The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-29
The Confessions Of a Club Woman
Copyright. 1909.

Doubtless, no one present need be told
that we have come together to take action
with regard to the advertising Of a shoe
which has been named for the Nota Bene
club she began while no member
of the board can more deeply deplore the
existing state Of things than I, at the
same time I wish to impress upon you
all the Importance Of our going deliberate
ly about what we wish to do. We must
not antagonize the firm who are doing
this most offensive advertising, and we
must prevail upon them to change the
name Of their shoe. It seems to me wa
have a very delicate problem on :. our
hands,
zone we cannot be too quick to under
take" interrupted one of tho vice pres
idents. (There were f1ve.) Il think as
an executive board we have right to
demand the particulars-the beginnings Of
this very extraordinary situation. Who
ever is responsible should be called to
explain the affair."
with full apologies, ., put in one Of the
secretaries.
"Will the person who has brought this
upon the club come forward and state
her case?" broke in Mrs. Quincy Palgrave,
abruptly. looked at Mrs. Parsons and
she nodded her head. ."G. .-.
"Will Mrs. Parsons kindly take the
chair?' I rose with dignity to the occa-
sion.- ''Thank you. Now, ladies, am the
guilty party. I grieve to say that have,
though most unwittingly, brought this
calamity on our heads. But I need not
tell you how sorry I am, nor how utterly
overcome with establishment and regret
I was when I found what had happened.
man came to see me-a gentleman.
He said ne was trying to persuade a
number of prominent women, club wom
en-you, ladles-to be kind enough to
wear some of his boots, simply and solely
that he might have your intelligent opin-
ion whether they might be improved. He
put the case so we'll that I was induced
to give my consent-and, In short, ia
accept the shoes on that condition.
supposed you, too, ladies, were wearing
them also" ~.
Never offered 'em to me-" interrupted
one. -.
Nor me-" added another.
Nor to u.s. said several more.
"This I could not or did not deem il
Of consequence to KNOW I said haughtily
| Wondering If this was not the reason
why we were now met in solemn conclave
over a. pair of shoes). II wore the boots
and, ladies, they are. excellent ones
never wore better. And thought NJ
more about it, until the manufacture
wrote a few days ago, asking If ! ha(
any Improvement to suggest. I wrote
him politely, saying the shoes were a:
nearly perfect as he might hope to make
| them
I was Interrupted by small chorus O
| groans. s.And how innocent she was!'
muttered the secretary to her next neigh
Dor. .. g..
''Then he wrote me the following let
ter" I produced his epistle Informing
me that he was to name the shoe aftel
the Nota Bere. and also my reply. will
his second. "Now, ladies'" I concluded
with dignity, 1.-THE matter is in YOU
hands I did not dream of any harm ii
what I did, short sighted though I ma!
have been.'' I swept back to my position
and took u, the gaYel again with m!
| haughtiest air. Six women were on thei
feet before I sat down.
Madam President" they began II
unison MADAM President!' they re-
! peated after one another with shr1l
crescendo. The situation was a grave one
I knew not which to recognize, but the
tension gave way as one Of the Older
women sank swooning into her seat
When she had been sufficiently revived
NV particular enemy rose to her feet.
| MADAM Chairman she began severe
w. II move a vote of censure from th1i
board for the woman who has dlsgrace(
u.s." Two feeble seconds were heard, but
there were also Kisses. Then Mrs. Henry
| rose. and ner calmness seemed to lul
the seething elements in the room.
| MADAM PRESIDENT she began in he1
smooth. well-modulated tones, II will ash
the last sneaker to withdraw her motion
with instructions to the secretary not tt
put it upon the records" A chorus OF :"
second the motion" arose. But Mrs
Henry went on calmly: Such motor
would be an infinitely greater stigma upor
the club than the fact that some man ]1a:
named his shoe for us. T regret this whole
occurrence as much as is reasonable: none
of us desire the kind Of publicity which
will attend such advertising, but. Madam
President, wish to say emphatically tina
we are in danger Of making ourselves
! ridiculous'' She turned to the othe1
ladies'. "Our president may have been :
little unwise, but only from the fact O.
her youth and innocence. "a sneer from
NV foe.) But as a board we, to WON
an. should stand by her now. After the
last speaker has consented to withdraw
her motion, wish to put another
I looked at my enemy. For the mo
ment I withdraw it," she said ungracious
| ly, but ! Will not PROMISE 1ot " pAeSeA
it again. -"
''Then I move" pursued Mrs. Henry II
| even tones, "that we as an executive
board write carefully worded letter tt
this enterprising manufacturer and beg
him to drop the name 'Nota Bene' ant
adopt another, offering, If necessary, tt
| help select suitable one in it's place."
! This motion was heartily seconded. ant
I fastened to put it. Three women re-
fused to VOTE but the remainder were
! counted in the affirmative. A committee
was appointed and recess was take1
while they prepared the document. Wher
the meeting came to order again, every
member Of the board signed the follow.
| ing letter:
ITO John A. Biggs: Dear Sir-At :
meeting of the executive board Of the
NotaL Bene club this afternoon, 1t Wa!
| unanimously voted to request you not t.
use the name which we have made IA
nous by our beloved club, as the title O
your shoes. We will help you to selec
a better name, meeting you at any houl
YOU may designate: but we cordially pro
! test against your appropriation OF oul
name"
To Be Continued Next Saturday
/ The Japanese 'hello'' at the telephone I
..moshi moshi'' or 'ano ne,' with the accen
on the "nay."