The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-03
MOT HER OF CLUBDOM
. IS PET OF CONVENTION ON.
GIFTED MRS. RUNCIE HAS Ro
MANTIC HISTORY.
Is Educated by Teachers Of Royalty in
Germany, Becomes Preacher in Her
Native Town, and Finally Marries
Bishop Descends from Kings on.
! Both Sides. M. 81

: No one has received more Of an ova-
,tion at the biennial than Mrs. Con
stance Faunt LIE Roy Runcie of st. j o.
tseph, Mo-, the founder Of the first 4
woman IS club, who has been made an
honorary vice president of the general
fedora ton. \ 49, -; l. :. :
AAnd while the club women were
still clapping some one from the press
table sent up a slip of paper asking my
age. I wanted to: write back, how old
do you think9' y .laug hed the 7O-year-
old woman who has more enthusiasm
even than the average club woman. L..
When she was II Mrs. Runcie, went
to Stuttgart, Germany, where she
studied languages and music. Her tu::
tors were those employed blythe royal
family. As she herself .phrased it: 81.
knew just how to rise from chair, /
knew. just how far to advance to meet
an acquaintance or just how far for. a
friend, if receiving in my own home.
/ learned how to approach the queen.
Oh, T was quite a model young
/ Returns to Her Home. =: s: ::
I Her studies finished, carefully reared,
well versed in the. conventions Of life,
possessing a splendid education, she re.
thinking town, where the Sunday was
spent in card playing and dancing and
things religious were not to be men
toned When she arrived she found
a small Episcopal chapel had been built
+ by young clergyman who had aban-
doned his work. With the fearlessness
Of youth Mrs. Runcie sent word to the
s"I preached that night and I
preached the next Sunday and then I
fpreached three years in that little
church because the people liked; it and
wanted me and they packed the
l church, she said "Finally number
Of them wanted to be baptized, SO
1 wrote to a minister in a neiighboring
preaching If he would do the baptizing
l Then the bishop sent man to see what
the young lady he had heard Of was
doing.D Here she hesitated and d
CLEAN of humor sparkled in her eye
"He came down. to see this yyouna
woman and then--we got married. HI
was James Runcie.' 49, =
It was in New Harmony that the
> Minerva club was organized and it,
founder, Mrs. Runcie, was elected the
first president. This club has now thu
, distinction of being the first woman 4
club in. the United States. = (:
First Club Organized 5.s ~
( The -Bronte club was organized Ill
, 1855 in Madison, Ind. Even now Mrs
| Runcie is actively engaged in clul
Il ton Of perpetual president of a club
The .Runcie, club in St. Joseph ha
3 about eighty members and it holds al
g Of its meetings at Mrs. Rnncie's home
. The whole first floor consists of on
: ROOM g was my own architect" sh
playfully, "and l. have it jus
s Ias / wanted it, one large room with
d big chimney in the center. Of 1t. ~ y ;.
= E9$Music has not been forgotten even i
d her busy life. An opera figures anon
d Eher achievements, and she has. write
! many atshorter works. Some of thes
f have been orchestrated and played b
81, John Philip Sousa. IT,. -. :.
htthat my music sounded as tho "a ma
had written, it. - A few years ago tn
ttPhilhafmonic club of Kansas City CAV
a, benefit recital for Mrs. Runcie, tn
l program Of which was made entirel
l from her own music. .. Is.
/ - > Comes from Royalty.
n Mrs. Runcie has a romantic lineag
4 tdescending from royalty as she doe
1 on both sides. She is granddaughte
Of Robert Owen, and related to til
L Earl and Countess Of Breadalbone an
4 the Earl and Countess of Hallam an
i Lord Colin Campbell, governor gener'
Il |,of Gibraltar. She is a cousin Of s.
| Guy Campbell, who married the beaut
! full Pamela, daughter Of Madame :
/ Genlis. On her fathers side sl
claims Viscount Lord Faunt LIE Ro
who came to America in 1888. HI
\ grand aunt was the famous lowlar
beauty who twice refused the hand {
George Washington, and her doub
cousin married one Of the famous Pa
HEterson sisters, one of whom became tt
wife of Jerome Bonaparte.
Many honors have come to Mrs. Ru
/ cie, but there is none she prizes mo
highly than those conferred by Il
way to France, where it will be plac,
among the collection Of portraits =
the world g famous women in the Bi
/ leotheque National at Paris. =. -. !: