The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-03-18
LBNTEN LITERATURE.
Pursuits and Studies Which
Monopolize the Season
Of Rest.
JERSEY CITi BOASTS MANY STUDENTS
Among Maids and Matrons-Lead-
ing Societies And Their
objects.

Especially ~tcritten for the JERSEY CITY Ne1cs.)
There is a widespread idea that with
society women Lent is a season for medi-
t%ation. rest and repose; in fact, the
workaday world seems to think that with
the dawn of Ash Wednesday those So
clety women who write church with a
capital G pass into n state Of lethargy. not
unlike the worm in its chrysalis, issuing
at Easter--to pursue the worn out
simile-as a gorgeous spring butterfly.
fresh from a forty-days' nap.
Now this is all wrong, and the reason is
simple. In the first place. no woman has
health robust enough to stand the strain
that modern society imposes. So Nature
storage battery, constantly generating
the nervous energy which sta nds instead
of physical strength. Perhaps. poor mis-
guided man, you think your Belinda
must have the health of a Hebe, because
If you and she should start together on
her weeks round oil luncheons. teas, calls,
repulsing bores, diuners and dances, she
would glide into her pew on Sunday
morning sweet and fresh as a Bermuda
lily, and Thursday night would find you
a shattered wreck uuuer keeley's care.
But bless you, that isn't health. Health
won't stand such trifing. The storage
battery has been getting i'll its work. 1t
has generated enough nervous energy to
carry her through another month. And do
you suppose that this automatic function
quits work when Lent begins? Not in
the least. Nature knows NO Ash Wednes-
day. Belinda's battery goes on storing
up energy, and Belinda says within her.
self that she must do something or burst,
& 1,-- ,-t~ ohy, IN = rtD,.lr Da ioY,r
walks, or embroidery, but most OF allinto
classes, for everything in the heavens
above or the earth beneath or the waters
under the earth, and works of the sur
plus nerve force on these. So it follows
that Lent is not a time for meditation,
but a season of transferred activity.
All this long preamble was to point the
moral that Jersey City literary clubs wax
powerful at just this season of the year.
Here are the names of a few of the more
prominent and their mode OF existence
ODD VOLUMES.
The "Odd Volumes" Is by M means so
eccentric as its name. 1t Is merely a
charming literary society numbering
some of Jersey City's best known literary
and social celebrities. and whose meet
ings, whether for actual work or all &C.
casional relaxation, are always delight
full. The doings of this organization
have been already quite thoroughly re-
corded in this column, and 1t is hardly
nee assary to say more than that the course
of study for this year is on American his
tory, and that u series of essays of abb
sorbing interest have been prepared and
read by Mrs. Eaton. dealing exhaustively
with '.The Indian Question:" The re-
cent reception at the house of this mem
Der, and last weeks musicale given by
Miss Grower to the club and It's friends
are among its latest social events. Miss
Celie Gaiues has been since its founda-
ton. a President of rare Judgment. in
sight and AFFINITY. The meetings are held
on Wednesday afternoons. at members
residences, and after essays are read and
the literary programme at an end, Il light
luncn is served, which the constitution
Hunts TO three aiticles.
LADY WHO STUDIESa
The name of Mrs. Annie Ledingham is
inseparably connected with literary study
iu Jersey City, and although this talented
lady makes her home across the river, she
still spends Il large part OF her time on
these shores. Four years ago she deliv-
cred a series of lectures Of historical and
literary interest at Hasbrouck Intitute,
and soon afterwards instituted a class for
historical research which marked an
epoch in our literary life. Although, as a
class, it has not organized this winter, its
influence is felt 10 u marked degree. Mrs.
Ledingham still conducts classes iii
French, in conjunction with her gifted
ShtCIs oAi CAd VI 4O0l 0Cct hhOVh
society people are members of her classes
in English literature and history. Amoug
the enthusiastic men bers of her classes
past and present are Mrs. w. d. Edwards,
Mrs. r.. G.. Lvle, Mrs. Harry Mcbride,
Miss Grace burlington. Mrs. @. H. Sbi :
man. Mrs. Ida Brensinger, Miss Annie
Adriauce, Mrs. Cornelius Brett n Miss
Maude Brett. Miss Clara Post. There ale
tne best of reasons for Mrs. Ledingfanl's
occupying the position that sac holds in
Jersey City's literary history. for it is
seldom that in one person are united sncn
profund erudition, and a personality so
thoroughly charming.
II BIJoU.
The Bijou Literary Society is a band of
young girls who some time since decided
TO improve the literary status of Lafay-
cite, by planting in its midst a club for
Meetings are held every Friday afternoon
at the residences of club members.
The club has devoted much time
and careful consideration 10 the
works OF Washington living, various
members reading aloud in the
Miss Clerihew has been most successful
in her profession of music. She began
her stuuies about thirteen years ago on
the piano, under Mr.. H. Morgan. In the
graduating class of 'SS, of Hasbronck
Institute, she prepared and read an
essay on 1.-THE Power Of Music" which
WON nuCu COui uicuttdtlOu. dOdu INV
she continued her piano study, aiming
to perfect herself as an accompanist.
She has accomplished this, and is re-
markable as a sight reader both in sing
lug and on the piano. AS a teacher
of the piano she has also been very sue
cessful.
About seven years & Miss Clerihew
began her vocal studies, and for the past
four years has been under the instruction
of Professor w. r. Williams of Newark.
Her voice is a pure soprano. with a range
of low A to high c. 1t is full, flexible
and sympathetic. She always sings her
songs from memory and at q recent con-
cert of the Melopoia she rendered most
delightfully."- a short solo. She occupies
at present the position of soloist and
Musical Director at Hedding NJ. E.
Church., which she leaves to accept the
Brooklyn position. This Miss Clerihew
obtained entirely on her voice Il merits
as Il musician, the attention of the Music
Committee having been called to her by
a New York musician who happened to
hear her sing here last fall. She was one OF
$50 applicants. She is one of the first
sopranos of the Melopoia, of this city
Holland, whom Jersey City may ciaim as
a former resident, has just returned from
Fo,r xya,rs IF Eurnuaan afulv nudar