The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-04
The Confessions Of a Club Woman
~ :~ BY AGNES SURBRZDGE Copyright 1870.
BY AGNES SURBRZDGE.
CHAPTER IX.-Continued,

CHAPTER IX.-Continued.
Those who think the real excitement
OF a biennial begins with the opening
OF being one Of the hundreds of women
who journey to the great convention Of
clubs by, special. train: One of the un-
|forgetable mornings of my life was that
when I slipped quietly off to Omaha,
leaving my mother in charge Of the
house, and giving the babies hurried
goodbye: Joe had gone early to bust
ness. He seldom took the trouble now
to say. goodbye to me, and I had not
deemed it wise to make this morning
different from another by insisting on
an affectionate farewell; for I had not
enlightened him as to my plans, and
when Mrs. Parsons reported having met
him the week before and spoken Of my
going to the Biennial as a matter Of
course, and he had answered, "She ism It
going. You're mistaken, madam I
had felt it incumbent upon me to evolve
some shrewd method Of outwitting him.
was fully determined to 90, let it
cost what it would in the way Of family
peace.
The familiar waiting room at the sta
ton wore festive atmosphere that
morning, as the groups Of smiling, mid,
dle-aged women gathered and saluted
each other. The air fairly quivered
with expectant longing as the crowd Of
delegates greeted each other cheerily,
or babe affectionate farewells to the
friends who were seeing them off. An
occasional husband was there, carrying
parcels and wraps and flowers, attentive
fessed that most of US were departing in
single blessedness. I thought. of Joe in
his office down town, innocently suppos-
ing me safe at home, If he took the
trouble to think Of me at all. My con-
science asserted itself at the last mo-
ment, and I was at the point Of tele-
phoning him; but the special train was
Of bag and wrap-gathering, and a grand
rush for the train. Even then stood
irresolute, when Miss Morrison seized
my bag and arm with jolly" Come on
you II be left, and that brilliant paper
would not be read.' And in two min:
utes I was scrambling into the cal, and
hunting for seat with the rest OF the
: eager, smiling crowd.
!: It was a lovely June day and the ride
across the rolling farm lands Of Illinois
: and Iowa was delightful change from
the hurry and hustle Of Chicago. To be
) an ordinary traveller in the usual ex
, press train is one thing, while to be a
passenger in special train, where one &
fellows, are agreeable, even o1. dist, IN
RulSutSl, WOlucu" u SuACuA al.
3 ,1efnement-7" on pleasure bent''.it
3 niightfall. The visits between occupants
Of different cars, the gatherings in the
, observation car attached to the rear
t and monopolized in the ordinary trai1
: by the men, even the caucuses'A hello
: in the detested smoking compartments
of our sleepers put another phase on the
y. limitations of ordinary travel.
On thru great fields Of moving grain
past vineyards Of tender green, whose
waving tendrils seemed to toss goot
wishes after us, thru peach and apple
orchards and across the ragged edges 9;
! peaceful hamlets and struggling vii
|. lagos, with heeting pictures Of com
+ and herds of sleek, handsome cattle, al
2 stamped with prosperity, we few, I
= laughing, chattering, care-free. lot @
:, women; care-free because we had LET
+ all the duties of home behind, and de
4 liberately made up our minds to be gay
- But before night was called into tn
y "drawing-room which Mrs. Parson
y chatter and laughter had not entirel.
q eclipsed the purposes of our leaders. /
: short, I made the discovery that a spe
~ cial train for the Biennial without it
! electioneering features would be a.
anomaly. Before my berth was made VI
> that night knew not only who were t.
q be candidates for the chief offices in tn
% National Federation, but also for whom
y I was expected to cast my vote. An
gate may not have a mind of her ow,
i in such matters, but is expected, If sh
Il be nice, popular and well-regulate
L delegate, to vote as the leaders in he
q state should dictate. I learned, toe
% that Mrs. Parsons was looked up to a
:. a state leader, and that, privately, sh
q would not be averse to accepting :.
e confidence, was made to understan
r that T was to work for that end. VIII
% not, since it was thru her influence tina
ee I was representing the great; induentia
It Nota Bene, Of which she was the illus
e triousl presidents
q Amid 80 much that was absorbing an
delightful, on train that took us swift
- ly thru new and picturesque country
H. it. is small wonder that / gave littl
n thought to my home; altho occasionall
u thru the day vision Of my mother
y tired, patient face or the baby g appea
q ing arms came to me, and found mysel
T. wondering what Joe g face would be lik
it when he should find that I had defe
70 him and gone away. But I resolutel
n self over to the intoxication Of being
D. not unimportant member Of q body 9
.. women delegates.
sr At 6 o'clock our train stopped at
|e little junction in Iowa, and several 9
IS us alighted, availing ourselves in quit
4 masculine fashion Of the opportunity
10 exercise in the open air. That was m
le chance, and I sought out the little tel
r graph office with7a sense Of businessik
/. efficiency. A few minutes more and
message was flying eastward: a.
Puddingstone. lows.
To Joseph Henning, Chicago:
I am of for Omaha. Back in two week
Address Grand Blank Hotel. Johnnie.
IT Then I climbed back into my car wit
;, q relieved conscience; Joe would be fur
v Gus, but he would have plenty Of tin
=. to get over it before I arrived hon
again.
We reached Omaha in the mornin
A crowd Of blue-ribbon- badged womt
C. were on the platform to meet and we
n. come us, and in short time we hs
b. been escorted to the Grand Blank al
w assigned to our rooms in a breezy, Of
tn hand fashion that put us, every one,
n our ease. +.
IL A great modern hotel given over
nomenclature you ever seen it'll HUI