The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-29
NEWS OF THE BOOK WORLD
ciubWonian confesses to the public Thru
a Novel savaeeness Of Club Life In
Chicago Used to Point Moral on Club
Life In General Richard Mansfield to
Play Jack London's "The Sea WoIf.,, !.

- Z ~ z
More than one woman has literally
dubbed, her husband out Of the house. An
Old and crude way was to use broom
SUCK; the new way is to become a mem
Der OF some half dozen or dozen clubs
and forsake all else.in life to swing those.
Inc effects of both methods are practi-
cally' the same-if they are carried far
enough.
In self defense we, hasten to saw that
clubwoman has confessed, and the
above is the meat of her confession. We
90 not attempt to vouch for the truth of
the confession. But The Confessions OF
a ClubWonan is said to have been writ
ten by a clubwoman of years of experience
ana few absence marks for non-attend-
ance at biennials, and if she tells the
truth the Introductory paragraph above
Is amply sustained
IheTpicture given is of club life in Chi
cago, and we have been told in story
and song that they do such things in
chicago as they don't do in many other
places. Perhaps, then, club life there
is somewhat fiercer and its strife some
W .f'ss more savage than----vei, in Mime
apolis. SO it will be well for Minneap-
oils readers to make due allowance for
the TACT that the picture, tho faithful
one, issa picture Of Chicago woman
club life.
The story is that of a Kansas girl who
went to Chicago as the very youthful
bride of young grocer. After a time
the cramped life of the fiat above the
store became too narrow. She longedt for
something broader. A wealthy woman in
the same church, who had an ambition
to become president Of Chieago's leading
club, saw in the grocer's wife-Mrs. Hen
nlng-a capable young woman and pos
slble vote for herself for the presidency.
Hence Mrs. Henning became a member
OF the7c club. It was not long before Mrs,
Hennlng's home, which was now on the
lake $front-her husband having passed
from the retail trade to the wholesale
saw. little Of her. It was clubs, clubs,
clubs, morning, afternoon and night. OF
course. a'Jo e" did not like this and a
downtown club began to draw him. But
MRS. EIenning, dazzled by club life would
not give it up The consequences were
serious, and in them is the real moral of
the book, for confessions, like fables, al
ways have morals st%
incidentally the. rise Of the corner gro
GERS Wife to the presidency of the leading
club Of Chicago is an interesting thins
to observe. With her small experience
and her youth, it was mot surprising that
she made mistakes: as, for example
When a leading shoedealer cleverly got
her, as&president of thes club, to wear a
certain make Of his shoes, and afterward
secuTedSIr from her a recOmm endatiOn writ
ten on the stationery of the club, and Their
named the shoe after the club The in
cldent is lilze one which clubwomen will
recall. In the sbool, as in fact, the Incl
dent created a great commotion in clut
circles @s
And what shall be said of the charge
that many clubwomen, :gooto professional
writer's for the clever papers they reat
at biennials and elsewhere in clubdom'
1t is there in the book; that is all VIZ
know about it. except that we had never
doubted the ability, of clubwomen to write
their own papers until this book mad,
the charge, tho it is put into the moutl
of a professional writer
A question suggested by the book i
whether the high tide of club interes
las not been passed.; indeed, whethe
there has not been marked decline i,
interest within the past two years How
ever that may be-, the book is an inter
esttns study. The women will read
to see whether it is faithful pictur
| and sthe men to see the inner working
OF iWcmeL's clubs Whoever. reads th
book and for. whatever reason will fin,
| the Story absorbing 5.-- !.