The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-12-09
CLUB LIFE.

Is DIODOHCu w bhllh AbA " NANb
house for young men," 1 realize that l
am taking great liberty, and perhaps
meddhng where it is none of my bust
ness. feel like one invading the enc
my's camp, and expect that Its stalwart
warriors will fly out and defend it, But
know you will not turn deaf ear to
womans plea in behalf of her sisters.
Being man, you cannot know what ter
ror the words "club house" bring to
woman's heart; but down in your own
secret heart you do know that you would
abominate "club going woman. In
late wears there are women's clubs, as
the term applies, but they are all for the
furtherance of literary work. Even with
that high aim as its object, l doubt II
any man would give free consent that
his wife should 90 to the club, say, five
nights out of every week, as the majority
of men do. You point to the Young
Women's Association building and say:
"Why not have building for young
men?" You forget that it is not club
house, for pleasure and sport, but, as
understand il, an institution of learning
and home for young women who have
no homes, or in whose humble homes 1T
is impossible 10 acquire the womanly at
tainments taught within 1t walls. If
young women who have pleasant and at
tractive homes go there, it is as its pat
rons and helpers.
But how many young men would this
proposed moral club house allure from
pleasant and attractive homes, leaving
mothers heart a blank, when she thinks
of the many years of helpless childhood
she has toiled through for the privilege
of hearing the CHEEKY voices of her sons
at her own Preside? Then this same
Young Women's Association is the only
one IN our city for young women; but
look around and count the many clubs
for men, besides military organizations,
engine houses, where men cOngreSate,
billiard rooms, grocery stores, saloons;
in fact, the hundreds of places OF all
kinds TO take men from their own homes.
Now, do not advocate tying man to
wOman's apron strings; but II all the
men could be for one short week
woman, could feel the longing for the
sound of a manly step at the close OF day,
that comes, alas, and stays just long
enough To swallow the evening meal,
skim through the paper and then of to
the club, or some other place, until bed
time, and often long after, without one
glance at the pretty gown she has put on
for his eye alone. Much has been sung
and written about the music of the tink-
ling bells, "When the cows come home"
1t is as nothing to the music in a wife's
heart of the ringing steps "Whon the
men come home" Why is it that man
will pay his attentions to lady for years,
count the hours after he leaves her side
until he reaches it again, happy only in
her presence, content with the soft moth
ings of lovers; yet after marriage he will
give her a hasty kiss and pretend not to
see the grieved look in her eyes as he
goes out, ito see that man on some par
tcular business?n After while he
omits the hasty kiss, lights a cigar and
jams his hat squarely on his head with
an air that gives her to understand he is
going out, she to the contrary notwith-
standing.
The years go on this way He is at
tackled with govt, rheumatism, or some
other i'll, which, while it does not coniine
HIM to his bed, makes him prisoner in
the house. He grunts and growls all day,
receiving all the attention from his
wife that the home duties will permit.
Surely, lie thinks, when evening comes,
she will give me more attention. The
children put to bed, she fixes him com
fOrtably in the easy chair or lounge, takes
her work and sits by the lighted table.
She has spent so many evenings in this
way alone that in few minutes she has
forgotten his presence. He watches her,
expecting every moment to hear a peal
of merry laughter or some of the bright
sayings that used to come so readily in
the old lover days; but except for the
moving fingers she might be statue, SO
intense is the silence. Unable to bear it
10 hn .,1,t. 'fy,ga -
Mary, what dull woman you have
grownm Yes, the once bright woman
has, indeed, grown dull. Years of even
ings spent with only silent walls and
voiceless furniture for companions will
dull the brightest. have long tried to
solve this problem, with the conclusion
that it is owing to the law of possession
in mans nature at is my wife and
my house, and [ will find them here when
l come back"
Last winter the Memorial Presbyterian
church on the east side held series of
lectures. | attended one. The subject
was, "POets and Poetry of the English
Isles" l enjoyed it very much, and re-
turned home positively homesick. For
what, you ask the English Isles? Bless
your heart, no. Troy is good enough
for us. l was homesick for the time
when the Y.M.C.A used to hold its DE
bates" in old Atheneum Hall and its "lec-
ture courses" in Rands. All the boys,
youths and men, used to go and take
their sieters, sweethearts and wives.
Have you ever noticed the small number
of men who attend the vocal concerts in
Music Hall? The large audiences that
fill the mammoth place are two-thirds
women-eveTybOdy's sister and wife it
seems. The husbands have gone to the
climbs, whose names are legion. 1t is not
so long 'twiXt then and now, yet then you
could count the clubs on the fingers of
one hand and half Of every audience were
men. As then it was not the proper
thing for women to 90 unattended by
male escort to places of public amuse-
ment, which think you was most condu-
Give to domestic happiness?
'Priam" asked in the "Woman's King
dom" the other week the question: "As
a means of booming marriages, would
YOU approve of taxing all unmarried men
over thirty years of age?' A tax TO
boom marriage would be using fOrcible
means for the purpose. Now, man is
like the mule-when force is used he al
ways braces himself and kicks; but, also,
like the mule, he is one of the most do
nestle animals, and dearly loves a warm
corner in which to stick his nose. Abol-
ish the warm corners of club rooms, turn
the hundreds of manageable young men
who frequent club houses out into the
street. so to speak, and they will soon
find the Greside of some sweet girl whose
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