The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-02-20

mand of any of them to be sure of the
accuracy of quotation. From this point
discussion drifted naturally to the study
of the languages. and the comparative
usefulness of French and German was
warmly debated.
''But we can't study either without a
teacher" said Alice, 'sand teacher
would be horrid."
doesn't Mr.. Russell know French?'
asked Miss Hill
81 can read a bill of fare. if the French
steward does not try to write il in En-
glish," said Russell, "but my knowledge
of the language does not go much fur
ther. Suppose we study English?''
''Oh, it isn't the leastuse to anybody
said several girls in chorus. You can't
possibly know enough about it to make
anybody see that you do"
eve ought to have some committees, -
said one of the girls; ''and we need a
critic, too. When we decide what we're
going to read, we'll have somebody APP
pointed to read it aloud, and the critic
will tell what is the matter with it,
"We must change the critic every
week." said Miss Hill.
Russell was strongly of the opinion
that such an arrangement would be
necessary to the happiness and safety
of the critic, but he did not venture to
say so. He was planning to be the last
critic on the list, in the hope that the
society would die natural death before
his turn came. But the subject of
critics was dropped for the moment,
while the society went into executive
session and wrestled with the question
of names, and uses for the committees
Russell was chairman, and the girls
either talked to him all at once or didn't
talk to him at all. When he detected
any thing like a motion, he requested a
vote which was generallya unanimous
. affirmative because, by the time he
NSeould call for the nays, the girls had be-
gun to S-talk about something else and
didn't hear what he said
It was decided Sto give reception t
the friends of the societS> and commit
tee to decide what sort of T2caption II
should be was appointed by the c1aff.
assisted by all the members simultane-
ously. In fact that was so much assist
ance that after the committee had been
appointed nobody could remember who
was on it. But by this time the course
of debate had changed, and this very
difficult question had arisen: "How shall
we let the people who come to the re-
ception find out how much we have
learned that they don't know?' Various
solutions of this problem were offered
ht,+ tlaxr oil 10 10
of suggesting school days and graduat-
ing exercises. Russell thought that it
would be good idea to have each mem
Der Of the society register vow not to
talk upon a frivolous subject with any
young man at the reception-in his case,
the resolution would read young
woman of course. Each member should
keep record of the number of topics of
conversation introduced by her and
hitherto unheard of by the other party
to the conversation. Every such topic
should count one, and the member hav-
ing tho highest score at the end of the
vcning should be entitled to prize
which should be awarded in the presence
of the society's guests.
This plan met with much favor at
first, but finally it was voted down, on
the ground that Russell would certainly
win, and that that was why be suggested
it,which was very mean of him, because,
of course, he could find any quantity of
girls who didn't know much, and prob
ably he wouldn't play the game fairly,
any way.
Then the question of name came up
again, followed by the appointment
land dissolution) of half dozen more
committees. The search for a motto
came next, and it gradually drifted into
general conversation on music, mill
linery and the drama. Afterwards,
some Russian tea was served; and then
there was just time enough for a vote
that Secretary Russell should come to
the next meeting of the society pre-
pared to give it name, motto and
subject for research.
no BE coNTINUED.l