Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-08
Cl,apter, XIV.

Chapter, XIV.
So much was crowded into the next four
days that Philip and had no chance for
private conversation. Then he came to me
one morning with letter.
81 have some newss for you," he said In
low tone. 81 haveia call to- Chicago
He gave the name of one of the largest
and most fashiona BILE churches In that city.
How delightfnl.' cried In glee
DO you think SOP he asked earnestly.
"Ought I to accebt?t
Certainly" I1replied without hesitation
That's the finest church In Chicago.
shall be so proud of you, my friend Real
ly. shall be terribly disappointed If you
do not accept"
writing room, but when returned TO chi
cago in the autumn he was already there.
Mrs. Parsons and 1 did not discuss club
matters much during my stay at her mouse.
For one reason, she was still smartlng un-
der her defeat for the high office she had
coveted, and did not care to discuss II.
There seemed to be tac1t understanding
among all her guests to that effect: Again.
Or shall I say atrophy?-of the ciup
spirit that most club women experience
during the summer, the only excep-'
tons being the few who give themselves
cooking schools among the poor At any
rate, club topics were tabooed at Meguntic
Cove until the day I was leaving for Chi
cago.
.sWell, I suppose we shall soon be all over
in club work., she said them, Although
I'm quite out of the spirit of it now
I've got to keep out of it" l said in re-
ply. II promised joe"
, "Well, you needn't give it up entirely"
she answered. you've too good position
in the club to sacrifice 1t now. Why l know
women who have worked and climbed and
pulled wires for, years and nave NOT y s,s5
you manage 1t, Jackie?" She eyed me mar
rowly, but maintained: a wise silence. You
are shrewd woman she resumed. Play
your cards right and you'll be a leader in
another year or two. But give up what
you have gained and you'll never recover
it. Don't be a fool, Jackie"
But what is woman to do. whose hus-;
band stands ready to leave her If she takes
up public work?''aI asked in despair.
. Play your cards at home as well as
abroad" was the answer. BE careful
about letting your name get into the papers.
Make a point of being at home for all meals
when your husband is present. Say nothing
about clubs before him. You can manage
to attend most of the meetings with little
domestic diplomacy. Mark my words now
have been all through this refractory hus-
band business, and I've found few men
that object to clubs If their wives are at
home to dinner, well dressed and smiling
and tactful. Try it. have my plans laid
to make the Nota Bene an influence in Chi
eago. 1t is going to be more than social
and literary club this winter; it will in
fiuence politics. Don't gasp; I'm depending
on you to help me-"
Il shall be only too willing" said I, 'if
can only keep Joe quiet He's terribly OPP
posed to women in politics. ...4
Hes old-fashioned in his notions them
was the answer. But he is not to be told.
I've chosen you as my trusted lieutenant
hpcanSa
Back In Chicago, .a9month later, l began
to see what she meant. The gubernatorial
election that year was most exciting. Party
feeling ran high, and the election promised
to be very close. The republican candidate
was millionaire, an ariStocrat, an edu-
Gated refined, upright man. The democratic
aspirant for the office was a man of the
people,, popular with the workingmen, and
in the hands of the machine bosses
Theodore q. Parsons was a republican
Of the type that votes only on pleas
ant days or when dire necessity
compels. joe Hen1ing was a, democrat
who never neglected. an opportunity to
vote, and attended ward caucuses in sea-
son and out Of season, believing that SO he
served his country. Like many other wives
I had taken his view of all political cues
tons up to the present time; and when
Mrs. Parsons sent for me one day and told
me of her plans for the publication of poll
tics l was aghast.
Il would never dare,' I protested 1--WE
are democrats. Joe and L.
Your? and she raised her eyebrows.
Tell me, for what tdpes your party plat
form stand this year?''
She had me there, and she knew it.
could no more have told her than I could
have explained the differential calculus
Come, We must take hold of these
things. Do you know what machine poll
tics means? Do you know the processes by
which ward bosses control the working
man? Do you know that right here in Cni-
cago there are thousands of men who dare
not vote except as they are told? No. But
I know It, And 1t Is time for us women to
take part in the proceedings"
She went on to outline Good Govern
ment Club" which she had planned to be
made up of picked members Of the Nota
Bene. Before she was through 1 was en-
thusiastic over it. But my conscience st1u
pricked, and 1 could not decide.
Philip Haven had already formed habit
of dropping in to our house informally.
often remaining to luncheon and OCCASION
ally to dinner. He was there when l re-
turned from my call at Mrs Parsons house.
I'll SO glad sad as took his hand
II want your advice. Just wait till 1 Law Off
my wraps and I'll make you my father con
feSsOr.'
1 upstairs and down again. deter
mined that he should decide for me. How
easy it Is to lay our moral responsibilities
upon some other soul for decision.
When came down l laid Mrs. Parsons
proposition before him. "Shan Join it?',
l asked
why not?" was his reply. 1.-THE inf1u-.
ence of good women was never more neces-
sary In Chicago than 1t is today
But Joe is democrat" 1 answered
"And-and I've always called myself one
though really know nothing of the merits
or dement's of either party
He smiled indulgenty
II would not wish to advise anvtb;np
that might cause you trouble at home :" he
said. But. as / understand it, this Good
Government Club Is to be neither demo-
cratic nor republican; 1t is to work for the
publication of both parties. Am I rigbta''
l assented eagerly.
Then why should you hesitate?" he
asked.
A sigh of relief escaped me. With the oc.
tober air had, come the renewal OF the cInh
fever, and the passion for Joining things
had grown strong again / telenhoneJ
Mrs. Parsons that she might put nv name
on her new membership list. but that n,,
no account, was to be put in office
organized, and well advertised in the
papers. The more conservative nress waI1
coined the new society and devotai e,7i
torials to arguments for its existence Int
the more sensational journals made end.
less fun of us. These were the nanars
that Joe read. and he fumed and ridicniaS
the club without mercy. ~
What will these club women do next ~
he would burst forth at the breakfast