The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-07
EDITED sY NELLIE y. PErT1s.

With the passing OF the annual meet
= ing o, the RHODE Island Federation OF
Women's clubs the club season begins
60 wane.
The Ardirhebiah club has already
ended its season and the Fortnightly
club OF this city held the closing hter-
AIRY meeting recently at the residence
OF Mrs. George Hubbard. Elmwood
avenue.
This meeting was an exceptionally
interesting one," writes the secretary,
"and concerned especially the develop
mems OF woman suffrage and the scope
and Significance of women's clubs"
The first paper was by Mrs. William
Vaughn and treated. in most enter
taining way. the subject of The En-
franchisement of Women in England.
The second papsr. by 4drs. III. Il.
Gregory. gave a history of The Wom-
ans Rights Movement" of which the
following is a brief extract:
'NAnd the Lord God caused deep
sleep 10 fall upon Adam and he slept.
and he took one of his ribs. and the
rib which the Lord God had taken from
man made he woman
"A rib from Adams side, under his
arm, near his heart, not foot. Thus
the story reads and the meaning there
OF is that God Intended man and wom-
an should stand side by side; together
bear the burdens of life; together share
their Joys. That. as his arm covered
the rib, SO should IL cover and protect
her.
"We know the story of the fall and
Adams excuse: The woman whom
h a.stt ala a
me OF the tree.
1.-THE sentence pronounced upon them
(upon the womanD, i will greatly null
tiply thy SORROWS. In sorrow shalt
thou bring forth children and ne shall
rule over thee From that day TO
this woman and sorrow have never
parted company. They have eaten at
the same board. They have lain down
and risen up together.
Since the day Eve wept over the
death of her first-born son. woman's
tears have never ceased To flow.
'Shs yielded humble obedience to the
authority of man. she was his toy. his
plaything. his pet or his slave, but sell
dom his companion, in the earlier his
tory OF the world.
In the quiet of the hill country there
came TO lowly maiden an angelic
messenger. and by her faith the star
Of hope for women arose."
From this point, and in a most en-
pertaining style. Mrs. Gregory devel-
oped the story OF the woman's rights
movement in America. from an early
period down TO the present.
The third paper, by Mrs. George w.
Hubbard. gave a brief sketch OF the
life OF Mary A. Livermore. emphasiz-
ing particularly her great work during
the Civil war. and her strong influence
On the anti-slavery movement The In
N fnn nf T.f hA,s H.. -
with the Rev. DR.. Liyermore and the
story OF their congenial life together
was dwelt upon most interestingly. as
was also her connector with the suf-
1rage movement and her establishment
Cf the suffrage paper called the "Agi-
tator. which, In 1870. was merged into
the "Woman's Journal" of Boston.
Mrs. Livermore's great work In the
lecture field was also described and the
paper httingly closed with these words:
she is still blessed with health and
an interest in all that concerns human
1ty and is happy in a brighter outlook
than she knew In her youth. when Cal
vinfsm uominated the spiritual atmos-
phere OF her home.
And happy above all that she has
reached the unshaken conviction that
death is but an incident in a life that
will never end"
The fourth paper OF the afternoon by
Mrs Clarke Fl. Johnson. was entitled
Women's Clubs This was an espe-
ciaiiy prignt and entertaining paper
and brought the exercises of the after
noon to conclusion.
The next meeting OF the Fortnightly.
Tuesday. May 8. will be the annual
meeting which will close most sue
cessful season. under the able guidance
OF Mrs Willard c. Selleck.
The last meeting of the Read. Mark
and Learn club was held at the resi-
dence OF Mrs. Fanny Ashley McAuslan,
with Mrs Arthlr #. Rich the presi-
dent. in the chair.
In the business meeting IL was voted
to merge the discussion OF current
events into the scheduled study of Unit
ed States history which will occupy
the club during the season of 1900-1.
The subject OF the last meeting was
THE London Company and Virginia
Charter Including also the question of
the Character of the Virginia Set
tiers"
In this connection Mrs. Walter s.
Reynolds gave most interesting and
1nstructive talk concerning the two
companies which went out from Eng
land in 1906 under charter from King
James l.
Mrs. Rich. president. followed with
ono of her notably brieh. ners in
which che gave the familiar stcry Of
Captain John Smith whose name Is
synonymous with the early history OF
Virginia.
"In Lincolnshire, England, (begins
the paper) on the estate OF Lord Will
loughby. there was family OF poor
tenants named Smith who had. In 1879
a son born to them. upon whom was
conferred the name OF John. John
Smith is certainly the commonest Of
names. but this was the most uncom-
mon Of all the John Smiths that have
ever existed.
When IL years old. he sold his
school books and satchel and ran away
Like most runaway boys he found the
world a hard place and had to lead a
rough and tumble life. He went "a
France and Holland and fought In va
rious armies. He was shipwrecked. He
was robbed and reduced to beggary and
once. when sailing from Marseilles "a
Italy, ne was accused by some super
stitious fellow passengers. OF being the
cause OF storm that hau arisen. and
like Jonah. was pitched into the sea.
Being near land. he reached the shore
without the aid Of whale. was taken
Off by French vessel and went Ia
war against the Turks" From this
point the paper describes the wild ad-
venturous life OF John Smith and his
important work in connection with the