The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-29
A WOman's Kingdom.

A WOman's Kingdom.
Mrs. FLETCHER HARPER, the younger,
without any fuss or parade, has taken
in hand an enterprise that quite throws
into the shade Judge Hilton's costly
failure. Down at Atlanticville, near
Long Branch, she has bought the Sea-
shore Cottage, some time family club
house, and on the LIST of July it will be
opened as summer resort for working
women. The scheme Of management
devised for this pleasant retreat for
tired women reads like stray chapter
from "The Princess Within the
GOODNESS of the charmed domain woman
alone is absolute. That elegant en-
bodiment of cynicism, the modern hotel
clerk, will not stand at the receipt of
custom in Mrs. Fletcher Harper's sea-
side home; in his place will be a wonl-
an, and pleasant, kindly woman, too,
we feel well assured-one who will well
come the coming and speed the parting
guests in a way that will make them
feel as if they were human beings, and
not dumb, driven cattle, sent into this
world only to help keep up hotels and
to be abused by hotel-keepers. And
the walters will be women, and the
housekeeper will be a woman, and
things will be womanly generally. But
there seems to be no law fOrbiddinr the
reception in the capacity of droppers-in
of members of the baser sex. Probably
a rcgularly-qualitied young woman's
young man might even be allowed to
CT a inf
with his own especial young woman
looking at the moon, listening to the
slumbrous meanings of the sea and say
ing those tender nothings which mean
so much whilst yet the heart is young
and warm: And all this Joy is to be had
at the rate of five dollars per week, or
nine dollars for a fortnight, with rail
way fares from and to New York and
the free use of lighthouses thrown in.
Of course there is to be code of laws
for the government of this kingdom,
this woman's kingdom by the sea; but
it is not exactly the sort of code that
was framed out of the abundance of
Judge Hilton's legal wisdom and out
of the scarcity of his knowledge of
womankind. The women who seek ad-
mission into the tiny realm must apply
to the Ladies' Christian Union, New
York, and must furnish references; one
dollar must be paid when the applica-
ton is filed and the full amount for
board, less the dollar already in hand,
must be paid as preliminary to going
down and entering into possession.
When this second payment is made a
receipt in full is given and also tickets
sor the railway passage. The capacity
of the cottage is limited to fifty guests
(two in a room), and in order to make
it available to the greatest number no
one will be allowed to remain longer
than a fortnight. The occupants of the
rooms will be expected to keep the
rooms in order, and no washing will be
done or allowed to be done for visitors
on the premises. These rules are not
Of a sort that any reasonable woman
will object to, especially when compli-
ance with them assures such substantial
benefits. Mrs. Harper seems to have
planned her kingdom in the spirit of
wisdom that should guide every queen
in the formula and utterance of law.
And along with the wisdom is that
Astounding, loving kindness that only
good and loving woman can infuse into
matter affecting everyday affairs.
This restful home is not charity, for
the charge for board has been calcu-
lated carefully, exactly to cover the ex-
penses of maintaining the house. No
loss of self-respect follows making use
of the kindly offer held out by one wom-
an to many women with whom Provi-
dence has dealt less kindly so far as this
worlds goods are concerned; it is le-
Ultimate business transaction. Had
Mrs. Harper chosen she might have
made her cottage absolutely free; but
such an arrangement would have cut
off from benetiting by it the very class
of women whom she desires to aid
With the fine instinct of well-bred
woman she has put enough of business
into her scheme to relieve her guests of
any oppressive weight of obligation
thus fifty supplementing and render
ing practical the noble wish that grew
up in her large heart. Mrs. Harper
will not get cash return from her in
vestment, but she seems to be in a fair |
way to run up handsome bank ac-
count in the region where moths have |
no existence, where rust is unknown
and where the police arrangements are
perfect. 1t is sharp comment, this,
upon Judge Hilton's sleeveless project,
that fell to pieces almost before it was
un.-PhiIGdeLphid Times. !
IT is noticed that when merchant is
figuring for the lowest possible number
of cents on which to fail for the dollar
he all the more vigorously holds on to
his place in the exercises of the regular
weekday prayer-meeting.-M Y Her.
aid