Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-04-15
CHAPTER xIX.-iContinued.)

IL Il move a vote OF censufe from TINS
hoard for the woman who has disgraced
us" Two feeble seconds were heard, but
there were also Kisses. Then Mrs. Henry
rose and her calmness seemed to lull the
settling elements in the room.
Madam President" she began in her
smooth. well -modulated tones, Il will ask
the last speaker to withdraw her motion,
with instructions to the secretary not to
mt il upon he records" A chorus of
II second he motion" arose. But Mrs.
Henry went on calmly: Such a motion
would be an infinitely greater stigma
unon the club than the fact that some
man has named his shoe for us. / re-
Great this whole occurrence as much as
is reasonable; none of us desire the kind
Of publicity which will attend such adj
yertising. but. Madam President, | wish
10 say emphatically that we are in dan
Ger of making ourselves ridiculous" She
turned to the other ladies. Our presi
dent may have been a little unwise, but
only from the fact of her youth and in
nocence. "A sneer from my foe.) But
rs a board we. to woman, should stand
bv her now After the last speaker has
consented to withdraw her motion, /
wish to put another"
| looked at my enemy For the mo-
mcnt | withdraw it, she said ungra.
ciously, but I will not promise not to
present it again"
Then | move" pursued Mrs Henry in
even tones, that we as an executive
board write a carefully worded letter to
this enterprising manufacturer and beg
him to drop the name 'Nota Bene' and
adopt another, Offering if necessary, to
help select a suitable one in its place"
This motion was heartily seconded.
and | FASTENED to put it, Three women
refused to vote, but the remainder were
counted in the affirmative. \ commit
tee was appointed and a recess was taken
while they prepared the document.
When the meeting came to order again,
every member of the board signed the
following letter:
TO John A. Biggs-Dear Sir: At a
meeting of the executive board of the
Nota Bene club this afternoon. it was
unanimously voted to request you not
to use the name which we have made
famous by our beloved club, as the title
of your shoes. We will help you to
select better name, meeting you at any
hour You may designate but we cordial
" protest against your appropriation OF
our name"
Before the special meeting of the club.
which was held the next week, the fol-
lowing letter came in reply:
TO the Executive Board of the Nota
Bene Club-Ladies: | have your favor
of the Doth ultimo, and hasten to ac-
knowledge it. At the same time | regret
that do not see my way clear to change
the name of my shoe, which your presi-
dent will tell you is a good one, and will
reflect nstre on your honorable associa-
ton l thank you for your offer to help
me select another name, but | am quite
satisfied with the one l have chosen.
And | have the honor to be. your very
ob't servant. JOHN. A Riggs
he special meeting was a repetition of
thls, with more women to add to the
confusion, and a few to back up Mrs.
Henry and save the situation from be-
coming completely ridiculous The rec
ofds OF the board meeting were read to
The club, the officers seeming to stand bv
me, with two or three exceptions. One
woman complained openly that I had
used the club stationery, though how she
Knew l could not tell. And the upshof
Of the meeting was another letter to
John Blggs. demanding in strong terms
mat he give up the use of our name. and
Aintlng at legal proceedings in the event
of his refusal.
WITHIN five days came his reply, ad-
dressed to the whole club:
regret exceedingly that the good
Iodies OF the Nota Bene club do not en-
UIe!F appreciate my cordial intention of
paying them compliment in naming
Ivy shoe the 'Nota Bene,' but must re.
Ile'ate mat 1t is impossible to change
as Tor the matter of legal proceedings
would advise, while YOU are at liberty
10 appeal to whatever authorities Won
may choose, that you should not be
nasty. As | have registered the name
NV'' bene' as my trademark. it will be
UNDERSTOOD that nothing now can pre-.
leIt my using it, and in fact. that If it
1S''e 70 question of the giving up of
l.c name, it would be necessary for the
'-'' 10 md another. as we now own it
,'" ohy by our sufferance can the club
use 1t any longer. At the same time
we are honored by such use of the name
I'd" trust that you will still continue IFS
4"i'ofa0le and intelligent conduct as in
men | showed this to nv collca cues
'ney fairly gasped.
;,5 IlSnI, sad Mrs. Henry. "The
."'Se says il he has it registered as a
,'"eehlarE we can do nothing. Now. let
US try to settle the thing, and quiet the
'eI'4Foed spirits who think their honor
las been impeached."
IN But we had not seen the last of it.
= ne next month in all the leading maya
mere was a full paoe advertise
mght of the Nota Bene shoe. giving not
Ally 'he history of the affair, but repro
Guelng the correspondence, even to the
IMPRINT Of our club stationery, which
ta"e near being the last straw that
broke the back Of the opposition. Then
54e newspapers took it up. and we came
u, ~ iof our share of ridicule as well as
'"e sympathy of few club women.
You see" said Minnie Morrison. st
mas eeen simply too good to keep. Club
nIlheh don't know how funny they arc
, @nea they LET themselves loose. Here
'Ne' We been blaming you and talking Of