The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
Women's Club Politics.

Spectator" in the Outlook.
Just there. when the Spectator was ap-
plying the idea to our educational system,
and mapping out what he would write upon
the reckless experimenting going on in the
mental laboratories of the young, the tran
QUILTING motion of the car was stopped,
and three middle-aged women came bust
ling in-talking, as they came, in over
strained but cultivated voices, a discussion
evidently that had not been at all inter-
rupted by their taking the car. They We're
very much in earnest and so absorbed as to
be totally unconscious of the meekeSt of
Spectators in the corner, who, fully aware
that indiscriminate additions We're likely to
be precipitated into his intellectual chem
istry and that possibly he might lose a
high ideal, opened his newspaper, but all
for naught. He noted that they were we'll
dressed, not over-dressed women-ladies, in
fact, of intelligence and culture. They were
not out on a shopping expedition; it was
something more than the fashion of gown
from slips. drawn from their gloves.
When each paid her fare, with
out making the slightest insist
ence on paying that of the whole party as
well, the Spectator remembered that he had
heard Mrs. Spectator say that that was one
of the sure marks of a club woman, that
they never fused about car fares but each
paid her own in a business-like way. The
Spectator. in covert glances at the group,
discovered that one of them carried Rob
erts Rules, and ANOTHER what looked like
a Secretary's book. Tie impatient consulta-
ton of watches, and the spirited discussion
as to whether they were on time or not. and
what would be the consequences if they
were late, and what they must not forget
to lay before committee-ther glib use Of
parliamentary phrases their familiarity
with methods for fractions maneuvering,
the boomerangs for preventing and closing
debate-Inade it exceedingly difficult for the
Spectator to concentrate his attention upon
the last amendment of the arbitration bill.
That those lovely women were out on the
warpath was plain as could be-and that
their tomahawks were sharp and keen, and
would be swung by experts
Again the car stopped, and another
woman came in. bringing with her the fra
GRANGE of roses. She carried what was
plainly florists box The trio gave. her
seat beside them The contents of her box
were peeped at and shifted at ecstatically-
they were so glad somebody had remem-
bered to take fiowers-and such beauties.
and so many. The babel of voice was now
supplemented by clearer, firmer, more
controlling voice, one that was to the Spec
tator unifying note and yet he could see
that she was holding her own against them
all; that she belonged to another faction:
was nominee for election that morning
and confident of election, too CLEAN of
her eyes occasionally betrayed. But there
was no open antagonism, and the Spectator
was comparing the scene with what such
a meeting of politicians of the opposite sex
might have been, when he received the
shock which came as a finale to the ep-
isolde.
The car had stopped before the large
handsome building known as the Woman's
Clubhouse, second to none of the many
buildings of the kind in the country. The
crowd OF women al its portals that morning
Indicated that something unusual was going
on. Federation OF clubs" was conspicuous
on the Vestibule bulletin. At the STOPPING
OF the car the trio permitted Number -Four
70 precede them IN alghtng. tagging be-
hind until she was out Of hearing Then ii
was that the Spectator caught what per-
meated his intellectual chemistry like a
~'ss-" Scratch her, Scratch heri She's
ire pulling. don't you see, with her box
of American beauties2" If she is elected
remember we boltl Let it be known at