Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-20
CLUB EN- TER AIMS
Miss Marie Thompson of Indepen-
dence Addresses Club Women.
TALKSOF IOWA'S TALENTED ARTISTS
Successful Session of ottumwa Wom-
ans Club Held Yesterday After
noon-Gifted Iowa Young Woman
Delivers Masterful Address.
From Thnrsday,s Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
The large audience which assembled
yesterday afternoon at the Presbyter-
ian church to listen to the address by
Miss Marie D. Thompson of Indepen--
dence, on the subject, Men and Wo-
Men of Note in Literature, Art and
Science in Iowa" was in measure
unprepared for the mastery address
delivered by the gifted young Iowa
woman. Miss Thompson spoke enter
and daughters and she held the strict
est attention of the audience during
her address, which was delivered in
a scholarly manner, with much dra-
matte effect. The event was the
monthly meeting of the Ottumwa Wo-
mans club and was the most success
full event held this year by that orga-
ni2ation.
Have Short Program.
The meeting was called TO order by
the president, Mrs. Gorge G. Pope,
and after short business session the
program, of the afternoon was begun.
A vocal solo, "A Slave Song" was
rendered in an excellent manner by
Miss Helen Kalbach, of Oskaloosa, az
ter which Miss Marie Thompson was
introduced by Mrs. Pope and address
ed the meeting. At the close of the
address Mrs. A. W. Slaught rendered
the vocol solo "a Dream in the rem
dition of which she was successful in
winning the first prize at the recent
Welsh Eisteddfod at Des Moines.
Mrs. Slaught sang this touching love
ballad excellently and was enthusiasts
tically applauded. She gave as her en-
core forgotten" At the close of this
rendition the meeting adjourned and a
social hour was enjoyed during which
the members of the clu5 entertained
their guest of honor Refreshments
were served in the basement of the
church.
Miss Thompson's Address.
Miss Thompson in, her address,
spoke in part as follows:
when this subject was first assign
ed me my first thought was that the
paper would read like the famous
chapter on snakes in Ireland, There
are no noted men and women in
Iowa | had forgotten Hamlin Gar
lands saying, The west has finally
been discovered The east has poured
its millions of men and money into
the Mississippi valley and these mil
lions of men have taken root in the
soil; and today the dominion of the
east is distinctly on the wane.
Henceforth when men of the old
world speak of America, they will not
think of Boston and New York and
Philadelphia; they will mean Chicago
and the Mississippi valley and Iowa
forms no despicable portion of this
valley. In general diffusion of educa-
ton this state leads the country. and
in culture and the equitable distribu-
most rank, but its comparative youth
and especially its lack of large cities
where the clash of intellect and intel
ligence brings out whatever Of power
there is in the individuals would seem
to preclude the presence Of any great
geniuses in our midst. Not so, there
is no town in Iowa, however small, too
poor to honor some of it's citizens.
Many able men and women came here
to help develop the resources of the
new state; their sons and daughters
have been born here, at least have
received their education and formed
their characters, and have then gone
forth to do their appointed work in
the world, the authors and artists to
the busy marts of men, the scientists
to wander far, even to the uttermost
parts of the earth.
Mark Twain and Burdette.
ut is related that when Henry Ward
Beecher was rallied upon his national
reputation he replied that he had
none, that with exception of the presi-
dents there was but one man in Amer