The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-11-27
LONDON NEWS or
INTEREST TO WOMEN
Remarkable Project Of a Young
Girl Founding an Inter-
national Club.
FOR WOMEN OF LETTERS
aiss Constance Smiley is the Promoter
OF the Sch-re-tn American LIZ
eray Woman Coming 20 Or
ganize Branch in New York.

London special: a unique club for
Eonen has been organized so quietly
n London that this is practically the
first word that has been said aoout Il
II print. Il is 10 be 2 Mig affair, with
international connections. and with
money enough already guaranteed 10
enable II to 10 things en- & large scaie
from the start
The object Of the Lyceurn club as IL
Is 10 be called, Is 10 bring literary
women and university women the
world over into touch with one anoth-
er. Such writer's rs Mrs. Humphrey
Ward, JOHN Oliver HOBBS fErs. Graf
eiej, Flora Annie Steel. Lucas Malet,
BeatTice Harraden. Mrs. Z~IeyneIl, 5Irs.
w &. Clifford and Miss Rhoda-
Erougnton aye members Of the club
committee. ana the universities Of
Eewnhan and CsTton at Cambridge
are taking UP the scheme. II is uu-
derstood hat $50 women with Gcten-
tiac degrees will come into the new
club, and the long established Writer'S
club Of London. "ith its 500 members,
Is planning TO merge itself IN the I,y-
ceuT?.
Lady Frances Balfour, sigter OF the
duke Of Argyle. and hence sister-in-
law Of Princess Louise, King Edwards
sister. has heartily given her Gupport
20 the Lyceum and Will bring with her
2 large element Of radical omcn Lady
Frances, who does not agree in poll
tics with her brother-in-1aw, the
prime minister Of England, is an ar
Gent woman suffragist, but. SO far as
can discover. the club VIII have
nothing to 10 with politics, or any 9TH
or cause. Others actively working are
Lady Battersea COT the PothschiId
samily), Mrs. Paget Toynbce, wife OF
the aTnous Dante authority, and her
sclf the editor OF the forthcoming
Clarendon Press edition Of the Horace
Walpole letters: Miss Elizabeth Mar
bury, the countess di Brazil, formerly
Miss Cora Slocurnb of New Orleans,
md Irg. Alfred Stead, formerly Miss
Elaine IIussey of Indianapolis, daugh-
ter-in-law Of w T. Stead.
These ladies are to purchase a house
IN the heart OF London, with as many
bedrooms as a large hotel, to give
members in all parts Of the world a
stopping place in London, and 10 pro
vide permanent residence for those
vino live in London and want to make
the club their home.
II addition. they prODoae TO keep mem
bers in touch with active literary life by
means Of an Information bureau which
has been thought out on original Iinea.
a mcnabcr Of the Lyceu.n who lives, for
Instance, in California and wants to sell
Il manuscript in London will be advised
as 10 the best person to send It to. IF
she writes a hook and wants It translated
into French and published in Paris. she
VIII be given the addresses Of translator
and publisher. Museums and libraries all
over the continent VII cC-Grcra to with
the club so hat through It tho California
member can get research work done, or
II she wants to come abroad and do it
herself. she VIII be given the proper in
Productions to curators of institutions
where her study IS to be done. This in
formation bureau has accn mast infinitely
~n!annea and VIII include such less learned
branches as thcaters, concerts, lectures,
shops and current matters.
The Lyceum, like ali English wor1en.s
c,un, has one radical difference from the
American club. It's members will rot
meet. They win not discuas-that IS. as
a body III congregation assembled. They
will merely have n comfortable place to
live in and practical help with such ir-
ieiiectual practical WORK as they are en-
gagged n.
The founder Of this club IS a 23-year-
old girl, Miss Constance Smedley, author
Of An April Princess ana The RouduIr
Critic" and Of several plays purchased
by Mrs. Patrick Campbell. Miss S.aed-
ley was moved with sympathy for tho
in"unerablr women wI-.crs Of London
who had 10 really comfortable homes.
Il seemed to Miss Sncdlcy that The whole
status of writing women would be raised
+ tEc% cCn.G bc given Z cub as beautiful
and complete as the nlGst fashionable club
In London. a little while later. some Of
fhi5 ycunE lady's rich friends came for
ward ara provided her with almost lin
.ttlcss capital for the forWu-a'ng Of her
scheme. Tie members take no financial
risks whatever. 1t is Miss Smedley's de-
t=FmlGatiCn to make the club rich enough
for The ri2hc&t women who may wish 20
i've there, and yet by obtaining a large
membership, to make rates cheap enough
for the most modest writer.
as representative OF the english COM
Trtiftgn M e. lICCis T1.ifeh1n So. ,,