The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-11-10
WOMEN and BIRDS
Woman's Alliance Discussed
Audubon Society in Uni
versalist Church This
Morning.
CLEvER
Poetry and Reason Brought
: to Bear on the Preservation
Of Feathered Songsters.

Of Feathered Songsters.
1t was an excellent audience which gath
cred this morning in the First Universalist
Church. The occasion was the first yearly
meeting of Woman's Alliance Of the
Metropolitan District. The meeting opened
with singing by the audience and devo-
tional exercises led by Mrs. Q l.. Scud-
der.
Mrs. E. T. Sherman, of New York, pres
ident of the Alliance. ave a few words
of welcome, in which she said the soeiesy
| had much cause to be encouraged in the
large increase of members during the past
year, and passed on to the Secretary's re-
| port. which set forth an account OF the
various meetings held during the year.
| The Treasurer then made a very favora-
BILE report, showing a balance on hand OF
Sl4s.&. Mrs. A. J. Newbury reported as
corresponding secretary. extending the re-
signatson of Mrs. John Brandt as record
ing secretary. and Miss Abrams was APP
pointed to fill the unexpired term.
Mrs. Abrams read an interesting ape
on current events, giving a number of
statistics of the various happenings OF
note during the year both in America and
abroad. In speaking of the wal between
England and the Beers, she said
if it takes years to do it."
! If 1t takes years to do it,
The speaker then passed on to the
various inventions; the air ship and the
wireless telegraph now in course of in
vention and ended with the recent cleo
tion.
Mrs. Charles Vail read a paper on
Religious News" speaking Of all the
events of note, not only in Uniyersaiism,
but in other denominations.
Mrs. George r. Hough sang a solo most
charmingly, and Mrs. A.. j. Newbury was
introduced as chairman OF the day She
gave an Introductory talk on the subject,
Audubon, saying that at the time this
date was set apart for Audubon, Dame
Fashion had not decreed that birds and
| feathers should be the style for the win
ter.
Mrs. Newbury then gave a short sketch
of the origin of the Audubon Society.
AT the conclusion of this paper Mrs.
Newbury read a beautiful letter from Mrs.
| Cynthia westover Alden, who was unable
to be present. Miss Ada d. Fuller, who
represented the Audubon Society in this
city. was then introduced and made a
strong plea for the little feathered bipeds.
She was no naturalist, she said. simply
a lover of birds and then continued
Last Sunday morning said the
speaker, when we entered this church.
we were welcomed by a pretty swallow,
who insisted upon remaining throughout
the service, although means of escape
were offered him. He circled above our
heads and seemed to say to the women of
our congregation:-sSay a good word for
me at the Alliance on Friday. In the
great world outside you might not heed
me. have come here today, lest you
forget Ii. Plead for me- 1 wish that VI
could nave another visit from him today,
that he might speak for himself. l am
sure we would not forget our duty to all
the feathered tribe.
."To the man or woman who looks upon
a bird as merely "a feathered biped,'
these figures may seem somewhat abb
surd and exaggerated; they are, however,
given on the best authority, and to my
mind this is a case where the story is
best told by figures.
Unfortunately for the cause of the Au-
| Of people, who, in the matter Of wearing
DlTQS OF lHGlT lGdtlclSt IESCAAbiI t4dS ON0
man In Maine, who said, Yes, he be-
lieved in the Prohibition law, but was
agin' it's enforcement And many anus
ing stories are told about the way some
women try to hush their c~onsciences, and
still cater to their vanity.
'sMilliners differ as to the increase or
decrease of bird wearing; one of
these makers of hats recently
stated that, in her opinion, all
this talk had but directed attention to the
birds, and the demand was greater than
ever for them. But that all do not agree
with her is shown by the action Of a mil
liner In New York, who not only refuses
| to sell or use birds, but puts a printed
plea for our little brothers with wings
In every hat box she sends out. The GUS
toner Is also told that the aigrette is ma
ture's nuptlal ornament for the white
heron, n the birds must be captured at
breeding season to get these feathers.
| This woman adds:-'I feel most strongly
on his subject and have little difficulty in
| convincing women that other garnitufes
are fully as becoming and much more
merciful.' Which mdlliner is the better
| student Of human nature think you?
II don't remember who it was said a
mans heart and conscience can be moved
Just so long as you leave his po~cketbook
alone, but I was reminded of 1t when one
sweet faced woman, whose heart was
softened by listening to the tale of the
horrible suffering caused in gathering
| these flowing ornaments, looked up, and
said:-T never mean to buy another hat
so trimmed. but do you think 1t will do
much harm If / wear out those 1 already
have?' No, not to the birds surely, but
following the old adage example Is better
than precept,' what reply could be made?
In bird Lore for October, Mrs. Mabel
Osgood Wright speaks of the difficulty en-
countered in telling which feathers are
permitted and which wrong, until this
writer suggests the only really safe way
to settle the problem is for each Audubon
lite to become a total abstainer' and
then, like Hamlet, she need not to know
a hawk from a handsaw.'
Somebody once said why made we SO
much fuss about birds, a few more or less
can make but little difference in the world.
But, unfortunately, 1t is not just a few.
It has within the last two or three years
amounted to millions, and there has been
a great deal more than less in this