Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-21

citement that l wanted. I cared nothing
for the actual accomplishment of real good
to the community. And, in my humble
opinion. neither do nirle-tenths of the club
women in this country. But that doesn't
concern me. What does, is the fact that
club life has SO nearly wrought disaster
in my home. l am going to be genuinely
happy without clubs row..
Il snail stand by you Mrs. Henry went
on. In fact, | am glad TO see one woman
with the courage of her convictions. What
we need is women with more courage: the
American woman must be honest with her
self. which means the doing of those things
which are worth the while. An age which
presents so many beautiful things to see,
and has so many great and uplifting prof.
ects reaching out for the hand of women
to do is not the time for the American wo-
man TO be dishonest with herself untrue
to her best instincts. and unmndfu of her
uneXampled opportunities to strengthen her
own life and the lives which she can make
greater by making her own greater and
| better in everything that she does
But you are not going to withdraw from
! the clubs entirely?' asked Mrs. Parsons.
Our dear friend Lily Haven has resigned;
we know why But it will make an endless
amount of talk if You resign 1t will be
bad for you, and for the club
II intend to do il all the same | replied;
but when l came to talk it over with joe
much to my surprise, he advised me not to
resign my membership.
| see the wisdom of it now. Two years
have passed since that day when | started
for a club election and ended my journey
at Ashland Junction.
Mrs. Henry succeeded me as president of
the Nota Bene, and under her wise man.
agement the club raised the standard of
work and became great power for good in
the community. During that first winter, L
gave up wholly my attendance at club
meetings, although paying my dues and al
lowing my name to remain upon the mem
bership rolls. But the result of this was
that was accused of dropping the club as
soon as u had succeeded in making it the
ladder to my social aspirations. For now
both my husband and | went together to
many society functions where he became
as popular | could ask
In the spring We went abroad and remain
ed year; but when we returned to Chi
cago. began once more TO attend meetings
of the Nota Bene.
81 want you to go now" Joe said. The
club honored you with its highest position
a fact you should always remember. Be
sides, l can trust you now, he added af-
fectionatel..
And so | went occasionally to the meet
ings; but | never again lost my head over
club affairs. | neither admired nor pitied
myself any longer. | had learned that
Woman's life is much what she makes it,
and that true happiness comes only with
a noble life.
l saw little of Philip Haven after his mar
riaSe. for several reasons; and no one ever
knew the results of Mrs Parsons investi-
cations beyond herself and me. But be-
tween Mrs. Henry and myself there grew an
intimacy that has done more for me than
any other thing
Have We yet found the true secret of
what constitutes the real beneficence of as
sociation'-at least. those of us who belong
to bewildering number of clubs?" [ asked
| her one day. Isn't there some golden mean,
some way of enjoying the feast of good
things spread for the intellectual palate of
the club woman. without reaching the point
where assimilation is an mpossibity?
Where we gorge and scramble and rush UNI
lla of .1r
nervous, fagged-out, and suffering from
mental indigestion that nearly results in
club-nauSea? %
The trouble is" she replied that we
! have too many women who look upon the
club merely as the place where one can see
what other women do. what they are wear
ing, what is the latest way of doing up the
hair, or, mayhap, if there will be a scrap
! They do not feel that the club is a real vi
tai interest in their lives, nor that it en-
tallS upon members any responsibility what
ever. And If there be women who take
more serious view of things-sO seri-
Gus, in fact, as to lead them to stand
| on their feet and fight wordy war for
| their convictions, then these fence-sitters
| nave lovely time. And afterward they go
home and tell their husbands all about the
| scrap between Mrs A and Mrs. b,
ana he spreads abroad the idea that wo
mans clubs are only places where the wo
| men go to quarrel and backbite each other.
| The club to them is only a series of good
| times. when they go forth to club functions
arrayed in gorgeous attire and in search OF
amusement only. They are those who shirk
| duty by leaving it to those who like work,
and act as club sponges to soak up the
| waters of gladness set running by the I'M
| firing efforts of others"
There should be a beatttude." |
| said Blessed be the woman who belongs
| to one active club only. for to her accrueth
| the benefits of association without a multi
| tude of distractions. In Europe there are
retreats where the over-worked and over
entreated retire nd
real repose. No callers are allowed to see
the fugitives who place themselves in
| treat. They are not disturbed by bills,
death notices, invitations or demands of any
kind. 1t is good as being dead without
| the uncertainty regarding that state or its
| rrevocableness. Your ideal club woman
would be worth knowing" 1 added. I'D
like to meet her.
Mrs. Henry looked wistfuly up at my new
Madonna Of the Chair.
There are such,'' she said. My ideal
looks upon life calmly and with largeness
of vision incomprehensibe to those who are
pleased to think of themselves as so sensi-
tive Social sights, domestic whirlwinds,
snubs and stings which keep other women
in constant agitation are met with a sml
ing imperturbabilty that is wonderful.
Some of us are content to call her saint,
others think her whtened sepulchre of de-
ceit and sham tranquility; but that is only
, because we do not realize what it means to
be lifted from or to grow out of that sensi-
tiveness which is too often selfishness The
truth is, she has the secret of graceful liV-
ing. She has learned to close her eyes to
unpleasant things that cannot be helped:
to close her eyes to words that insidiousy
steal away ones peace of mind. Outside
influences are not allowed to canker her
soul or disturb the serenity of everyday life;
she is habitually at peace with herself. Con-
sequently. her mind keeps it's healthy tone,
her attitude is calm and beneficent her eye
is clear, and her skin is free from wrinkles
She has discovered how to grow old grace
fully and she keeps Young
There might be classes established for
the teaching of self-poise to all the wran-
Cling women, all the sensitive women, all
the over-ambitious women. all the selfish
women in clubs laughed. II am sure L
would join" But she did not even smile.
I'VE all go cropping and stumbling along.
jostling roughly against the very ones we
fain would help, If we only realized how"
she said. There souls close beside us
crying out in the dark for the very help we
can give, but we seldom heed them; and
these self-same souls have some message
for us, which we constantly miss. The
singing together of the morning stars is not
a fable, not a parable, but statement OF
fact. Of the harmonious unity of the whole
ness of the Divine creative plan. The ali
round perfect club woman is after all, only
| the all-round perfectly developed woman"
CThe end.)