The Topeka state journal., 1899-03-28
HOW SMITH SHOCKED A
WOMAN'S CLUB.
TFrom the New York sun.1

F. HOpkinSOn Smith had an exper-
ience with woman'S club in Minneap-
oils, which the women, at least have
not forgotten. Mr.. Smith was then
doing a circuit of original readings
throughout the west Club women dear
ly love to hear lion roar, be it never
so gently, so the painter Writer-engin-
eer-reader was compelled to breast a
tide of invitations which assailed him
as he advanced from date to date. Be
ing exceedingly good natured and gall
liant, Mr.. Smith accepted as many of
these invitations as he possibly could.
AT Minneapolis he was scheduled for an
afternoon talk to a prominent woman's
club, the talk to be followed by the in
evitable reception. One of the shining
lights of the local Women's Christian
Temperance union had offered her house
for the mOmentous occasion, and when
the hour set for the roaring arrived the
drawing room was crowded. Minneap-
oils had gathered there her beauty, or
a good deal of it. Unlike the affair of
Belgian's capital, in this case the chiv-
airy was absent. In other words, as
was an exclusively feminine affair.
With the exception, naturally, of Mr..
Smith himself He arrived just as the
drawing room became so crowded that
the late corners were being seated by
the wide doorway opening from the hall
to the main apartment. 1t was a cold
day; day which struck a chill to the
marrow of Mr.. Smith, who was bred in
old Virginia, or some place as far south
of the Minnesotan belt as that good old
state is. The w. c. T. U. hostess hap
pened to be engaged at the moment of
the distinguished guests arrival, so he
was received by the married daughter
of the house, who had been trained in
the precepts of her mother. She well
coined Mr.. Smith cordially, stood by
while he removed his greatcoat, and ad-
mitted that it was a cold day, although
she reminded him that it was likely to
be cold at that time of year. Mr.. Smith
admitted this in his turn, but empha-
sized his previous remark by one of
,foI, oil taI,
at the crown of the head, travel Visibly
downward to the soles of the feet, shak-
ing one by successive sections on the
way.
Have you any whisky in the house?"
asked Mr.. Smith in clear, unmistaka-
BILE tones, which smote upon the ears
of the women by the doorway, Travelled
from tympanum to tympanuIn in the
drawing room, and met another set of
the same vibrations which had come
around by the other door and had in
formed everybody in that direction that
Mr.. Smith was asking for whisky.
Every woman present held her breath
to hear what the answer would be. The
W. c. T. U. daughter looked wildly
about her for her mother, but that lady
seeing somebody on the tele-
phone or was otherwise occupied. So
the daughter spared a little.
"Oh, Mr.. Smith, she said, "are you
mot a bit. Not a bitr' exclaimed
that gentleman reassuringly, all uncon-
scious of the gravity of the situation.
Never felt better in my life! But it's
so cold got thoroughly chilled
The daughter looked wildly once more
for the approach of her mother, but no
help was in sight. so, heroically assum-
ing all responsibility, she said with
much emphasis:
''Yes, these sudden attacks are alarm
ing. Come with me-"
With these words she led Mr.. Smith
to the dining room, where she produced
a key from the hidden recesses of a
drawer and with this she unlocked a
small cabinet on the wall From
among certain medicine bottles and
other articles the daughter drew a
small vial, poured out teaspoonful of
whisky and gravely offered it to the ex-
pectant visitor. Although somewhat
daZed, Mr.. Smith managed to take the
teaspoon, and observing that the lady
was watching him expectantly he swal-
lowed the whisky. The daughter re-
ceiVed back the spoon with the same
gravity, replaced the bottle in the cab
met, turned the key in the lock and re-
stored it to its hiding place.
But that wasn't the end of the mat
ter by any means. The talk which
all women's clubs expect from their
guests was in this instance brief. but
very much to the point. The speaker
was to have talked on art, according to
the request of the ladies, but he soon
wandered from that topic to the sub
ject of womens clubs. Briefly, his SEN
timents appeared to be that women's
the incest women didn't pine to join
them. and that as far as he knew neith-
the women themselves nor the world
outside was any the better for them.
Then he announced that personally he
didn't like to see a woman doing any
thing outside of her home and her
church and society. He said that he
was born in the south and that south
ern men were proud to take care of the
women of their families. They did not
approve of a woman going outside of
her home. And he concluded his talk
by saying that woman's place was
with her foot on the rocker of the era
die.
The reception followed the talk, as
had been promised, and most of the wo-
men shook hands with Mr.. Smith and
laughed and joked about his remarks.
But he had fired a bOmhshell and
echoes are to heard from it to this very
day. That afternoon there was an ON
inouS murmur of voices from the
groups which formed in the corners.
HE says a woman ought not to be
out in the world, but in her own home"
said a teacher who has no relatives ex-
cept those she helps to support. She
added wistfully: apparently fate
doesn't know about Mr.. Smiths ought
not
Nor about the duty of women to be
taken care of by men of their family"
said a cashier, whose nearest male rel
ative was an old grandfather whose
last years she was making comfortable.
My husband" said young doctors
wife, would turn me out of the nurse
ry if I rocked the baby in cradle. Ba-
bies are not rocked nowadays"
''Wen,'' said one of the good women
present, Il wouldn't take it too serious
ly He probably didn't mean half he
said. You know about his having
whisky just before he talked? My dear,
he doesn't know what he did say. A
man isn't himself when he's in liquor"
Grain Letter.
Furnished by ]. c. Goings. Commission
Merchant. 112 East 5th st. Topeka, Kan,
receiver and shipper OF grain
Chicago, March 2S
WHEAT-Wheat ruled easy, selling off
to putt price and toward the close get
ting its chief support from holders OF those