The San Francisco call., 1905-02-13
Legislature Asked
10 H3nOf Juni-
D6rO Sierra.
Other Matters Of
Civic Concern
Discussed.
BY LAURA BRIDE POWERS.


The fourth annual convention Of the
California Federation of Women's $
clubs has passed into history.
Like al phrases of history it has its
lights and its shadows, its tragedies
and its comedies. But the consensus. of
opinion is-among the delegations from
the north-that the comedy leads. In
me southland the classification is yet
IN the air; but doubt not that a laugh
Is on every Lip, now that the thing is
over and done
The train bearing the State president,
mrs George Law Smith; the CORE
spending secretary, Mrs. Arthur Corn
van; the recording secretary, Mrs.
MacClouth of San Jose, and the rest of
the northern delegations (numbering
about S00) reached Los Angeles at the
dismal hour Of 2:30 a. m. the rains of
sunday night having caused terrific
washouts on the road and necessitating
a crawling pace al the treacherous
spots
When these three hundred women
tumbled out OF the train with bags and
suit cases-nO bandbOxes, happily-a
wall Went up for the hospitality COM
mlttee, the reception committee or any
Olo committee to direct them whence
And the night wind answered the CALI
Nary committed Nary a
policeman Nary" a cab-but twoi
And they hadn't the appearance of sta
bility that would warrant a heavy
load. Besides there were two dinkey
little street cars, changing their bells
TO hurry up," and we did-those of
US who were leet-footed.
With bag and grip we clambered
aboard till the cars looked like
stalactite caves in winter-women
hanging from the roofs, backs, sides
everywhere, and a few men on the
roofs.
OF course IL was funny-awfully
funny. But suddenly it was discov-
cred that the Santa Clara delegation
had been lost in the shuttle. But being
an hour Of every man for himself, on
we went to the Van Nuys Hotel, where
the president and her party had Sc
cured rooms by telephone and letter a
week previous.
Arriving there the clerk was found
TO be a good actor. Rooms for Mrs
smith and party? Why we haven't re-
served any rooms for that name. There
are but two unoccupied rooms in the
house" Fancy, two rooms for thirty
women. and dead tired at that.
Now. that clerk will probably never
WOO or wed a clubwoman. We all of
us. in solo and in chorus, told him
what we thought of him, his hotel and
Of Los Angelesi And he only smiled
But he smiled the smile of a man who
was doomed TO the gallows but had re-
solved to meet his fate like a hero, for
which fortitude we all admired him
the day after.
Then there was telephoning in hot
haste and skirmishing over town for
rooms, and two by two the mob van
ished-and the clerk still lives.
81 4. .T1 :
the busy stage hunting for lodgings,
but he hadn't a ghost Of a show at the
counter He strutted about outside the
ring and contracted his optics at the
clerk-brave little chapi-but il didn't
DO him any good. He had to wait until
that mob Of clubwomen was pacified,
which brought the hands Of the town
clock UP to 4:30, and then Mr.. Green
way sank to rest in the linen closet
the best the hotel could offer. And tits
said he dreamed a dream of clubWomen
scrambling and climbing, even as the
Lilliputians of old over the possessions
Of CULVER.
Meanwhile Mrs. George Law Smith,
the president Of the State. was pro-
vided for. But her guard Of honor had
10 desert her and seek a few hours
rest elsewhere, in hayens hunted UP by
a few dear men in the sweet name of
charity.
The Santa Clara County delegation? =?
Oh, most Of it couldn't get on the cars
the two little antedeluvian cars-nor
in the two superannuated hacks" and
they couldn't walk up to town, so they
spied a little hotel near the depot
which in weary desperation they
sought. IT proved to be a "darky
roost," but they stayed there, huddled
in cooperative fashion. until daylight
broke. The women christened it "The
Maison Dore" and registered under as
sumed names. And those names will
ever stand on that darktown register
in testimonial of Los Angeles hospital
ity-
Who was TO blame?
Why. the rain, of course. Then the
stubborn tendency of the earth to dis
integrate, followed by the solicitude Of
the train people to avoid a wreck.
No one thought for a minute to
blame the reception committee. IT
wasn't nice. don't you know, to sit up
till o'clock waiting for a stupid
train that persists in coming in late.
It was the rain. On that the northern
delegates have unanimously agreed.
The rain might have fallen in other
places. Therefore resolutions were
adopted forbidding the falling of rain
he next time Los Angeles bids for the
federation gathering.
In spite Of an abridged nights rest.
Mrs. George Law Smith was promptly
On hand at $3.50 Tuesday in Simpson