Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-04-29
The Confessions Of A
70 @ a Club Woman.
AGNES sURBRDGE.
cHAPTER XXII.-lContinued.l
BY AGNES sURBRIDGE.

house. listened to his retreatlng foot
etons and then went to my room, where
! possed the most wretched night of my
1;fe I reviewed the whole of my married
1;fo and went carefully over my club
oareer: and it honestly seemed to me
that | was a much abused woman. |
bod no chance for broad culture before
nv marriage, and very little afterward
mill | Joined the women's club. 1t did
not occur to my aching heart that what
had sought in the latter was not ex-
octlv a broad and liberal culture; it suf-
6cpd that it had brought a new element
into nv life. As to my acquaintance
NTH the count, felt that / had achieved
an FPISODF-one worthy to be writ
Ton in capitals. | had done no actual
wrong. and the fact that had improved
my husbands absence to become involved
in q desperate and somewhat vulgar fir
tation did not yet stand out before me in
true colors. No, l was a very unhappy
woman. but | had not the perspicacity
to blame myself for it.
I slept ftfully, and finally Weakened
late, half expecting to see my husband
return to breakfast, but he neither came
ror sent me any word. There was a
committee meeting that morning, fol
lowed by an II o'clock lecture, with the
opening meeting of the Nota Bene in the
afternoon. | dressed carefully and went
ont. thanking my stars that | had my
clubs as consolation when an obdurate
husband chose to be as unpleasant as OBJ
durate husbands can.
The legislative committee met at Mrs.
Henry's. and as she was chairman | had
no unpleasant experiences there. The
lecture, too. was at her house, and was
rot too abstruse for comfort, the young
man who gave it having a pleasant voice
and a poetic face. When it was over, a
select few staid for luncheon, and al
though the lecturer was too apparently
devoted to Mrs Bainbridge to please me,
we had really delightful time. But
the first meeting of the season at the
Nota Bene club was not its most charm
ING one. 1t was a business meeting, when
no outsiders were allowed, and as the
fact that anonymous letters had been
written-and probably by some one in
the club--had leaked out, there was a
larger attendance than | had ever seen
at a purely business session. Minnie
Morrison was on hand early and stopped
me at the back of the hall.
Il say" she began in a whisper. "is
there going to be scrap? Are they
going to bring up the shoes and the per-
fumery again? Because l must be in at
the death, you know"
A scrap? No." answered, as if not
understanding.
20, about the anonymous letter." she
replied. pm told you will sift this mat
ter to the bottom"
Well shall not refer to it in any
way" | returned in my Hottest fashion.
why. it's all over town." she replied.
Every blessed member who can get here,
will, this afternoon. And / say, look
out for 'enl. And please tell me, shall
you run for president again ?"
Certainly shall" l had been little
undecided on this point, but suddenly
made up my mind.
That's right. Don't let them bluff
you. Somebody means to, all right and
there's no knowing" but | passed along
and left her. l could stand no more Just
then.
The meeting opened smoothly and al
most prosily. | called the members to
order, said the usual thing about our
gathering once more after pleasant
summer, and expressed the wish that the
coming season would see us all more in
earnest than ever before. The same
sentiments club presidents always ex-
press at the October meetings Then the
secretaries read reports that were months
Old, and the various committees reported
progress, the audience listening sleep
NY, until the item new business" was
reached. Then, like the sudden summer
breeze before shower, the audience
rustled and sat upright.
various semi important matters came
up and were discussed tentatively. 1t
was warm day, lacking entirely in that
Fgor and crispness one expects Of De-
tober, and enthusiasm was lacking, cx-
cePt Tor the subtle expectation Of some
thlng exciting later on. Finally.
Is there any more new business?' |
asked. IF not, motion to adjourn will
be in ORDER
men a woman arose in the back part
OF the room-one of n group who had
been whispering together.
Madam President" she began in a
strong, selfreliant voice. "Some of us
are annoyed and chagrined at being the
recipients OF anonymous letters attack
ing our club, its officers and its pTinci-
pes, II there had been but one of these,
IL would perhaps be best to ignore that
enc; but there are many who are receiv-
ing copy of the original letter or others
equally as bad. And we desire that
something be done about it."
NO soon had she finished than several
others were on their feet.
hope, Madam President" said one,
mat we may take this opportunity,
not only to trace the writer of these let
@fs but to purify and simplify our
election methods. As it is now. the club
mas utterly no chance to elect its off
GERS. A slate is made up by a picked
nominating committee, brought in here
ana rallroaded through. We have no
enane ! to vote for people we really
You have. if you had the courage Of
your convictions" retorted third. It's
ycur own fault"