The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-03
Mrs. ThursfOn's Drawing Room
Meeting.*

Mrs. ThursfOn's Drawing-ROOm
Meeting.*
Mrs. Frank Illusion, nee Hopkins, had
just returned from reception given by
one of her particular friends. 1t was her
first winter as Mrs. Thurstop. and she felt
that in some measure her future social
life was 20 shape itself from this bridal
winter. She was descended lineally from
the Hopkins whose name has shed lustre
on the annals of New England. Two or
three missionaries were also counted
somewhere on her family tree. One rela-
tive had been devoted and self.sacrifc-
ing nurse in the hospitals during the war.
An aunt had been teacher in the
schools for freedmen, established Just
after the war. The name of some rela-
tive of hers had always figured on the
list of active, benevolent workers in the
church, to which the family, root and
branch, had always belonged in Boston.
Consequently she was by all the tradi-
tiops of an old established family fore
ordained to some sort of Christian activ-
ity. 1t was, therefore. not to be won
dered at that she should feel dissatisfied
with the round of fashionable gayeties
which had hitherto taken up her time
and strength. Her husband, a hard
working young lawyer, just establishing
himself, and, therefore, bound to be up
early, had betaken himself to bed as soon
as they reached home; but Marcia, her
hair brush in hand, sat and pondered.
Frank took wine tonight with Judge
Balm and Mr.. Jameson. | did not know
be ever did that. Oh, dear cannot
endure it, have such fear, such a
dread of sven a single glass"
Poor Marcia buried her face, and was
thoroughly miserable. She dared not re-
monstrate with this touchy young hus-
band of hers. She did not mean, how
ever, to sit supinely by and see the wine
drinking continue.
i will have some drawing.room meet
ings," she ssid at last. 81 hate the aim
less balls and parties and receptions
of modern life. There seems to be no
sort of rdis0n d'etre to them, unless it be
sufficient motive to show off your last
superb toilet. But somehow, l cannot
bear to see the person so,subordinste to
her wardrobe. / like to think that the
individual is the principal thing. Modern
social life seems to crowd people them
selves into very insignificant place, and
give the greatest prominence to clothes,
and to eating and drinking. How in
tensely vulgar that is. Yes" she con-
tinued, 4" will have some drawiug-room
temperance meetings, as my part OF the
social programme"
And that was the way these beneficent
affairs came to be instituted in Mrs.
Frank Thurston's circle. Although young,
and comparative stranger in the city
where she had so lately come as bride,
yet her wealth, family connections, and
her husbands standing at the bar, gave
the prestige that insured success.
She had hoped to secure some notable
from abroad, to give tone to the affair,
but was unable to find any one. This
threw her upon her own resources. The
Woman's Christian Temperance Union
of that city comprised, as is the case
everywhere, some ladies of the highest
social standing, as we'll as of brains and
culture. Several of these were asked to
furnish a series of papers. She then
planned series of meetings; the coming
of Lent furnished her with just the OPP.
portunity she needed. Although attached
| to church which did not observe Lent,
she found all her acquaintance conform
ing more or less, at least outwardly, to
that custom which requires a cessation of
! gayeties, and ushers societygoing people
into a season of quiet. Drawing-room
temperance meetings were eminently
proper for Lent, even for those who did
not believe in the temperance movement.
But she did not announce her meetings
as temperance affairs at all. She caught
her victim by guile. A very elegant in
vitation summoned the elite to cOnversd-
zione. Not word was said about tenn
perance, and everybody came. 1t was
understood to be an informal and quiet
affair, to which the observers of Lent
might come, because of the hours named,
from seven to eleven.
For the early part of the evening, while
her guests were assembling, Mrs. Thurs
ton had provided some rare music not
that she committed the blunder of getting
any one to sing during this period OF un-
rest. A young friend, just perfecting
herself on the violin, and DESTROYS of over
coming the tmidity of youth, was glad
to entertain the company with her old
red fiddle, which she did charmingly.
The hour from seven to eight, therefore,
was a marked success; Mrs. Thurston
then rose and addressed the company in a
quaint, taking way, peculiarly her own,
and peculiarly bewitching.
any friends she said. "one thing |
omitted in my invitations; will supply
the omission now. There are to be no
tete-a-tetes, for this reason engaged
young ladies and,"-with meaning
smile, those hoping to be, have not been
IAN original story read at the city convention OF the
Chicago woman's Christian Temperance Unions,