Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-05-28
ACLUB FOR MOTHERS
THE HoUsEKEEPERs' ORGANIZATION
OF CocoANUT GROVE.

i OF COCOANUI GROVE.
Florida Women Who Havo an Interest,"
ing Way Of Securing Relaxation from
! Their Home Dutfes-So,ne I;ules and
Objects of ti.c Society.
Away down on the east coast Of Flor
ida, 300 miles south of st. Augustine, is
the pretty little settlement of Cocoanut
iirove. 1t is situated OIL the banks Of
bsiscayne bay. one of the lovelieSt sheets
of water for, winter cruising and fishing
Ehat it is possible to conceive of for
those who are not afraid to go beyond
che daily mails and telegraph wires, for
ut present there are no railroads or
Steamhoats, hot even wagon road: COLI
Meeting us with tho outside world-sail
boats only, but plenty of those, and good
pnes. too, which is very necessary, rs the
nearest market or source of supply is
Key West, $50 miles to the south.
| OF course there is hotel. postofficc.
store and Sunday school building,
which, with the Biscayne Bay Yacht
sldb house, tho various winterresidenccs
1T the northern yachtsnien and the pref
y little houses Of the pineapple growers
hnd' cocoanut planters of the keys, each
built according to its owners fancy or
means, and set in the midst of cocoanut.
lime, orange, banana and guavm trees.
form most attractive picture, to which
may DO added the ever changing life Of
the bay, the coming and going of the
yachts, tho arrival and departure of the
mailboats and freight schooners. But
IL the place is attractive. very much
more are the people who have helped
make it. and this is especially so OF the
women, whose husbands and sons are
the spongers, wreckera, carpenters and
boatnlen of the reef, when not engaged
in truck farming or pineapple raising.
/. 1T is, TO these women and their club
housekeeper's club-thut wish to in
'troduce my readers. A woman's work
ing club in every sense of the word, with
an attending membership of twenty and
u correspondence membership of ten, the
latter residents of New York. Boston.
San francisco. Brooklyn. Staten Island
and Key West.
:! To most of tho women born and
brought up on the keys of the reef or III
Key West, and of English parentage-
for the majority of the settlers came
originally from the Bahamas-the OK
perienco of belonging to n society. how
ever simple. for women only, was a nov
city. Although "our club" is now a
frequent and proud expression among
them, and member. in talking it oyer
with her husband, assured him that TIM
"bylaws of her club were as we'll made
and jus. rs binding rs those concocted
in the capitol at Tallahassee
i And so they arc to the faithful band
of women who gather every Thursday
afternoon in the little Sunday school
building. and join heart and hand in
helping each other to enjoy and i'm
prove the two hours week rescued
from their household cares For nearly
every member is a mother, not of one,
but in several cases Of eight and ten
children, with no one to assist in tho
daily and hourly work attending such
household, 80 that the first rule mado
and rigidly enforced, "No babies allow
ed at the meetings" is q genuine relief,
and gives timo and freedom for much
that would be otherwise impossible.
I; Sometimes the children are taken to
ncighboring house, ten or twelve little
tots from one to three years old, and
husband or eldest son volunteers to over
see those that are athletic walk, in which
case. as it draws near closing tinle, one
little head after another will be seen
coming, Indian file, along tho narrow
path, all of them barehcaded or nearly
so, in search Of mamma and generally
in great glee at having escaped. OF
course there follows a grand baby show.
Tho originator of tho cluSis its>presi-
dent, Miss Flora McFarlane, of New
Jersey, woman who has proved her
self in every way capable for the life
khe intends leading, having homesteaded
b hundred and fifty acres of government
lands, which she has gone bravely to
work to clear and improve.
The officers of the club are the prcsi-
Dent, secretary, assistant secretary.
treasurer and caretaker, who has entire
charge of the clubs workbaslset, giving
out the work and collecting materials,
such SIS scissors, thimbles. needle books,
patterns and button box. after each
meeting. These meetings occur every
Thursday afternoon from 8 to-.
At the organizing of the Climb it was
voted that the timc be spent in making
useful articles of clothing from material
either given to the club (thereupon the
president presented dozen kitchen
hprons) or bought with the clubs funds.
She funds being derived from member
ship dues (Which wore promptly paid. so
that the treasurer found herself busy at
bnce) or gifts. That such articles should
be sold at each meeting. and to men,
beers, at cost price.
That the money received for the first
year be spent in the purchase Of materi->
Ills and also in suitable and useful arti-
eles for bazaar, TO be held at the an
huaI meeting for the benefit of the
church building. That resident men,
bers bo elected by means of vote cast
with black and white beans; distant or
correspondence members on the good
faith of the housekeeper proposing them.
Bright, newsy letters are received
from the nonresident members, and all
sorts Of gifts in the way of household
articles, from half dozen cup towels
TO d bedspread.-Harper's Bazaar.
An Easter Scene IN Athens.
For SOME time before Easter the city
If Athens wears picturesque aspect.
This is due in great part to the number
of shepherds who. with their fiocks,