The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-21
WOMAN'S
WORLD.

s0sckbaIler il. its ranks. What Jack the
Ripoer and Jack the Sasher have been to
the general public, the blackballer has
been to this club. The trouble, says the
New York Sun, cropped out for the first
time last spring. Before that the club
mad gone it's way, with nothing more
,ventful than an election of members or
officers to disturb it's placid existence.
Members were proposed and voted upon
III strict accordance with parliamentary
rules. The club had acquired those rules
att the expense of much cellular tissue ami
SIS paid to a lecturer guaranteed TO be
.Af able of instructing any woman about
Roberts rules in twelve treatments; so
of course, the election of members and of
ticers was a solemn function; but it had
never given rise to strife. The club con-
stituted a happy family; and if any mem
Der wanted to bring a friend into the
home the sisters held out the right hand
of fellowship TO her without question, on
~ stipulating that her visit should be in
accordance with parliamentary law.
Black balls were provided at all cleo
lions. but never, never, had one been east.
feelngly remarked would be rude enough
10 hurt the feelings of club sister by OBJ
iecting to any friend proposed. Let us be
clubwomen," said the President Let us
broaden our intellectual horizon, and soar
above the petty sphere allotted to women
of earlier days; but in our development Ley
us not forget that we are women and sis
tiers. that the unwritten rules of courtesy
should take precedence even of Roberts,
rules of order" All the club members
r,umured Hear! heart and that night
at dinner they repeated these noble senti-
ments 10 the men of their families, and
udded, triulnphantly: Yet people say that
club women are unwomanly"
The men, to a. unit, protested. ION, no,
no, Nobody says woman's clubs are I'M
Womanly. They are womanly beyond all
other things evolved by women" they
said.
To prevent all chance of any mistake in
casting votes the black balls We're made
uuc0mpromisingly square and sharp-cor-
uered Even without looking at them it
was easy to discriminate between them
aud the smooth, round, white balls. One
day last May a woman was proposed for
membership. The woman who proposed
her was radiant and serene. she knew
that her candidates gowns and social po-
siUon We're a boYe reproach The vote was
taken The women chatted merrily, UNI
conscious of the coming storm. There
was commotion among the officers, hurry
ing to and fro whispered consultations,
aWe-struck faces. The president tanned
herself violently and resorted to the wa
Ter bottle An electric thrill communicat-
ed itself to the rank and file. Something
had happened. The president arose and
looked at the waiting throng, more in
sorrow than in anger
Ladies" she said, firmly, but with evil
dent effort, ladies, a black ball has been
found in the ballot"
The effect of the announcement was ire
mendous. Every one looked suspicously at
every one else, and there was a porten-
tious hush. Then the storm broke and
two-thrds of the members had the floor
while the other third talked from their
seats The general verdict was that the
president must be mistaken. The club
wished 10 see the black ball that had been
found. 1t was produced and displayed.
But why? why?" walled the woman
whose friend had been turned down. No
one knew why, That's one of the disa-
greeable things about secret ballots and
rules of order. The president consulted
with The secretary and the other officers
Then she called for order in the house.
This is a most extraordinary occur
renee" sha said sadly. 1.-The only eXpla-
nation conceivable is that a mistake has
been made. We are convinced that there
has been a mistake. Under the circum-
stances. we feel that we should take an
other ballot The rules are not quite clear
on the subject, but the rules of courtesy
are plain" (Applause)
Another ballot was taken, amid great
excitement. The black ball was still in
evidence. The proposer of the rejected APP
plicant wept, and friends gathered round
fsg I, #
man SO lost to decency as 10 cast black
baHs. Tho English voca bulary was eX-
hausted Ill efforts to embody feminine opin-
Ions of such a character, and the lingulsts
Of the club resorted TO French. Every
woman watched every other woman mar
rowly; but, apparently, the traitor was
stepped in Suie, for no cheek paled with
shame. The meeting broke up, in wild
confusion, and. as the insulted club mem
Der was led away by sympathizing friends
She still moaned, "Why? oh, why?'
The worst of the story is that that
stormy session was but the beginning Of
trouble. Since the club meetings have
been resumed this season. black balls
have ratified about the ballot box. No
new members have been found eligible.
Always there is one black ball in the box
Vtten there are five or six The rules or
courtesy have sunk into desuetude. what
The end will be, no one knows; but the
club are gone with the SHOWS of yester-
year. During the holidays, several mem
hers resigned. They, presumably, with
Drew in bitterness and sadness Of heart
Oue Of them, a woman who had never
been able to take the club as seriously
as it took Itself. made a confession to
her husband, which sent him chuckling
10 ms club and, though sworn to secre-
cy he told the story. She had been tell
ing him about the condition of strife into
which her club had drifted, and hadn't
allowed the story to lose, in the telling
Sensible little woman, to get out or
i. he commented, between chuckles.
~ es," she said thoughtfully. Then she
looked at him and dimpled. He knew that
meant that she had been doing something
wrong
ont with it," he advised encouraging
She looked frightened. "Oh no; I
wouldn't dare, even to you, Jack" Then
Il n,.h aTIt IN "a