The record-union., 1893-09-13
MBN OF TEE CLUB.
Be8eIena Finds Out Why They Do
Not Marry.
She Says No Sensible Woman Wants
Club Man for
Husband.

and We OF the weaker sex Were doing
nothing. We had been talking on differ
ent subjects, but now silence had fallen
over US. It must have been the witchery
OF the night that tied our tongues and
held us by its magic spell. The moon
shone forth in silyery splendor from a
cloudless sky. Each star seemed trying
to outdo its neighbor in its twinkling
brilliancy, and a cool breeze had sprung
up which was very refreshing after the
heat of the day.
Presently the silence was broken by the
youngest man making the startling an
nouncement that he wanted to get mar
ried. If we did not understand him SO
thoroughly we might have been sur
prised, but we knew that for the past ten
years to become happy Benedict had
been the sole end, aim and am bition ol
his life.
THAT is a very creditable ambition GER
tainly," quoth the oldest member in his
deepest bass, knocking the ashes off his
cigar, "but why not do the deed? Why
think of it and not attemrs it? Why
keep your friends in this suspensc?"
The oldest memb Der was growing satir-
ical. We gazed at him reproachfully.
II can't find anyone to have me-" ad-
United the youngest member with the
csndor born of despair Il don't know
OF any life more conducive to happiness
than for young man TO have home oi
his own, and to have a wife to share his
joys and sorrows, but the girls won't have
me, for some unaccOuntable reasOn.'
An audible murmur OF sympathy went
up from one side of the house. The men
were silent. "Pve given the matter con-
siderable attention." quoth the man " he
had not spoken yet, ''and in my opinion
the reason you do not succeed in getting
a wife is because you are too much of a
club man,
TOO much of a club man?' we all
chorused. How can a mans club pre-
vent him from marrying?"
well, it's this way: When a man be-
gins calling on young lady and tells her
he belongs to a club it doesn't make
much difference, but after a while when
ha gets her interested and tells her when
he's married he doesn't intend to give up
his club, the young lady is apt to give
him up"
The youngest member looked guilty in
the moonlight.
''Is this true?" 1 asked. The youngest
member had always been a great favorite
of mine and, as | am a great advocate OF
marriage, L wanted to see him properly
mated and set up on the high road to
marital bliss. He admitted the truth OF
his friends assertion, and only said by
way of apology that the girl should be
warned beforehand. Even admitting
the truth Of this candor, still the young
est member was wrong, entirely so, and
must be shown the error Of his ways at
once.
You do not want to be married and
you never can be married while you
make such speeches to the young ladies
whom you visit. There is not one girl
in 10000 who will marry a man who goes
to the club after she once has a life part
nership with him. Why, it is the most
selfish thing l ever heard Of in my life"
/ was beginning to warm up to the sub
ject, and, fixing my eye upon The young
est, l asked in my sterncst tones, "What
would your poor wife be doing the nights
you were at the club? Answer me that,
sirr'
Heart hear y came from the listeners
at that point. The youngest began to
grow uneasy, and answered vaguely:
"Er-er-well. you see she'd be able to
amuse herself while l was away with her
books and music and all that, you know.
She wouldn't want me around all the
time"
Was ever such ignorance displayed be-
fore OF the ways of women? The only
opening in the dense fog that surrounded
him was one not of his own making, and
that was his age. Fortunately for him
self and wife IF he ever gets one) he was
the youngest member.
Now, see here, young man." l said in
my most impressive style. Pm going
TO give you few words Of advice. You
haven't a mother or a sister to do it for
you, and as l have got your interest at
heart, Pll do it, you know. l am going
to say it because l have known you so
long that feel confident that you will
not take otiense. My advice is this:
Either give up your beloved club or else
give up all ideas of matrimony. AS l
said before, there isn't one woman in ten
thousand and one in a hundred thousand
who will willingly allow her husband to
go out two or three nights in the week to
go to the club. Most women find it hard
enough to have their husbands away all
day at business without having them of
at night to some club or social gathering
where women are excluded. a woman
of spirit won't stand this kind Of thing
very long, let me tell you, and she's very
apt to raise a goOd-sized objection. Books
and music don't compensate for the alb
Sence of the man you love, and l believe
love is popularity supposed to be the
foundation stone Of marriage. OF course.
il there's no love, why the case
wears a different aspect, but we
are not considering such cases, II
! were married to q man who preferred
his club TO my society, ! would
either leave him or else l would organize
a club exclusively for women that would
meet every night, and I would be so
secret and so mysterious and so important
about my club that in the end my hus-
band would stay at home from his club
just to keep me from mine. Men are un-
Questionably selfish about some things.
and club life Is one of them. Just as long
as he can go out to his club in the even
ing and rest secure in the knowledge that
his wife is safely at home he does not
give her another thought, but thinks only
of the good times he Is going TO have with
the boys. But when the wife begins gO-
ing out at night, too, then, all, then, the
lord OF the manor raises a growl Of pro-
testation loud, deep and long; then, when
the grumbling and threats have ceased to
be availing, then he bethinks himself
that his wife means business, and that il
be wants any domestic happiness he
must give up his cherished club. 1t costs
him an effort, but he makes it heroically,
and when the wife finds the husband is
willing to stay at home evenings she is
only too willing to follow suit"
Then l paused for want of breath. i
was not used to making long speeches.
The Oldest member looked at me approx
ingly, and said: 'Why, Bess, You are
quite o good after-dinner talker; but
don't you think your address savored
somewhat of woman's rights?"
Before L could reply the y youngest mem
ber spoke up:
''She is right, quite right, il all she
said, and l intend TO take it all to heart