The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-07
A RETREAT FOR OLD MAIDS

LFrom the Kenosha Exchanged
The Old Maids league of this city has
at last secured a permanent habitat.
Hitherto its meetings have been desul-
tory, sometimes in the houses of mem
bers, sometimes in the swimming pool by
Calkins pier, and very occasionally
around a soda fountain. Now the mem
bers have fitted up a club ROOM and IN
future viii hold all the meetings amid
artistic surroundings.
When the club was formed 1t contained
eight members. These were sworn to OPP
pose matrimOny and to further the higher
development of woman. When two of
them married, believing evidently that
Inonv. the remaining members resolved to
enforce on one another a stricter OBJ
servance of the principles on which the
league had been founded.
room was therefore sought and found.
over the kitchen in the house of the
president was ideal room for club pur>
what low in the scale. But when six girls
with artistic tastes set themselves to inn
prove and develop anything they are sure
of success. Today that room is a model
Of artistic lOveliness.
The approach to it is through the
Kitchen For approaches to club rooms
kitchens are not CONNIE IL fault" the
member Just back from Paris said; Some
have been placed around the stove. Chin
csc lanterns hang from the ceiling and
photographs OF Famous COOKS adorn the
walls. From the kitchen to the room
above is a narrow stairway with an arch
ed entrance over which is placed the IA
miliar line. Abandon hope all ye who
enter here"
It is in the decorations that the league
has shown its true artistic tendency. An
effort has been made to reproduce a stu
dents room in the Latin quarter, and
Miss Balm, who has lived several years in
Paris, says that she can easily imagine
herself back in the old quarter when she
sits In this room and looks at the sur
roundtngs. Conspicuous among the decor
auOns are eight marriage certificates
beautifully decorated with orange blOs-
SONS, hands claSped and INTERVIEWED
hearts. Two of them are filled out but
the remaining six have only the names of
the old maids and question marks where
the names Of the husbands should be
written. These certificates seem out of
place in a room of the Old Maids league,
DuL several OF the members say that they
teach themselves to despise matrimony
by contemplating the certificates, as the
old monk taught himself to Scorn death
by looking at a skull. Several pictures of
the 1mpresstOnist school painted by a sis
ter of one of the members have been
loaned to the league for the decoration of
GIL Bias. drawings from Figaro and carl
catures from lie Petit Journal cover a
black cloth in the northwest corner. This
Is known as the black hole of Calcutta.
A small trap door in the middle of the
room forms the cover to a receptacle for
the league treasures. In this are conceal
ed the records of the club, photographs
Of men to be avoided, faded flowers and
the ashes of former love letters.
All the old maids are delighted at the
prospect of having a room in which they
can meet during the coming winter, and
they are working hard to make snug the
little hooks that have been selected for
foot warmers and teapots have all been
prepared