Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-02
Chapter VIII.

Chapter VIII.
But the baby did not die, although we
had three anxious weeks when hung over
his little bed, or held him in my arms.
There was little time to think of clubs or
functions, although several of my co-work-
ers, hearing of my trouble, sent flowers,
which I hardly looked at. For felt con-
science-stricken, as if the babys sickness
was due to my neglect of him, and vowed
to myself that If he recovered I would
never leave him again when he seemed the
least ILL
About a month after the Van Hulk Tyn
reception regular business meeting of the
Nota Bene was held. 1 remembered the
date, but. true to my new resolutions, re-
manned quietly at home. So firm was in
my resolve that did not yield even to the
temptation to ask Mrs. Parsons over the
telephone the result of the meeting.
Not word about the club had passed
between my husband and me since the first
night of the baby's Illness although
that seemed to have lost my interest in
club affairs. But the morning after the
business meeting he laid his newspaper be-
side his plate with muttered:
Thunder"
Whats the matter, Joe?" I inquired.
You shant CO." he announced.
Go where?' I asked all innocent Of his
meaning
as a delegate" he burst forth angrily.
Il don't know what you mean" an
swered with all the dignity could muster
"a manner had never assumed until this
winter.
We'll, read that, them" and he tossed me
the newspaper. But I say again, you
shan't go. 1 won't have a wife Of mine
racing all over the country with strong
lecturing on woman suffrage
If anything were to drive me to that"
retorted with tactless dignity, ut would be
a husband who presumed to order my COM
ings and goings as if 1 were a slave" And
then | read the newspaper report of the
Nota Bene meeting, which stated that I
had been appointed delegate to the
Omaha Biennial
hat and coat in silence, went away with
out kissing the baby or me. When the
door was closed behind him / flew to the
telephone and called up Mrs. Parsons, only
to be reminded by her maid that she did
not rise until 10 o'clock. And so, leaving
request that she should call me as soon
as she was dressed, 1 had to content my
self and keep down my burning curiosity
until IL o'clock, when the telephone rang
and ran eagerly to answer it.
Yes, certainly you were duly and prop
erly elected answered Mrs. Parsons to my
question. Il never forget my promises.
bers wanted to be delegates, and a good
deal of pressure was brought to bear to get
them all in. We are limited, you know,
but by little judicious wire-pulling 1 got
you on the list all right
You're awfully good,'' I answered, "but
there's a stumbling block in the way-a
big one. Joe will never let me go in the
world
Don't ask him. she responded. There
are ever so many ways of getting your own
way without asking if you may please have
it. think of starting a class in the Nota
Bene on the management of husbands
But Joe was simply raving when he saw
it announced in the morning paper that I
was to be a delegate 1 answered. He
vowed I shall not 60"
"Oh, never mind" was the answer.
You'll go just the same. Only, don't say
word to him about it; not word. And
now I recall it, you've just got to go. I'm
asked by one of the chairmen of meetings
to give the name of some woman from my
club to read a paper I'm going to give
yours"
Horrors 1 cried in alarm. Don't, I
beg of you. I'-but somebody rung us off
angrily, and l was left in such a state of
doubt and trepidation, mingled with thrills
of ambitious pride, as l never had known
before.
I, Johnaphene Henning, asked to read
paper before the great Biennial of Womens
Clubs? OF course l could not do it. l did
not know enough about any one subject in
the whole universe to write paper on 1t.
And yet, if one only could, what honor
would be hers; what a position she might
If one only could!
Could 1? Had 1 not heard of encyclo-
pedias and libraries to be searched and
robbed of their treasures? And why could
/ not develop a mastery of the encyclo-
pedia as we'll as any other woman? l re-
called what I had heard one of the women
in another club own frankly and charm
ingly a short time before.
ooh, don't compliment me-" she had
laughed. Il got it all out of the encyclo-
pedia."
WELL" her companion had remarked, $50
you might say of the dictionary, too. But
it makes as much difference how you put
facts together as words"
Could I collect my facts and put them
together for a paper at the Biennial? A
growing sense of the honor that threatened
me made me almost eager to accept. Then
the telephone rang again. ITS Mrs. Par
sons for you, maam," said the maid, and
took the receiver in tumult OF pride and
anxiety.
ABOUT that paper" came the mellifiuous
tones of Mrs. Parsons; 1--WE already writ
ten them to put you down for teH-mnute
paper on The Club Woman's Ideal And
mark my words, you've got to CO.
I'D like to- l answered dejectedly. But
1 should have to get a divorce first. And
never can write q paper in the world
Never mind the divorce" came the re-
ply cheerfully. go to Omaha and attend
10 the divorce afterward; only, then there
won't be any. All these men need is to
wake up to the fact that their wives are in
telligent beings with some few interests or
their own and the ability to attend to
their own affairs in an independent fashion.
They'll have twice the respect for US. Just
get ready and GO"
..Oh. but you don't know joe murmur-
ed
mo. that's true" came the reply. But
do know mankind. You just stop worrying
about joe and go to Omaha. And as for
the paper, get some one to help you. Think
over your friends and see If some OF them
aren't literary. Me? Mercy, no! l
couldn't. But there are plenty who can.
No. don't answer now. Take two days to
think it over. Good-by, now. And she
hung up her telephone without giving me
a chance to reply.
I must confess l was in quandary. On
the one hand was my new home with which
was just getting acquainted since the
baby's illness; and there was my awakened
interest in my family, and Joe had never
been so pleasant as lately.
On the other hand, there were visions OF
throngs of well-dressed women and the ex-
element of a great convention of them;
there would be receptions and drives and
outings and meetings; and there was that
unutterable delight in store. II | would
have it, of seeing my name printed on the
program as one of the speakers The
arena of this wonderful bouquet already
reached me and began to stupefy my at
fections.
cl,,,+ 49,, ox,oc and SaW the great attn