The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-27
RED HAIR The REQUISITE.
A Unique Club Composed of Gov
eminent Employees.
The Organization One of Social Aims.
But with the specific Purpose OF
COntrHdictinE Timc-WOrn Legends
and Yarns of AntIquated Jokcrs.

and Yarns OF AntIquated Jokers.
One Of the large detached bureaus Of
the Interior Department. in which are en-
pIoyed several hundred clerks fosters "a
unique society which has been dubbed
The Red-Headed Club" There is but
the one obvious qualification for mem
bership. and tho numerical strength OF
the body is necessarily limited
The possession of auburn hair is not a
passport 10 membership. chestnut tresses
are barred. golden locks are not an open
sesame. and it IS as easy for a camel TO
pass through the eye Of needle as for
a black OF baIdheaded person to obtain
admission to one Of the meetings. The
hair of the member must be an uumis-
taxable red Carrot or flame COIOred is
preferred
The society is defined by a member as
being a society of protest" but strict
~ social in its aims. Il has no philan-
thTOpicaI nor political ideals and there
is no danger. should the idea spread and
become national in its scope, Of the r.
II. C-'s putting forth 4 candidate for the
Presidency.
II seems that the society originated in a
rebellion against the antiquated and
moIdy witticisms which red-haired peo-
pie in all parts Of the civilized and un-
civilized world are supposed to enjoy, or
at least TO suffer with sickIy pretence
Of enjoyment
Just what there is in the fact that e
person Possesses red hair that would call
forth the efforts Of ths wouId-be wit may
never be learned said a young lady who
is employed at the bureau. but it is true
that from time immemoriaI red-haired
people have suffered boredom from the
shafts of a certain obnoxious type of
| joker. Yet 1t has been left for the bright
/ headed en- plOyes Of this bureau To fOrmU-
! late an organized protest"
This young lady is certainly eligible to
membership in the society, but she evad-
/ ed n direct question as 20 whether she
| belonged TO the club. She Furthermore
grasped the occasion 10 deny with some
| asperity that red-haircd people were
more generously endowed than their tow
( haired or bldck-haiTcd neighbors with
/ those more or less agreeable character
/ istics generally attributed to them.
/ The air Of mystery which surrounds the
/ meetings Of the members is source Of
| great pique 10 their fellow-cIcrks. II is
! alleged THAI a constitution and bylaws
/ have been drawn up defining the purposes
OF the club. and that the president is IA
]
| Luminary." The other officers and mem
bers as Satellites. Lesser Lights etc
! A certain young doctor who is employed
in the bureau is reputed TO be the presi-
dent Of the club. He not only boasts a
shock Of bright red hair Of the most ap-
/ proved color, but reJOices In an exceeding
| ~ luXuriant growth Of flaming beard as
| well.
! When questioned as to the authenticity
Of the report that he was the president Of
| the club. or rather the Most Lurid Lumi-
nary" the medical man laughed ard re-
| fused to either affirm or deny the report
The doctor in discussing the society called
I attention TO the fact that some of the
/ grea-s.t persOnages OF history were red
/ haired. David is described as a ''ruddv
| youth" those trcsses OF the saiuted Maid
or Orleans. which sh0Re 50 brightly be
meath the royal heur-de-lis Of France and
mingled 50 pathetcal!y with the leaping
names or ReimS are historical, St Paul
was red-haircd. the lovely but Inflated
Mary. Queen Of Scots, had a natural
crown Of ruddy gold. julius Caesar and
| Martin Luther are alleged 20 have had red
hair and 50 had ~ illiam Morris. the great
1 English Socialist. and our own Thomas
Jefferson
/ 1t Is understood that the members Of the
/ society have affirmed their intention TO
discourage by the strictest immObility Of
/ COuuteuduCe all OF the trite and trivial
I4ai4LA4eS winch nave DEeA handed down
through the succeeding ages from bore 10
bore and from Jester 10 Jester. Any young
Ilady member who allows the time-hOnOred
reference 10 the white horse to disturb her
Icquanimtty viii be mulcted with a small
line The JOcular accusations and alIega-
tons as 70 fieunes- ana quickncsS OF
temper are 10 be met with n bland and
gentle uucOncern, calculated 20 disarm all
criticism
1t is possible that associate members
may be admitted 10 this society but as
the club is yet in its infancy nothing def
mite can De authOritdtiVely stated as %
future plans. NotOrlety is not desired by
the members and they are extremely retf-
cent about their plans. as they prefer 20
have the Orga nization spread slowly and
surely rather than by leaps and bounds.
II IS understood that the matter Of "A de-
vice and badge has not yet been decided