The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-06-19

EndeavOrfng 10 Provide q Place Where
She will Reign Supreme.

philadelphia Times.l
Mrs. Fletcher Harper. the younger, with
out any fuss or parade, has taken in hand an
enterprise that quite throws into the shade
Judge Hilton's costly failure. Down at At
lanhcyille, near Long Branch, she has bought
the Seashore cottage. sometimes family
club house and ON the first of July 1T will be
opened as summer resort for working wo-
men. The scheme of management devised
for this pleasant retreat for tired women
reads like a stray chapter from q The Prin-
cess" Within the confines of the charmed
domain woman alone is absolute. That
elegant embodiment OF cynicIsm, the mod
ern hotel clerk, will not stand at the receipt
of custom in Mrs. Fletcher Harper's seaside
home; in his place will be woman, and a
pleasant, kindly woman, too. we feel well
assured-one who will welcome the coming
and speed The parting guests in 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 10 be abused by hotel keepers. And the
walters will be women, and the housekeeper
will be woman and things will be wOmsnly
generally. But there seems to be no law for
bidiing the reception in the capacity OF
drOppers-in of members OF the baser sex.
Probably regularly qualified young
woman's young man might even be
allowed 10 sit the evening out on the
broad stOop with his own especial
young woman-looking at the moon, listen
ing 20 the slumbrous mo lDingsof the sea and
saying thc sc tender nothing5 which mean so
much whilst yet the heart is yourg and
warm: And all this joy TO be had at the rate
of five dollars a weak, or nine dollars for
fortnight, with railway fares from and to
New York and the free use OF bath houses
thrown in OF course there is to be a 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 knOwl-
edge of womankind. The women who
seek admission into the tiny realm must
apply to the Ladies Christian union NO
% Washington place, New York; and must
furnish references; one dollar must be paid
when the application 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 10 full
is given and also tickets for the railway
passage The capscity of the cottage is linn
tied ID fifty guests 1.-TWO in room). and in
order TO make it available to the greatest
number no one Will be allowed to remain
longer than 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 sort that
any reasonable woman will object to, espe-
ciaily when compliance with them assures
s1ch 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 al yng with the wisdom is that abound
ing loving kindness that only a good and
loving woman can infuse into matter af-
feeling every day affairs, This restful home
is not a charity, for the charge for board has
been calculated carefully exactly to cover
the expenses of msintaining the house. No
loss of self-respect follows making use of the
kindly offer held out by one woman to many
women with whom Providence has dealt less
kindly so far IS this worlds goods are con-
cerne1; 10 is a legitimate business transac-
ton. Had Ms Harper chosen she might
have made her cottage absolutely free; but
such al arrangement would have cut of
from bene6tiEg by it the very cla's OF
women whom she desires to. aid. With
the fine instinct of well bred woman
she has put enough of bust
ness in her scheme to relieve
her que sts of any oppressive weight of OblI-
gatiOn-thus fifty supplementing and rem
dering practical the noble wish that grew up
in her large heart. Mrs. Harper will not get
c5sh return from her investment, but she
seems to be in a fair way to run up hand
some bank account in a region where moths
have no existence, where rust is unknown
and where the police arrangements are per
feet. 1t is a sharp comment, this, upon
Judge Hilton's sleeveless project that fell to
pieces almost before 1t was begun.