The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-05

with che classes. Not the least interest
ing of the latter is the class in journal
ism, taught by Miss Lucy Legget, which
was very successful, she naively says,
SO long as she could keep it from de-
generating into mere class in English
composition. The Delsarte class also
has dancing lessons, and the parlors are
used for that purpose. Mrs. Eleanor
Matlock, who has been the society's
agent for soliciting contributions, says:
1--WE are neutral in politics and reli.
gion, and Washington women are not
very much excited about the suffrage
anyhow, for the men cannot vote here,
and so we are all on an equality. As to
money, we have but a scanty revenue
from the rent and dues of the members,
but we need much more, because there
is so much more that we ought to do.
Let the ladies of the country know that
when they come to Washington they
will be warmly welcomed here and can
use our parlors to make up their little
parties for shopping and sightseeing.
This is a general purpose society and
deals with everything that will help
women, from high art to dressmaking. ?"
1t Thinks Ahead of Time.
The Isabella association was named,
studies in Spanish history and literature
by way of preparation for the Worlds
fair. 1t had a hotel at Chicago during
the fair, and its original intention was
to take very active part, but when the
board of lady managers was provided
for this association retired from that
field. 1t had, however, already raised
the money and ordered a statue of Isa-
bella, made by Harriet Hosmer. This
was not completed in time for Chicago,
but was sent to California for exhibition
at the Midwinter fair. One of the prin-
cipal promoters was Mrs. Lucia e.
BlOunt, who, when the occasion for ex-
alting Isabella was passed, organized the
Pro Re Nata club. Her husband, Mr..
Henry Blount, is a man of great wealth,
and the meetings of this club are usu-
ally held at their country residence, a
famous old place known as 1.-THE Oaks, +"
on the heights beyond Georgetown.
The name of this club is a puzzle.
We know what pro re nata means in
Latin and the law phrase and have a
cloudy kind of notion what it means in
theology, for it is one of the nicl1names
applied to an ofshoot of the old Cove
nanters which found Scotch predesti-
narianism entirely too mild, and by
picking out the strongest phrases from
that and the tenets of the synod of bort
succeeded in framing a confession
which Outhypers the hyper-Calvinists
But what does pro re nata mean in a
ladies' club? Miss Emma Gillette says
it means ''for the nature of things, .
but one Of the ladies of the club says
they understand it to mean thinking
ahead of our time" 1 suppose, there
fore, the object of the club is to investi-
gate matters too far advanced for popu-
lar discussion.
The Travel Club.
am confirmed in this view by the
fact that one of the most active mem
bers is DR.. Ella S. Marble who has had
the management of ladies' gymnastic
club and is an advocate of many re-
forms in that line. OF quite different
sort is the Travel club, which was organ
lied and is to a great extent managed
by Mrs. Mary A. Lockwood, at whose
house number of very bright women
meet every second Monday. Still an
other is the Short Story club, of which
Mrs. lausanne CrandalI is president
Its object is to encourage and bring out
young writers, and as matter of course
it has to wade through fearful mass of
'tguf'' and listen to some very tedious
productions, but by all accounts it
brought out some very fair writer's
Mrs. Mary E. Griffith is president of
the local w. @. t. u, which is unusu-
ally active at present and contains some
of the brightest women in Washington
They are particularly well posted ON the
law, and the least hint in congress of
any change brings them down on the
committee with a force that cannot be
resisted They know every weak point
in the saloon keepers legal defense and
have lately won some notable victories
The Legion of Loyal Women, of
which Mrs Ruth E. Blasland was presi-
dent till she left the city a few days
ago, numbers 400 members. The Wom-
ems Press club is also spoken of as -four
ishing, but here, as elsewhere the hard
est workers on the papers do not belong
to it Mrs. Belva A Lockwood is presi-
dent of the Washington branch of the
Peace and Arbitration society, and the
only American woman of the Bern
Peace association She is one of the five
who constitute the American peace bu-
reau- These are but few of very many
women's organizations here, for if one
should mention all the societies for art,
religion, charity and general culture
the mere names yuOuld Ynaka a todior7G