Arizona republican., 1899-08-31
DIVORCED MEMS CLUB
Unique Institution Recently Formed
in d San Francisco Suburb.

The world is running to clubs. Men
and women are enrolling themselves in
all sorts of uggregations for all sorts
Of purposes. If anything, women have
the club habit worse than men, At
first thsic clubs were purely literary
and social. "a kind of evolution fran
The old fashioned sewing circle. Now
they include industrial, political, e.fu-
oaticnal, commercial and athletic rIr-
poses. There are young girls clubs,
married wCmen's clubs and spinsters'
Clubs, just as there are young men' S
clubs, married mems clubs and Old
bachelors clubs. The spirit of the
combine IS over them all.
1t has remained fer Alameda, the
fashionable suburb OF San Francisco,
to organize the most unique CT all
clubs. the Divorced Mems club. There
are many clubs of young men VINO
have resolved never to marry, and Of
young women actuated by the same he
role purpose, and there are Clubs which
are maintained principally as places of
so1ace for these who are married and
have net sufficient courage to break
..he tie which binds The Alameda
club is composed entirely of thise who
have found marriage a failure, and
have succeeded in getting cut of it.
The stories told by these victims are
pathetic. The president of the club IS
fond Of smoking, his wife was not. The
outcome was a quarrel and separation.
Another member was divorced because
his wife made his life a burden by
constantly reminding him she paid the
expenses CT the bridal trip. Another
,fJ,7 int 1rrO1s
his wife, who brought SUIT for divorce
en- the, ground of cruelty, consisting OF
his making y chatter among some TN
pans one night in the cellar, which led
her to. .jhink he was q burglar.
The secretary of the club, who has
been through the divorce mill several
times, says that the members hold reg
uIar meetings, and their first business
is to congratulate one another and
then exult in their freedom, much al
er the manner OF the prisoners in
'.Fidellto'' when they were led out 10
enjoy the air and sunlight. They also
profoundly sympathize with those who
are married, feeling themselves
qualified tc do so by long and ardu0uS
experiences. Besides these. joyful fea-
lures Of their meetings, they have act
ed upon the lines of Punch's advice to
tnOS6 COntSulII2u nS maIT1mOQJ.
Don't" They have set up a sort OF
bureau CT information, and are always
ready to furnish their narrowing ex-
periences to the uninitiated and i'm
press upon them the. dangers that lurk
in IlI3trimcny. The secretary says:
Our club is doing great deal of good.
We prevent men from allowing love
- get the better of their judgment.
We have saved a number of good fell
lows from misery, and the good work
is rapidly spread ng."
The divorce mills throughout the
country are turning out plenty CT can
d.dates for divorce clubs, and it may
be that they will spread and become
popular. But it must not be expected
they will be confined 10 men. Women
are shrewdly initiative, and as there
are just as many divorced women IS
men, 1t win net be long before they
wiz have their club. Then We shall
hear the other side CT the question, and
it viii net lack in. interest-Chicago
Tribune.