag is one of the most personal items we have of Susan’s," say officials at the house. "We are pleased it has been restored and that we can share its history."