Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-01-06
FROM BOSTON,

BOSTON, Jan. "a, 1867.
Ono Of the social features OF the week, be-
tween Christmas and New Years, was the re-
ception TO Prof Maria Mitchell by the mem.
bers Of the New England woman's Club.
Miss Mitchell always passes the holidays with
her sister, Mrs. Phoebe Kendall Of Cambridge,
who has been one OF the prominent members
Of the club from its very beginning and she
always dcyotes portion Of one day to her
club friends. This year--last year, mean
the reception came ON Thursday, Dec 10Th,
and was given in the form OF club lunch It
is considered quite feather in ones cap to
get an invitation to a club lunch and any one
who goes once wants to go again. The mem
bers are all bright women, and the good things
said are well worth hearing, although it *
a rulo Of the club that they shall not be quot.
ed, so the outside world never knows what it
Is losing. The club is a quiet organization,
but the work that it does is really quite trc-
mendous-so many things that are really pro
ductiyc Of good are iraceable directly to its
influence. The various educational assoca-
tious the Harvard competitive examinations
for women, the schools for modelling and
carving, are only few Of the practical works,
the idea Of which has arisen in the club aud
been developed in its discussions But / am
not so much concerned with its work as with
its play, at this moment Thursday was one
of the worst OF Boston's bad days; there was
drenching rain, the streets were slippery
and dirty, and there was wind that had
enough Of the south in it to take away the
last vestige Of vitality one possessed. and
enough Of the east to send it clear to the mar
row OF ones bones. But the cheer inside the
club rooms was heightened by the contrast of
the gloom out Of doors. Bright fires burned
in the open fire places and made dancing shad-
ows on the pictured walls; the shutters were
closed and the gas was lighted so, in the
warmth and brightness, one forgot the wealth
er. There were about two hundred people
present, most Of them club members, with
perhaps a score Of invited guests Among
those present were Mrs Julia Ward Howe
the present president Of the club, Mrs. Caro-
line NJ. Severance, the former president, Mrs
Ednah d. Cheney, Mrs. Abby Morton Diaz
Mrs. II. l.. T. Wolcott Miss Abby w. May
Miss Lucia Peabody, Mrs. Lucy Stone, Miss
Elizabeth Peabody and Mrs. Julia Anagos
Miss Mitchell, as the honored guest sat at
Mrs. Howo's right hand during the lunch and
all the time afterwards during the speech.
making. WONDERED, as | heard woman after
woman called up to say her little say, if a
group of men could do better under similar
circumstances. think women are very clev-
er after-dnner speech makers, and have a re-
markable readiness and wit. Miss Mitchell
changes very little in appearance. She has
the same crown of white hair, over which
bit of delciously real lace is laid the same
intense black eye, with depths no one could
penetrate; and a clear olive complexion Her
face is rather severe until she smiles, when il
softens and takes on an indescribably sweet
expression. One does not wonder at the ven
Grafton in which her people all hold her Mrs.
Howe and Mrs. Cheney were in their happiest
humor and said no end Of good things.
Afterth holidays comes the harvest season
for the bargain-seekers, and already the
mark down" sales have begun From now
until the first of March things can be bought
very reasonably, as there has to be clean
sweep made to get in the novelties of the
| spring season. There are certain things that
it makes comparatively little difference when
one buys: things for instance, that relate to
the staple articles of house-funishing and
| stkeepiug. There are certain articles
that the majority of housewives always make
practice Of buying at this intermediate sea
son. 1t is too soon to think of spring gowns
and bonnets, those that were got for the win
ter having not yet lost their first freshness
it will be time enough for these two months
hence. But at this time one looks abuu: the
house, secs what she is likely to need, and
makes her purchases to the best advantage.
She oyerhauls her stock of table and bed lin
en-, looks after her towels, and sees that she
has enough for plentiful use. But especially
does she look out for her carpets she plans
for the spring cleaning finds out what her
needs will be, and, if she be wise and of an
economical turn of mind, buys what she will
need, taking advantage of tho "mark down"
which is feature of the carpet as well as the
other stores. They tell me at John H. Pray,
Sons Co. IS that the business they do from
the middle of January to the middle OF March
is something tremendous. Many people take
| that time to select, not merely because they
can buy at reduced rates, but because it gives
them time to get just what they want, and
they do not have to choose in hurry. l
think that a sensible plan. The one thing
one doesn't want to be hurried in is the choice
of carpet; there is 30 much to be taken in
| to consideration-the size and location of the
room, the wall hangings and the furniture
coverings. In these days of art furnishings
the carpet and wall paper must serve as
background to the other articles in the room,
and there must be harmony between them.
Carpets are coming more and more with 'old
gold" either in the groundwork or figure 1t
seems to be the caprice of the moment and
/ question whether it will be a lasting one. |
don't like much of it myself it gives star
ing effect which is unpleasant. 1 can imagine
rooms, however, in which it might be used
with good effect but they are not common
For chambers l still like the chintz patterns
on white ground but for other rooms the
more subdued colors are preferable. 1 am
delighted to see what good work American
designers are doing in carpets. 1t is quite
the exception to find English patterns copied /;
nearly all the designs are original and Ameri-
can, and many of them are by women. When
Mr.. Bragdon selected the carpets for the new
wing at Lassell, he took all American, even in
Wilton, and as far as possible had those that
were designed by women. 1t was an expo
nent of his favorite theory of industrial train
ing for girls, suppose.
How the Christmas and New Year festivals
do lap over one anotherl There were Christ
mas trees all last week, and to-day we begin
the New Years good times by the children's
festival at the Young Mems Christian Union.
Tomorrow night the children of the Little
Wanderers Home have a New Year celebra-
tion, and it was only a week ago they had