New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-04


waited women must attend to the children, or
are too tired. or too rasped. Wlth mousse
hold friction, or too far away OF 700
proud TO appear in old clothes. she mas nc"
receptions whereat she stands paln1uiiy aC Tue
drawing-roOm door, and says an agreeaoie
nothing to every conner, and really secs
nobody of all the pleasant guests assempleu'
being absorbed in the effort to make the rlghC
persons talk to each other and feeling u
solemn duty to separate them as soon as tile
fine magnetic current is established, and they
are really brilliant, lest some heavy weight on
whom she must bestow one or other should
nine in fancied neglect. After the fourth
heroic but futile effort to see the
friends whose presence she desires and yet to
make all others content, she applies the Yam
lee fest, decides that it does 'Dt pay" and sur
views her empty drawing-room with regret in
her heart but comfort in her spine. She falls
NOT because she has not social genius, but
because with us Society is not q Fine Art.
Because her guests depend on her to be enter
tanned and do not, with exquisite tact and
breeding. entertain each other. And now,
having abandoned her Receptions she
casts about for some plan which shall
often bring to her Madame de Stael
and Caroline Bonaparte. But the brilliant
author lives in Harlem, and the lovely princess
in Lafayette place. and she herself on Londoh
Terrace. Her mornings are filled with Work,
nor can she intrude on the working hours OF
her friends In the afternoons she calls anu
they are out, or they make weary Journeys ana
she is out, or they come on stated :" at home"
DAYS. and the room is filled with unln-
teresting strangers. And 80 friendships
that would brighten life are Tudely put
aside by geographical boundaries Now here
the ideal clubhouse opens its hospitable doors.
" | will be at the club" writes Madame Reca-
mier to her friends, " at four o'clock on every
" Tuesday and Thursday" Twice a week,
therefore, the three friends meet, and there is
the help of sympathy, the exhilaration OF talk
sparkling as wine, the pleasure OF leaving the
familiar furniture behind for an hour or two,
and playing this little interlude in the
drama Of Life with new scenery and
accessories. Women need this Opportu-
nity of change even more than men, whose
work is usually active, and involves
the seeing of new faces each day. Even more
than men they need the stimulus of converse
ton with persons whose mental processes are
new 10 IDcnl, anu JHb WHOlcoOnhO CASitNhNNN Va
the presence of bright thinkers. Again, 1T IS
difficult for the most cultivated women, coming
strangers to the city, to obtain social recognl-
ton. All circles are too busy, and too careless
to trouble themselves abOutnew people Know
ing one member of this Club of the Future,
these most eligible strangers have the chance
of membership, and of many pleasant meetings
at the general drawing-roOm, which they must
wait wears to receive in their own And not
the least desirable gain would be the quiet
luncheon, the comfortable breakfast in house
cleaning time, the occasional dinner. Who
shall say that this charming privacy is I'M
feminine, when he remembers the class OF
women that take all ostentatiOus luncheon
Mt Delmonco's, at Taylors, 'at Maillard's, at
every fashionable restaurant in town
Clearly the Club of the Future must be or
ganized by women whose social position is
conceded, whose executive power is great, and
whose patience is as Griselda's. The qualifica-
tons for membership must be admirable, and
rigidly insisted upon. Feminine Gentleness
must not shrink from the black ~. The
thing which has not been is, wa fOndly hope,
the thing which shall be. Whether Sorosis
shall have solved the problem or not, the
Womens Club House will yet be built.
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