The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-06-17
40 Trouble"

Auua b. McMahan, Of Quincy HIS,
communicated the following to The Wom-
ans Journal under date Of May 18th:
It is a compliment Of the highest or
der, though an unconscious one, when
men sneak Of a womau's "knack." \
knack for doing the family dressmaking
or millinery somehow generally belongs
% thai member Of it who is either the
most uuseilish or the most industrious,
or who has that sort Of a conscience
which is not content unless whatever is
to be done T. also done IN the best possi-
nle manuer. \ knack for household
uecuTatiOu and artistic surroundings be-
longs 10 the woman who has sufficient
1--we for the beautiful 20 give such mat
ters a good deal Of attention-to devise
new combinations aud study effects.
True ease IN writing comes by art,
not chance, aud j. quite as true Of most
things as 20 is OF writing.
This idea was amusiuEiy illustrated
ln little incident which came under
my observation during the past week.
10 was on the occasion Of the annual
meeting Of the Board of Directors OF one
90 our hospitals. Five gentlemen and
twice as many ladies had assembled aud
listened % the reports Tor the year. The
ladies had done all the work, and
through their Secretary aud Treasurer
made accurate aud comprehensive re-
ports. At the close of the meeting ]
overheard the following interesting con-
versation between two gentlemen
There's one thing we ought TO have
dOne,n said one; "we ought TO have
given q vote Of thanks 10 Mrs. \. for her
excellent report"
"An admirable reporti sdmirabie!' -
exclaimed The other, with enthusiasm
"but its 10 trouble for her 10 do those
things 10 comes natural She just loves
IT,"
I happened 10 know that this gentle
man had been within the hospital walls
just once during the year, and ! also
happened TO know something about this
same report which was "nO trOuble.n
Twice each month during the twelve
Mrs. a. had attended the business meet
lugs and had kept detailed reports Of the
transactions. From these she had now
compiled mass OF fstatisiics-hOw many
patients had been cared for, how many
,ere pay patients, how many supported
by tue county, how many were objects
of cbarity-the greatest number at any
one time. the smallest number, the av-
erage number, the amount Of money
that had been raised and from what
sources, the directions IN which il had
heen expended, the nature aud extent Of
repairs aud improvements 10 the prop
erty. The principal beDefactions were
acknowledged iu itting terms, aud
comparison presented between the past
aud present condition Of the institution, .
former reports having been examined F..
for the purpose. These di-jOinted facts
a. J.. H..
tive, the whole representing the labor Of
two or three days, because the lady 7.
'jlst loved" ber work too well to do IL I
lees faithfully.
But the particular interest OF The story .
lie~ in the previous history Of the hospi- .
Tao management Five years ago the .
building was erected and opened under
The control % twelve trustees, all gentle
men. Having considerable amount Of
public money at their disposal, they did
very well Tor the first year. Soon after,
these funds being no longer available.
.hey began 10 tiud 10 difficult to raise
money; enthusiasm waned; TOR months
it time they could not hold a meeting
.or lack Of "a quorum, and finally, be-
lore The end Of the third year, without
dollar in the treasury, they called la
weuty- se ladies, aud under the desig-
nation Of Executive Committee sur
rendered the property and begged Of
them 10 take The entire management.
Since that day they have given them
selves no concern further than an at
tendance "a the annual meetings to hear
The reports Of their Executive Com
mittee' aud 20 re-elect IL.
l. 10 not a confession Of the superior
executive ability of the feminine sex
that The undertaking which these gen
ilemeu found 30 onerOus as 10 cause it,
is NOW colductel IN such
manner as 10 b. mo trnuble?n