The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-13
STETSON RECEPTION.
Stedman Club Receives With
DR.. and Mrs. ROby,
Complimentary to Mrs. Char
lOtte Perkins StetsOn.
Society Notes Of Interest in Topeka
and Vicinity.


dozen men.
The speaker was a remarkably mod
est appearing little body, too, totally
unlike the average conservative WO-
mans idea of the new woman"
While free from dindence, her man
ner has no arrogance, and indeed none
of the mannishness it is so often ar
gued that women much in the public
eye must sooner or later assume.
On the contrary, one would be strong
Iy inclined to speak of her as modest,
using the term Of course in its compH-
mentary sense, instead OF the mean
ing intended to be conveyed by the
fair speaker herself when she continued
her remark by saying; we nave no
right to be modest. We must do our
part of the worlds work and accept our
share Of its responsibilities, and the
mOdesty we often plead is only pretty
name for a good deal of lazlness and
q whole lot of cOWardlce"
And at least one woman in the as
mblage, who knows that courage is
necessary to do battle for ones daily
bread, and that such bravery is too
often set down by the narrow as inn
modest wanted to embrace Mrs. Char
lotte Perkins StetsOn then and there
But she didn't and Mrs. StetsOn talked
on, charming her listeners one and all,
till the sigh of regret was general when
she stopped. The occasion was that Of
2. reception rendered by DR.. and Mrs.
H. w. Roby and the other members
of the Stedman club to the other lit
erary clubs Of Topeka to meet Mrs.
StetsOn-
no those who were not fortunate
enough to attend it is hard to describe
DR. and Mrs Roby's beautiful SUI
burban home is just the place for
semi-OutdOOr reception.
The house was filed with the fra
GRANGE of the June blossoms. The YER
anda was made picturesque with nu-
merous rugs and cushions, and the
spacious lawn was occupied by camp
chairs. Ladies of the club assisted IN
greeting and seating arrivals.
While the company was gathering
Mrs. Stetson was introduced to many
Mr.. N. p. Garrettson. president of the
Stedman club, introduced Mrs StetsOn
in G. graceful speech to her audience.
An improvised platform had been COW
cred with rugs and at one side of it
sat an immense tub of daisies.
Mrs. StetsOn spoke from this slight
/ eminence for half an hour on the uses
and beauties of club life for women.
BY way of ~elude she read one of her
own poems, THE Holy Stone, in which
/ she represents the home as a temple,
/ the cookst0ve as the altar. and woman
4 the stomach.
Mrs Stetson said: II once heard
/ Edward Everett Hale say that women
! had more cause to complain of being
kept apart, of being separated, of be- ia
J ing SO much alone than Of anything
'.This is a difficulty obviated by
clubs.
-Club women learn more than to
improve the mind; they learn to love
each other.
1T is every woman's duty to be the
noblest, wisest strongest citizen she
can be-
.Of course it is her duty to be wife
as it is a mans duty to be husband;
a mother as it is mans to be a father.
1.-THE club teaches women the beauty
IF -I-fr D. 20 1rrta ne
which all must understand in order to
be citizens of America.
1T teaches them to get along to-
gether and to forget that ignOble cow
ardly modesty under guise OF which we
fain would shirk Hfe's possibilities"
Mrs StetsOn asked how many clubs
there are in Topeka, and advised for
them city. state and national federation,
saying, fit is beautiful to watch the
capitalization, only it is better, it is or
She spoke of and commended the
study club. because it is the first step
to all club work. and one which even
the most conservative is not afraid Of,
but made prominent the importance of
women being interested in civic and
municipal affairs.
She said, "The world of which we
! speak thus-'Out i'm the world is sim
ply a part of the world into which we
are born and can't avoid bein in. The
people in it are like you and me, unless
/ perhaps we leave them too much alone
and it is not good for them to be alone
you know we frequently credit men
with all the worlds wiclzedness-
Did you ever think how it would be
/ if mothers and daughters and sisters
/ did not leave them so much alone2 If
+ they went along with them, side by
/ side, instead Of being smut up in a box
I by themselves, it would not be possible
I for these men to be so wicked They
would not dare"
Mrs. Stetson's manner of talking is
most captivating She stood there, a
+ slender body attired in an empire
/ gown of black china silk, with ample
( sleeves and a quakeress bertha of
( white dotted net. The contour Of her
/ head suggests one of the madOnnas of
+ a famous painter, and her plain Golf
] fure emphasizes the resemblance.
Piercing black eyes and dark hair
with strong regular features and
smile which comes and seems always
! going, but never goes, are what Topeka
/ women noted as the woman lecturer
talked to them
Her humor is entertaining and her
7 satire is as keen as the surgeons knife
IN watching its progress one almost
/ forgets that it can hurt
I Mrs. Stetson read two of her own
+ poems as she talked and closed with a
E short one entitled, She Who is to
! Come" but to which she referred as
/ the new woman 1t is as follows
i "A woman in so far as she beholdeth
I Her one BelOved's face;
! A mother with a great heart which en-
foldeth
The children Of the race;
"A body. free and strong with that high
beauty,
That comes Of perfect use is built
thereof,
( A mind where reason ruleth over Duty
And Justice reigns with Love.
/ A self poised royal soul, brave wise
and tender
No longer blind and dumb,
4 "A human being of an unknown splen-
dor
Is she who is to come
After the lecture MIR. GarrettsOn an
! nOunced that Mrs. StetsOn is a niece of
! L---r-.an Raanna- and q -aLatl--a ~ L.