The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1902-01-09
Athens Woman's Club.

q
seat of culture and learning every ore
knows, but it may Dot be 90 generally
understood that her modern namesake IL
Somerset County, Maine. deserves the
same title. The venerable mother city
was an academy town aud 80 Is her
youthful daughter, but Their are some
dssmilarities along other lines. Athens
OF old, owed her reputation TO lot Of
refined, visionary, and rather imprscti-
cattle lot OF slaye-supported men, While
that VI our modern town rests upon The
achievements Of club Of thirty. HARD
working, home loving, and exceedingly
practical women, known as Athens We
mans Club. These ladies hold fort.
nightly meetings for study, discussion
and other forms Of mutual intellectual
Improvement at the houses OF It's mem
bers, except the last meeting ia each
year, known as @Gentleman's night. -
which is held 10 the Odd Fellows hall
and to which the husbands or other ger
tlemen friends are invited.
His wife having recently Timed, =
your scribe enjoyed the privilege Of at
tending the last Of these gatherings,
Tuesday evening, Dec. 3lst. Twenty
three members and twenty-five gentle
men were in attendance. By means of
portieres, pictures, rugs, chairs. sofas.
etc., the ladies had transformed the bare
hall into an attractive and coy parlor
where the stranger was so cordially and
unobtrusiyely welcomed that he forgot
that he was a stranger and felt at home
at once.
Mrs. c. II. Jones presided with a dig
nifty and grace and an evident knowledge
OF business that many presiding Ulcers
Of the wiser sex might have euvied
After the singing OF the opening chorus.
joy to the World by club and guests
and the reading of finely worded record
OF the previous meeting by the secretary,
Mrs. L. Z. Jacobs. came the roll call, to
which each member responded by nam
ing some 'current event OF note. This
was an interesting feature Of the meet
ing, each "eVent' having been chosen
with an unusual appreciation Of its rels-
tive value as an item Of information and
all were we'll worth remembering
This was followed by an able, discrimi.
mating, and patriotic paper by Mrs. c.
II. Jones on "Our Army and Navy and
well-executed cornet solo by Mrs.
Leavlt Thompson. The Review of
French History" by all the members
gave the visitors glimpse of the histor-
lea work of the past year and was cred
table throughout. Among the other
items of interest, we learned that the
first Napoleon was dead and were allow
ed to infer that the last Napoleon was
defunct also. OF course every man
present was familiar with all the Incl.
dents Of French history, but it reoiced
our hearts to see that our wives were
informing themselves upon the impor-
tant subject.
A song by Mrs. Mont Dore was great
" enjoyed, and an original story BY
Mrs. May Hayden Emery was so well
conceived and written that il would be a
credit to more famous author. By
special request Mrs. John F. Holman
gave humorous recitation, 1.-THE Musi.
cal Family" that brought down the
house. At intervals songs were render.
ed during this program by a quartet,
consisting of Mrs. C. II. Jones, Mrs. j.
II. Curtis, Mrs. Fred Allen and Mrs.
Bradford Barker, the last one having a
banjo accompaniment by Mrs. Filing
wood.
the gentlemen were escorted by their
fair partners to the dining hall above
where they were treated, not to Eight
refreshments" nor "slight collation., -
but to a good, square meal, to which our
genial postmaster and wife, Mr.. and Mrs.
l.. c. Williams, had donated a full sup
ply of mammoth oranges. This article
| in the program was especially adapted
to the intellectual capacities of the lords
of creation who showed their apprecia-
| ton of the tables by acts that were more
eloquent than words and later by con-
tribution Of five dollars. After this
absorbing subject had been exhsustively
discussed, we returned to the parlor and
heartily enjoyed the drama, champion
Of her SEX presented by several ladies.
All the parts were well sustained, but
those OF Mrs. Chas. Turner as an irish
servant girl, Mrs. H. n. Flanders as the
suffering woman, and Mrs. Ellingwood
as grandma, deserve special mention.
This closed the regular exercises but
nearly all remained for another very
| enjoyable social hour, during which sew
eral songs were sung and stories told
and the New Year welcomed.
Who can measure the intellectual,
moral, and social up-lft resulting from
the work of these village clubs Is this
the new woman? II so, God bless her
May she never grow old, nor her suppers
recur less frequently. VISITOR.