Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-01
sAmns or monns,s u . rs.
A Great Variety " i,h a humorous Turn In
! some OF Them.

ton contains long account of Women's
Clubs and Associations. Appended, a
list is given Of some 1900 clubs for
women in the United States, and with
the name of each is mentioned its home
and purpose. 1t need moi be said that
the catalogues showing is impressive.
The wonder is that the country Is as
bad as il is with such o lot Of women
earnestly discussing current topics, !"
seeking self-oulture, ''social and
philanthropic Improvement, y reading
Shakespeare, promoting "literary and
moral .improy ement," suppressing the
liquor traffic, studying sociology and
civics" and doing the hundred other
things which these clubs give as their
reason for existence. The old advice Of
Emerson. to hitch your wagon to a
star. might be changed for the practical
today by recommending that the world
be tied to woman's apron-strings.
As the reader goes over the list a
glitter is likely to come into his eye
that does not belong to awe, and just
the shadow of smile broadens his
face. Tho women are human still. OF
course, no suspicion can rest upon the
| trustworthiness OF the compendium,
the data having been furnished by the
clubs themselves. Every name is real
and may be found in the place asserted
| And there are some queer combina-
| tions. Even where local familiarity
blunts the incongruity which strikes an
Fastener, there must be among some
club women strange lack of humor.
The "Fleur-de. Lis Club, OF Cando.
N. D., ought to change names with the
"Powwow," of Versailles, Ky. TO
find at Seattle. WASH, on the very
frontier of civilization, the "Queen
Anne Fortnightly'' srouses various
sensations. The .'Purists' Converse
aionp." at Petosky, Mich, reads like
| the record OF good movement side
tracked. THE Fortnightly Jaunts Of
| Madison" make one anxious to know
that the reference is only to the town,
not to the early President, and that
"Fortnightly," NOT midnightly, is in.
tended. Tho Improvement Society OF
the Oranges might he misunderstood
in its purpose. 'Tbe Self Culture
Club" OF Palestine, Texas, is one OF
those fine but always half.pathetic
/ illustrations of how far-reachinp is the
| wish for self improvement. and not less
striking in its way,as showing a soaring
spirits triumph over its environment,
is the '.Oil City Belle, Lettres Club. f"
Much is revealed by the rejection Of
English in the name. Little Rock,
Ark. is proud of an 'Hsthetic Club, u
that has proved itself too strong to
be wrecked on little rocKs and to
"Sorosis," of Skowhegan, one fain
would doff his hat in admiration OF
it's courage.
Why are the women Of Moscow,
Idaho. banded under the name OF 1.-The
Pleiades, " and When is wash day.
for the Twenty Monday Danes, I" Of
Maoomk, III? The Occur d'Alene
Treble Cleft" of Wallace. Idaho. makes
one thankful fol the straightforward
simplicity of the Want to Know
Club" OF Greeley, COL; just as one
smiles with fond indulgence at the
Conversational clubs Of Des Moline;
and Dubuque, Iowa, and the Rocking
Chair Club in Sedalia, Mo-, after
rows of "Zetamatheans, 'Anakri
sians,n "South End Ladies', "Wesi
Park Girls and "Coloquists. The
"Peregrinators' Of Cincinnati do moi
push baby carriages in their clut
capacity, and the 'Nondescript Club
and definite aim The ''Apne Hatha
1
Springs is better named, one thinks
than the IAN Around Dickens Club
of Boston, and that is a reminder tha
the clubs of strangest names are mo-
always in The most out-of the-way Of
distant places.
Five languages meet in the names o
the women's clubs-Engl American
Indian, Latin, Greek and French
4 nj NhoK no 10
never were spoken on land or sea, tn,
Roman numerals and the enigmatit
initials, fer n woman in search OF
name for her club is hard to catch
Yet. somehow or other, the degree an,
the age of districts culture shin,
more or less clearly in the names o
its clubs. You would know tina
la CDterie,n the "Wednesday p. M
Club" and the Ladies' Society o
Literary Exrlorers'i were representa-
tive of adjudication not quite so effete
at least, as that OF New York, though
you had not been told that they wer,
1850 miles away. Many CLUBS bear thu
names of men, women and muses., anc
hero is "St. Helep's Club" as !
st, Helen sver welded one. How tn
"Dilertanti Club, y Of York, Neb.
must look down upon the unassuminl
cosy Club of Tecumsah, in tn
same State, and with what reverence,
may not the modest ~ and Club, ;
Of Eaton Rapids, Mich, regard tn
sternly scholastic .'Emitle Lucen
Tuam," of Albion Such contrast
suggest the difficulty in conducting
State federations smoothly, for Mich
gan has also in its list the "Ossoli, )
the Wilson" the Ladies' Centen
NAL Literary" the "Hypatia" ant
"Igdrasil. ="
There are several ".Over the TIE,
, Cups" clubs, as also Merry Workors,
"Priscillas. Modern Prisoillas, Fan,
5 a "Spinet. Portland, Maine, gives
Child Culture Club next to
Gone Club" making the reade
wonder il the name OF the latter clu
should not be spelt with an 20. TIL
Sphinx" and the Entire Nous
sound more secret than perhaps tine
are, being women's clubs, for the
scarcely battle curiosity as well as tn
less pretentious Montana Stat
F, Housekeepers, who have dropped tn
Estate" in their name, most per pleS
2 ingly. But the whats in Name?'
Club and the Great Expectations
Club express in simply comprehensive
/ terms the connection which is nc
always so obvious bstween the title
and aims OF women's clubs. The
help you to understand, and forgive
in nature and earnest wome
the Acme" ARCHIE" "Reapers,
"Zetitic. "Methebeseo," "Nushu
way" of Nashua, "Oleff," and Cap
| Diemp