The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-15
The Confessions Of a Club Woman
By AGNES sURBRLDGE o.s ae
BY AGNES .SElR.BRlDGE.

Among us we will arrange the affair.
Then you will wear Your most becoming
gown, and-well, is 1t worth trying?''
+ .'Oh. Phil cried. ! You were always
good to me- When shalI.-it be?''s And
we fell to discussing plans as eagerly as
children. The result was a small tho
brilliant dinner party32sat which sat next
the governor and made myself as fascinat-
ing RS I knew how; and when we parted
his excelfency had promised to attend my
"gentlemen's night with his entire staff,
and to speak at the after-dinner exercises.
This was the browning triumph of my
career SO far, and with gay heart
4 set about the ordering Of gorgeous
raiment for the occasion. Joe had left
me an 4 ample bank account for all
emergencies This was a pressing emer-
gency, in my opinion and the best dress,
maker IN Chicago, a Ihoro artist in de-
signing, was called into 'requisition The
result was dream of.beauty in soft sea-
shell pink, with :filmy laces and. deeper
rose tints, so that I was like splendid
carnation when atslast donned the gown.
The born clubleadere aided and iabetted
by a thoro club-training; is at her best,
not when just emerging from the shell
Of seclusion, but after sharpening her wits
thru hours of contact with those Of her
kind; otherwise, I should have been a
wreck when the hour for after-dinner
exercises arrived on that never-t to- be-for-
gotten night
I had been out thel night before until
midnight, Nand sat Up IN hour later pre-
pairing for my SPONTANEOUS HAPPY intro
ductions''; and SO fatigAed was that my
eyelids were still closed when my mother
brought up my breakfast tray at half
past s. Before I was out of bed there
were three telephone calls to be answered
and my new gown from madames was
waiting for the last trying on at nine.
Half an hour later was on my way in q
cab, hurryfng to the last meeting of
my reception and program committees,
when all final details must be arranged.
Here, too, were injured feelings to pe
soothed, and The need Of infinite tact; for
the flower committee had ordered violets
and smilax for the table. while my gown
called for nothing if not carnations and
roses. OF all committees, those who have
charge Of floral decorations are most sure
Of themselves, but succeeded after con-
siderable diplomacy in:5getting the order
changed. For how could a president be
expected to say the right thing in a gown
that quarreled with the flowers that sur
rounded her? How expect inspiration
from the combination Of a carnation-
coloured robe and a violet table? And
when this point was settled, there was tho
music committee to be appeased, for the
great singer whose voice was expected to
charm the highest dignitaries Of state and
city had refused to MARBLE to the ac-
compartment of our chairman, who was
just as determined to reserve that small
portion Of glory to herself. And we COM
promised only by promising the chairman
that we would give q. club musicale later
on at which she should be the chief per-
| former. Finally, at one-thirty, all these
matters had been arranged, and we separ-
ated with everything arranged to my
satisfaction.
/ Then there was a hurried luncheon at
| a downtown hotel, when I snatched a
moment to read, the morning paper and
was Mortified to, behold a two-column
wood cut Of myself alongside that of some
heretofore unknown person who had been
Ecured Of nearly all the ills to- which
| human flesh Is heir. and distorted fore
cast of the evenings program at the
Nota Bene club banquet which closed
with saying, Evidently Mrs. Jack has
come near the realization Of ier ambition
i to make the social side of the Nota Bene
even. more brilliant than it has been in
the past
4 There was a meeting Of the legislative
committee at two-thirty in Mrs. Parsons
library. had tried to excuse myself
] from this, but that lady was Obdurate. Z
TT is my pride today she observed
/ that did not neglectSa single COMMITTEES
4 meeting during my term Of office Yol
,Icertainly must not begin to excuse your.
tse1f at the very outset. It'll never, never
4 do And SO had to sit thru that houl
Of uninteresting details, conscious OF the
i preciousness Of every moment. For there
were yet manicl1ring and hairdresstns
1 establishments to be visited, and the re.
a ception began at six. Butt was ovel
at last, and was free to hurry thru thu
4 next two hours as fast as possible.
q And yet, when stood before my .nirrol
at home, arrayed In my beautiful gown
4 listening to the gathering words OF ma
a dame, who had come herselfNto attend t.
a hooking 1t and smoothing out the faintes
\ wrinkle (haying kept her girls WORKING
all the night before to completes the gown
Las / saw the admiring pride IN m.
9 Emother's eyes and the honest Alteration
Z fof the children. felt freshened and cage
4 to encounter critical audience. For sucl
! Sis the bracing power Of good clothes.
FL needed all the strength I could muster
4 for the receiving party had to stand 81
J. hour and q half, to welcome all the guests
before we were summoned to the banquet
Ing room. OF course, stood at the hea
q OF the distinguished party; next to M
! came the governor, and just below hin
} the Count de Beauvais, q French noble
man who was brought by the mayor. wit
the apology that the foreigner was max
Ing q study Of modern social conditions 4
America, and had begged 80 come an
sec this most modern affair, gentle
mems night at q wonian's club. TIL
mayor and several lesser lights stood i
J, line also, and as background to all tn
! rest, the entire STAN Sof the governor !
all Its panoply Of military glory. shal
never forget the grand splendor Of tha