The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-21
I7HE
or Club WOMAN
BY AGNES SURBRIDGE. Copyright, 100.
CHAPTER I.

not to have achieved matrimony by
the time one was rs was evidence OF
some lack Of charm, mental or, worse
yet, physical; where to 60 on to middle ne
drop into the deadliest level Of insig-
niicance possible to women. So, when
during the summer | reached my
twenty-frst birthday, Joseph Henning
came down from Chicago to our little
town in Kansas to visit his aunt, our
neighbor, and fell in love with me, I
accepted the proposal the gods pro-
He was well established as a retail
Entered the little flat of five rooms over
the store, which he had fitted up for
his bride, I felt that my career had
opened in most pleasing fashion. How
well / remember them! The tiny par
Tor, with it's lowered tapestry carpet,
its peacock-blue plush furniture, it's
handicapped table, it's cheap Noting
ham lace curtains, it's Rogers statuary
In the bay window! The little dining
room at the back, with its one window
looking out on a cherries brick wall,
the struggling light from which merci.
fully concealed the cheap rawness OF
the ornate but rickety ash sideboard,
Che questionable, and toned down the
4 garnishness of Desdemona and Othello
In the g~ilt-framed chrome on the wall!
The bedroom, with it's walnut cham
Der set, overlooking the side street and
the little kitchen beyond! But it was
beautiful to my inexperienced eyes,
country brides, I knew nothing and was
happy-for O time.
q I pass over the first months, when
city life as seen, from the second floor
Of q suburban block was full of variety;
when acquaintance were few and my
husband was reasonably attentive, for
q man whose one object was to make
money. After all, as 1 look back now 1
sometimes think I was happier then
than I shall ever be again; for it is the
unambitious woman, ignorant of real
life, who is the contented woman.
At. first l did my own Homework,
with a woman in to scrub and wash; In
our little Kansas village, to "keep
help" unless one was an invalid or
lived on a big farm, was a mark Of
shiftlessness. My German mother was
a skilled hausfrau, and I had been care
fully trained, so that when I took pos
session of my little flat the idea Of a
servant did not occur either to my hus-
band or to me.
But in due course of time a baby
came, and the next year another. A
little girl to mind the first baby was
added to our menage, but with the Sec
ond came weakened nerves and over
work, and h began the Dynasty of
the Servant Girl in the House of Hen
ming; ; ,,
husband, lin doing wei! enough now,
so we can afford it. Babies come high,
but we have to have 'em,' with which
original remark he would toss little
: Joey up in the air after a most un-
hygienic fashion-if we had only
known it.
haven't explained, have 7, that
was "Johnnie' when 1 came into
this mundane sphere and disappointed
my expectant parents, who, in fond
speculation. My father had an %inspira-
zion: -
mCall her Johnaphene," he said.
S9,That'n do for a new-fangled girls
name. And Johnaphene I was chris
tened. But I was "Johnnie" to him
until his dying day; and my husband
also delighted in that e%uphonious word.
~ had not yet realized it's o%utlandish-
ness. % ~, :.
l was fond Of my babies, and for a
year or two found them a comfort in
- spite OF THEM and my w ilI-health,
But as my husband g business extended
his work kept him more than ever away
from home. The novelty Of city life
wore away; my Illusions were dispelled:
the constant din of, the street and the
sameness OF our rather dingy thorofare
wore on my nerves. All at once life
grew inexpressibly tame. I recalled the
ilttle town in Kansas, with it's straight,
: long street, it's one shallow stream or
creek, with ~overhanging willows and
Escottonwoods; but it was not home
#longed tor; Rather I was like the
young bird, happy in its nest for a
season. but at last feeling the inevita-
Bile stir Of something puisating in its
blood-,something indefnable, mex.
pressible, irresistiblel Out beyond our
street, with it's clang of traffic and its
Sunceas1ng procession Of common peonle
was a great world-a world of beapti,
5iul things, where dwelt companionable
Women strong men. I had read few
With Wits the ani ind Papets' lie s~ontenting myself
no interest beyond the four walls that
pound her home. But now I felt The
$ampassloned call for a chancellor an.
probation, If you please.
IS this impulse that comes So
strong TO- the modern woman, compel.
ling her to demand for herself more of
that freedom and broadness of vision
that her husband and brothers have en-.
E9oyed for yearsf
It was about that time that I be.
gan TO read the society columns of
the Sunday papers. Heretofore nv
absorbed all my time 9 and att nae
sslon, but with failing health and
g disposition to lie on lounges T heoan
to read more, and nothing in ali AZ
Bworld.s progress SO absorbed nv in.
Eterest as the descriptions Of sociatv
Women Not that I knew enough of nv
HHnlcago to discriminate among them
Bless you, no.! A pink tea on the
ragge edge OF South Chicago was to
ne as fascinating as a dinner dance on
ttne Lake Shore drive. 1 did not vet
Know the difference between the wife
Hof a grocer who sells pork over tbe
counter and the scornful dame whose
husband IS Tin pork on a wholesaIe
Aecale. But I was destined to learn
Llons-musical, literary, foreign-
zane 70 Chicago, and the paper
Seemed with reports of entertainmpnt
on their account. DESCRIPTIONS 81
gowns worn at these places became a.
entertaining as, and more imnnrtant
Ehan, the Bankruptcies on the Woman;
began to wonder how Womb
look IN an evening gown. And. ahaI
confess it9 I even went ~ far e end =
gut down an old black silk low on The
shoulders, Just to crafty this strange
and one night, when the chill
Eeren were asleep and the maid was ont
z did my hair up very high and NM or
NE loW-cut waist for the first time in
my life. Naturally, I looked in 1ha
mirror and saw there what did not las.
zen my growing discomfort.
EEL had always been considered 1. Az