The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-16

I'M with that first time a woman
M reads a paper or makes a
w speech in pubic. Though she
~ " may have the eloquence OF
Hypat!a and the self-confidence
or Mary Ellen Lease. she Is doomed on
that debu. 10 torture which, If known TO
Dante. would have inspired him TO establish
an extra purgatorial circle. Unfortunately
neither Beatrice nor Mrs. Dante had any
experience with womens clubs or societies.
and so Dante never heard OF club stage
fright. and It has lost deserved immortal
odium.
thousands OF women. with the autumn
opening % the season. would like to belong
10 the great club sisterhood. but hesitate 10
enroll themselves in It's ranks because OF the
dreaded paper or speech. Women who on
ordinary occasions might be strongly sus-
pected OF an intimate acquaintance with the
the awesome presence OF the club president.
Cub stage fr.sht IS different from airy
other sort. Ladies' who have given serious
lectures without a tremor tremble and are
dumb In the less formal atmosphere OF the
club, because they know that It Is always
ones friends who are most critical. A dozen
entbarra ssfnentS distress "A club speaker
She wonders II her hat IS on straight, II her
hairpins are In place. 81 her new gown IS
quite handsome enough. IL il is too rich for
tho occasion. II II hangs well or If Il IS in
the fashion. she Is positive every other wo-
man In ths club is com pairing the paper
with an individual and superior effort The
victim is bewildered over the pronunciation
Of the unusual words and stumbes and
suffers over them and finally even mis-
takes the ones with which che is perfectly
familiar. In her confusion she speaks much
lower than she has any .dea OF. and all over
The clubroom are heard harassing calls OF
Louder. louder"
People comment on what she saws or
reads in subJued tones. Unable 20 make out
whether the remarks are favorable or un-
favoraoie, the unaccnSto'ned one loses her
place. and while the club sits silently walt
ing for her 10 resume sneshlusteS and shiv-
ers with Modification. There ie always
some misguided member OF the club who
wants TO ask questions during the progress
o. the paper. This lady has attained a rep
utation for being well informed and Of good
judgment owing 70 ner quizzical propensi-
'ie.. The reputation is probably unrneritcd
"a Il fs considerably easier 70 ask questions
than 10 answer them. The feminine So
crates. however. with her miserable mania
for information. entanxes the unaccu$-
toned speaker In SO many hlunders and adj
missions Of ignorance mat she IS sometimes
panic stricken and retires from III. plat
form. TIE paper read. the club in general
takes Up the discussion or, more properly
perhaps. the dissection. OF the effort.
After this operation no inexperienced VIC
man with the spirit OF q kitten ever thinks
she can read paper or make a speech IN
plshllc again. She goes home with head
ache and tearfuliy seeks t1e sympathy %
n unapprecsat.Ve family. as 4 rue inclined
n rake sport 81 her suefer,ugs as an orator.
Now ard then she compares mates with
some other c}uDwomau not vet lost "a q I
sense ~ stage ff1k1t, ana tHe tSro Us COM
focted 10 learn that her experience has been
duplicated by that o. some one else. II she
mas gri, and IL not TOO sensitive, after this
she goes on writing club. papers or making
~ll.t. speeches ard gradually becomes 20
hardened that she can talk straight ahead
without notes
Many women graduate from church So
cietfes ard missionary bands into the liter
ary or palanthroplc organizations. Now
- tnsr nr@ makes Ser debut agaIrast her
better Judgment, bar no: often doe. she 10
80 against her will A well known author
ass recently had her first e1perit nee Of stage
fright ne result OF 4 100 great wiling
ress 10 otiige one 81 her friends. The liter
2Ty LADY lives IN a large western city and
q yuuag and pretty enough 10 be popular
n society. Her literary efforts have been
he amusement o. leisure hours or were
turned out 10 satisfy The demands Of long.