The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-21

L Oo"h Ny ~ h4O " IA IL
evening bodice and thought. Here I
was, under 25 and beautiful. Had the
fates been kind, I should have been in
the smart set Of which I read SO much,
with money, a carriage, social position,
admirers. Nature had meant me for
these things. Instead, I was an insig-
nifcant married woman, the wife Of q
age when society girls were still enjoy
ing themselves, with no outlook on life,
no future. I looked in the mirror
again. Yes, my looks would fit me for
any position to which it might have
pleased society to call me. And the
Angel Of Discomfort came and sat with
me for a long time in that stuffy little
rarlor.
By and by I heard my husband put
ting up the shutters below. I few into
waist for a kimono, and hid the thing
which he would call immodest. When
he came upstairs I. was crocheting
placidly o. a hood for the baby.
CHAPTER H..
The next Sunday, my eye fell upon the
following at the head Of a Woman's
Club column =,
What does the club do for" women7
Everything. From the woman who dwells
In a-Lake Shore palace downeto the wife
Of the corner grocer, it broaden her
horizon and enlarges her. sympathies.
The club does not exist for the rich
woman alone; it is not meant for the fash
ionable lady,: except as she shares it with
her humber sisters. The woman's club
is a democratic organization 1t has a
leveling effect on every woman who joins
1t. It provides a place where the poor
and unknown woman, provided she has
the proper amount Of ambition, may meet
on terms Of equality the most famous
women of the day. The %grocer's wife,
provided she is attractive and ambitious
and tactful, may rise to as high a posi-
ton in the club as does milady who rides
in her carriage, clothed in. sables and
wearing the costliest Of jewels. It all
rests with the woman; for the club is the
middle-class woman's. opportunity.
I laid down my paper with a gasp. I
went about my preparations for church
in a dream, and sat thru. the service
without comprehending it: And when
I reached home again and my husband,
comfortable in his smoking jacket and
slippers, said, "Well Johnnie, what was
the sermon about9' T had to confess my
total ignorance Of the subject.
I could not recover my spirits even
when we went for our usual drive on
the reins over his spirited horse, or
share his pride in the pneumatic-tired
buggy which he had acquired ahead Of
all his acquaintance.
1.-The club is the middle-class WON
We were hopelessly middle-class. I
had grasped that fact in all it's hateful
ness at the same time that I had dis
covered myself in an evening dress.
Hopelessly middle-class9 No; not if
the newspaper spoke truly. Yet how to
compass it9 There was the problem.
But Fate was beginning to have an
eye on me. I had belqnged for some
nected with our church: It was a
somewhat perfunctory affair, and my at.
tendance was rather irregular, so that
my circle Of acquaintance was not
much widened. But the leader made
occasional calls on the members, and
during the week following my awakened
appeared in my little parlor. I had
always felt drawn toward. her, and had
wished might know her better: This
afternoon we got on. particularly well:
We>talked Of. domestic affairs first, and
I showed her my babies; then Of the
Bible class, and l apologlzed Tor my IN
"I'm afraid YOU re not much inter
ested, Mrs. Henning,' she said: "In
truth, I cannot wonder. Since so
many of the young women have become
active in club affairs, I think their in
terest in Sunday school work is on the
the class is steadily diminishing, and I
think seriously of asking that it. be
merged in some other and of giving up
my place at the head@ef it. To tell the
truth, my own time is pretty we'll occu;
paisd; ! belong to seven clubs and hold
This was my chance; I SEIZED it..
"Oh, if T only could join a woman g
club!''I exclaimed eagerly. I was not
Subject automatically. TIim dying here
of ennui.z I know no one outside of
home. Nobody is interested in me. I'm
dying to mingle with my kind-to do
and; be, something's A.,
Parsons; i" nothing is easier. I'll gladly
present your NAME If you really want
WANT yog to'" I exclaimed. "of
(which aieS wv Would I'D be su the eo best for oqe's yoni
There is the Browning club. Do you care
for Browning9 Nof The Self; Culture
club: Do Xog wish to join for pur..
mNot particularly',I answered truth.
fully; " s[,,a, 9 2 4b dessn n to taking ing
social iife.y i 80 :
see,"" she said; "fyou came here a
gay young girl from town where you
" Yes. To this answered. ! =
She gave little en- laugh:
Of tthis.s What you want is the-I sup
[ had to admit that was 1 was not.
"Well, then, the Nota Bene. It is
one Of the largest clubs in the state
five hundred members. There are de-
partments, and you'll have. to be en-
rolled in at least one working depart
ment; but it doesn't necessarily follow
that you III have to work. And you II
get plenty of social life. I'm one of
the secretaries in the Nota Bene, and
III work you on to the reception com
mittee. Then you'll be in for q gay
time and get in for all the social func-
nOh,i you're so goodlu / exclaimed.
How can / thank you9O :
don t try to- she responded dryly.
IF you should happen to want to do
me a good turn at any time, why-my
name is being put up by my friends fol
nHow lovelyl'tI cried. tim sure
nothing could be better. If / could only
get in in time to be Of use to you.
"sWeu-see that you do,s'' was her an
swer; "And now I must be going. Yes,
you III do well on. the retention
COMMITTEES. Pardon mo, have you a
pretty gown or. twoso
II thought Of my evening bodice and
blushed.