The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-20

The Confessions of a Club Woman
BY AGNES SURBRDGE opuaa& 1901
BY AGNES
CHAPTER xxi.

CHAPTER XXI. i
I suppose 1 uttered q slight cry, for tho
count jumped to his feet instantly.
~"Scoundrel!'
! 1t was all Joe said, but it was enough.
Without another word the count left the
room and the house. My husband waited
until the door was shut upon him and
then turned to me. .#@
$50 this is what you nave been doing
while>I was away?" he spoke in that tense,
quiet tone to which I have already re-
ferred. 'This is what comes of your be-
ing club president? I bid you goodnight,
madam" and he, too, left the room.
"Joe, Joe, come back!' I cried. Let me
tell you. 1t really is not as bad as it
looks. I can explain, joe" But he was
already beyond hearing, locked into his
bed-chamber.
A few minutes later he came down
stairs carrying his Gladstone, and put on
his coat and hat. .I., .+
"Joe, please give me a chance" l cried
again. but I did not go to him. I've done
nothing, really I haven't. Come in here
and let's talk it over"
"Humph! as we did this morning"
he returned with cutting sarcasm. mo,
madam; I want no more of your
explanations. You've deceived me
for months. You've been going contrary
to my expressed wishes, contrary to your
compac with me; you've been going the
pace with your clubs and have tried to
hide it all from me. This IS the outcome.
This is what comes Of your vaulting am
bition. I will be no woman's fool after it
becomes clear to me that she is playing
me for one. not even my wife's. Again,
I bid you good evening, madam"
He picked up his bag and left the house.
I listened to his retreating footsteps and
then went to my room, where I passed the
most wretched night of my life. 1 re-
viewed the whole Of my married life, and
went carefully over my club career; and
it honestly seemed to me that I was a
much-abused woman. I had no chance
for broad culture before my marriage,
and very little afterward until I joined
the women's club. 1t did not occur to my
aching heart that what I had sought in
the latter was not exactly a broad and
liberal culture; it sufficed that it had
brought a new element into my life. AS
to my acquaintance with the count, I felt
that I had achieved an EPISODE-one
worthy to be written in capitals. I had
done no actual wrong, and the fact that
I had improved my husbands absence to
become involved in a desperate and some
what vulgar Irritation did not yet stand
out before me in true colors. No, I was
a very unhappy woman, but I had not the
perspicacity to blame myself for 1t.
7 slept fitfully, and finally Weakened late,
half expecting to see my husband return
to breakfast, but he neither came nor sent
me any word. There was a committee
meeting that morning, followed by an
II o'clock lecture, with the opening meet
ing Of the Nota Bene in the afternoon. ]
. dressed carefully and went out, thanking
my stars that I had my clubs as consola-
ton when an obdurate husband chose tt
be as unpleasant as obdurate husbands
t can.
a The legislative committee met at Mrs
y Henry's, and as she was chairman I haC
y no unpleasant experiences there. The lee
Is ture, too, was at her house, and was no
ia too abstruse for comfort, the young mar
q who gave it having a pleasant voice ant
= a poetic face. When it was over, a selec
few statd for luncheon, and altho the lee.
J. turer was too apparently devoted to Mrs
cambridge to please me, we had a really
n delightful time. But the first meeting O
the season at the Nota Bene club was no
J. it's most charming one. 1t was a bushes:
meeting, when no outsiders were allowed
" and as the fact that anonymous letter:
n had been written-and probably by SOM
one in the club-had leaked out, there
a was a larger attendance than I had eve
s. seen at a purely business session. Min
ME Morrison was on hand early AM
er stopped me at the back Of the hall. .
II say she began in a whisper, ST
81 there going to be a scrap? Ar
they going to bring up the shoe
and the perfumery again? Because I mus
,os be in at the death you know
"a scrap? No. I answered, as If no
y understanding.
49,, about the anonymous letter!'' sh
replied. I'm told you will sift this mat
y: ter to the bottom" -.-.. . g
"Well, I shall not refer to it in an,
s way" I returned in my Hottest fashion
s why, it's all over town." she replied
. "Every blessed member who can get her
3 will, this afternoon. And ] say, look on
s for 'em. And please tell me, shall yo
. run for president again."
s "Certainly I shall" I had been a littl
s undecided on this point, but suddenl
. made up my mind.
s That's right. Don't let them bluff yor
s Somebody means to, all right, and there
. no knowing but I passed along and lei
s her. I could stand no more just then.
s The meeting opened smoothly and al
3 most prosily. I called the members t
: order, said the usual thing about OF
8 gathering once more after a pleasant sum
9 mer, and expressed the wish that til
8 coming season would see us all more
s earnest than ever before. The same sent
s ments club presidents always express {
j: the October meetings. Then the secre
: taries read reports that were months oil
< OiO AhO Committees rropOrCG
. progress" the audience listening sleepil,
. until the item new business WI
. reached. Then, like the sudden surnme
. breeze before a shower, the audient
8 rustled and sat upright. =
. Various ~semi-important matters can
s up and were discussed tentatively. It we
cx, a Warm day, lacking entirely in that Wig,
~ and crispness one expects Of October ar
10 enthusiasm was lacking, except for tt
re- subtle expectation of something excitir
eer later on. Finally:
I'LL rs there any more new business?''
We asked. If not, a motion to adjourn w
be in order"
Then a woman arose in the back pa
Of the roon-one Of a group who hs
been whispering together.
Madam President" she began in
strong, self-reliant voice. Some of us a
- annoyed and chagrined at being the T.
al c1pients Of anonymous letters, attackir
he our club, its officers and principles.
there had been but one of these, it wou
. perhaps be best to ignore that one: b
there are many who are receiving
" copy Of the original letter or others equal
as bad. And we desire that something
done about it,
Of No sooner had she finished than sever
,ce others were on their feet.
The Il hope, Madam President said on
rio that we may take his o%pportunity, n
only to trace the writer Of these letter
not but to purify and. simplify our electf