The Jersey City news., 1892-03-11
CLUBS And LUNCHHONS.
Eating and Living Are
Somewhat Closely
Connected.
LITERATURE IN ODD VOLUMES.
Miss Celie Gaines "MemOry Pic
ture Music and ElOcution--
Interesting Minor Events.

Especially written for the Jersey city Ne,cs)
1t isn't polite to say that there is an cpl
demic of luncheon clubs in Jersey City al
the present day. Epidemic means illness
and illness suggests indigestion. and oh
dear, no, we wouldn't for the world in
sinuate that indigestion and luncheon
clubs ought to be mentioned in the same
column. For in the majority OF cases
the members are the cooks. Now and
then you will find club timid enough to
engage a caterer, or call on someone's
professional cook, but in the generality
of cases the maidens unfncblngly con:
struct their own dainties, and as unfinch
ingly consume them. @
1t seems second nature for newspaper
woman to speak all manner of evil con-
cerniDg cooking CLUBS. Perhaps 1t is
from envy. perhaps from too much read
Ing the papers, where the humorous
writer airs his views on the digestibliltY
of amateur biscuit and the durability OF
amateur pie.-perhaps she has allowed
his inSinuatiou to sink deep into her
mind, until it is hard work for her to be-
lieve that amateur cooks can concoct any
thing tit to eat. AT any rate, whether
for one reason OF another, the newspaper
scorn at the luncheon club, and writes 1T
Cd in articles remarkable for sarcasm
aud yelled iunuendo. And so the writer
wishes right here TO disavow all
intentions OF this sort. A luncheon club.
and above all, Jersey City luncheon
club, is an organization TO be respected.
Because, forsooth, an earthly-minded
space writer chooses to laugh ut non-pro-
fessional cooking is no reason why 1t
should not be eaIable. The paragrapher
was abroad in the land sixty years ago,
aud launched his merry jesls about ANA
teur biscuit and pie with just as much
glee as now, and yet, what married man
will deny that his mother could cook?
CULINARY MAGNANIMITY.
And our Jersey City clubs are magnani-
nous, too. The reporters who malign,
their aesthetic girl friends who comm1ser-
ale, their masculine adorers who make
the same, still the same wearied, wornout
Jokes about their culinary powers-upon
II of these the clubs might take terri
bic revenge. They might-yes. they
might invite them to lunch! But they
magnauimously refrain. and in secret
and alone they hold their culinary revels,
preferring to visit vengeance en- the heads
Of not one single invited guest. For all
these reasons. and many more. Jersey
City luncheon clubs are worthy of the
deep4s st admiration. respect and awe.
First in poiut OF years comes The Senior
Luncheon Club, organized several sea-
sons since, exactly how many the writer
mas for the moment forgotten, but
enough SO that nearly everyone has
changed her name and title since its for
nation. By this time the mbers must
be ed of hearing their club called ''the
pioneer in the luncheon field" for which
reason l refrain, particularly as luncheon
clubs are by no means original with Jer-
sew City, and the members do not claim
the honor OF inventing the practice. The
society, which, it is needless to say, in-
cludes some of our most charming mat
rons aud maids. holds its meetings at
the residences of the members in turu,
discusses an excellent menu, seasoned
VI ith bright conversation, and sweetened
by little music, perhaps in the drawing
room, just after coffee. The membership
includes Mrs. William H. Mattocks, Mrs.
Avery w. Ready, Mrs. William H. Chi
dester, Jr., Mrs. j. Howard Bumstead.
Sr.. Mrs. George Wilkinson, Mrs. j. Will
liam McKeIvey, Mrs Richard Esterbrook,
third; Miss Elizabeth Perkins, Miss
Maude Brett and Miss Minnie Bum
stead.
NEEDS NO DIS TINCTION.
Next comes the organization which,
either from simplicity or self7satisfac-
ton, is content to be called only "Tne
Luncheon Club" Indeed, there is no
necessity for II distinctive name, for every
girl with any experience in our society, or
surely every young man, is in no danger
of confusing this with any other club Or
forgetting it entirely. How could anyone
for an instant forget maideus as pretty.
as clever and as good at entertaining us