The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-04
for bribing her induleent husband into an
allowance for new bonnet by appealing
to his palate, his most sensitive part.
COOPERATIVE DINING.
Details OF the Decatur Eeixhborhoo,
Boarding House Scheme.

Details OF the Decatur Eeixhborhootl
Boarding House Scheme.
At Decatur, ILL.,, public interest is centred
on ''The Roby." There are such things on
at "The Roby" as have not been witnessed
since the first spirit rappings were heard at
Rochester. This pretty little city has cleo.
trio street railways, six newspa.ess, dozen
fine churches, = metropolitan air, clean
streets, good water-and the servant-girl
question, says the Chicago Tribune. But
all these ''ain't nothin'," as a small boy re-
marked in my presence when these advant-
ages were being enumerated. "We've got
| something Chicago amt got. It's Z Bel
lamy boarding house."
81 am in the SWIM" remarked a quiet
gentleman. "Come down and see us. We
are living off the fat of the land for s.. IS q
week per head. And we have no bother, no
| worry about servants. We are located at
The Roby.'"
This is the history of the experiment.:
Miss Fanny Fuller and her mother
boarded at The Roby with Mrs. Guyton.
It was the swell boarding house of Decatur.
The Misses Witherspoon, two handsome
young ladies, also boarded there. Mrs.
Guyton never had trouble with her servant
| girls.
Why?
Because the work was systematized. One
did the cooking and laundry work, another
the second work. One had the table to wait
! on the and dining room to care for. When
| their work was done the girls went where
they pleased. Their liberty after work
hours did not depend on the caprice of a
mistress or the exigencies of private
house.
This set Miss Fanny Fuller to thinking.
One day she read Looking Backward"
and proceeded to look forward. Where
others read and marvelled and criticised,
she read and adapted. One morning she
came into Mrs. ,Guyton's room with an
book on the public dining room.
Why can't We do it," she asked.
I'VE cam" said Mrs. Guyton, decidedly.
Miss Fuller put on her smart jacket and
hat and called on the ladies of her 40
quaintance with her idea. Everybody was
charmed. The gentlemen forgot Impotence
and listened.
A few weeks later meeting was held in
Mrs. Guyton's parlors. After number of
whereases it was resolved to establish:
l. A cooperative association for the ben.
eft of all its members.
2. No debts shall be contracted.
~. president, secretary and treasurer
shall be elected from the members.
4. A superintendent shall be appointed
to act as purchasing agent Of the club,
vouchers to be delivered to the treasurer.
s. Members shall pay $2.75 week board
to the treasurer; children under 10 half
price.
6. The superintendent is to have entire
charge of the dining room, kitchen and
servants, under the direction of a board of
managers.
1t was agreed by all present to sign the
constitution, these being the charter mem
bers. Application for membership should
have their names posted in the dining room
three days before admission, and no one
was to be received if a serious objection was
raised by any ono member. Mrs. B. X.
Durfee was elected president and Miss Fam
nse Fuller treasurer and secretary.
Mrs. Guyton's basement was rented. in
Guiding large dining room, kitchen and
pantries, manager installed, two cooks
and three waiter girls hired, and the Coop
erative Club, after paying membership
fee of 81 and one weeks board in advance,
sat down to their first meal at the Roby.
Mrs. Guyton gave mp keeping boarders, and
she and all her guests fell into the new or
der of things. There is no doubt about
Mrs. Guyton's enthusiasm. She met me
and began another book OF her epic.
'What are We doing down here? Why,
Jon - expenses foot mp 20 high in this