Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-03-25
CHAPTER XVII.

CHAPTER XVIL
After that the days were not long
enough for all had to do. There were
committees to be appointed and com
mittee meetings to attend. There were
diSgruntled members to be appeased and
my electors to be rewarded. There We're
so many letters to be written that
found it necessary to engage a secretary
for the mornings, and so many invita-
tions to club receptions and banquets, to
musical mornings and "gentlemen's
nights" that life became an inccssant
whirl. | breakfasted in bed, lunched or
went without lunch wherever | happened
to be, dined with friends at home or else
where, and gave myself to festiVity in the
evenings. There were club programmes
to be arranged, greetings and I'M
promptus" and prandial speeches to
be thought up mostly in the wee sma
hours; and. as the president of the Nota
Bene must look her part, there were
manicures and milliners, dressmakers and
hardressers to be sandwichcd in among
the busiest hours of the dav.
Then there was 'gentlemen's night" at
the Nota Bene. These annual occasions
had always been considered the most
brilliant affairs in Chicago cubdom. but
had set myself the task of making this
first one under my leadership such as no
future successor might hope to rival. UNI
less, indeed. she could twist the President
of the United States around her little
finger. or bring forth the ruler of the
United Kingdom. The mayors presence
was nothing new on these occasions: so
while | had sent young Perkins, whom
| had come to know socially, an invita-
ton to be one of the speakers. which he
promptly accepted, this was not enough.
would have nothing less than his eX-
cellency, the governor Of Illinois.
l began early to pull my wires. To
be sure. Mrs Parsons knew the man
well, but L could not ask her assistance
i'll this sci.c.ne for eclpsing her own So
cial record in the club But again for
tune favored the ambitious. 1t was
Philip Haven who helped me when | con
fided my desires and plans to him.
Let me think it over" he said, and
went away. But the next day he came
again.
Il will give a modest little dinner party
at the rectory," he said II know his
eXcellency sufficiently well to invite him.
and you, with Mrs. Parsons, shall do the
honors The governors secretary, as Won
know, is vestryman at St. Sebastian's
Among us we will arrange the affair
Then you viii wear your most becoming
gown, and-well, is it worth trying?"
ooh, PHIL" ] cried You were always
good TO me. When shall it be-" And
we fell to discussing plans as eagerly as
children. The result was Il small though
brilliant dinner party, at which | sat
next the governor and made myself as
fascinating as | knew how; and when
we parted his eXcellency had promised to
attend my gentlemen's night" with his
entire staff, and to speak at the after
dinner exercises.
This was the browning triumph of my
career ST. far. and with a gay heart /
set about the ordering Of gorgeous raj
ment for the occasion. Joe had left me
an ample bank account for all emer-
gencies. This was a pressing emergency,
in my opinion and the best dressmaker
in Chicago, a thorough artist in design
ing, was called into requisiUion. The re-
suit was dream Of beauty in soft sea.
shell pink with filmy laces and deeper
rose-tints, so that / was like a splendid
carnation when at last | donned the
gown.
The born club-leader. aided and abetted
by thorough club-tranimg, Is at her
best, not when just emerging from the
she'll of seclusion. but after sharpening
her wits through hours of contact with
those of her kind; otherwise, I should
have been a wreck when the hour for
atter-dlnner exercises arrived on that
never to be forgotten night.
| had been out the night before until
midnight, and sat up an hour later pre-
pairing for my spontaneous "happv in
PRODUCTIONS" and so fatigued was / that
my eyelids were still closed when nv
mother brought up my eakfast-trav at
.halfpast s. Before | was out of bed
there were three telephone calls to be am
swered, and my new gown from mad
ame's was waiting for the last trviny on
at 9. Half an hour later / was on my
way in a cab. hurrying to the last meet
ing of my reception and programme com
mittees. when all final details must be
arranged. Here, too, were injured feel
ings TO be soOthed, and the need of in
finite tact; for the flower committee had
ordered yiolets and smilax for the table
while my gown called for nothing if not
carnations and roses. OF all committees.
those who have charge OF floral decora
tions are most sure of themselves. but /
succeeded after considerable diplomacy
in getting the order changed. For how
could a president be expected to say the
right thing in a gown that quarrcled
with the flowers that surrounded her
How expect inspiration from the com