New-York tribune., 1907-01-04
THE CLUB wOMAN's HUSBAND.

1ftE CLUB WOMAN'S HUSBAND.
Perhaps, if all clubwomen found as much
humor in their club life as Mrs Sarah Platt
Decker. president Of the General Federation.
does in hers, the clubwoman and the womans
club would not be the butt for so many jests
as they Writing in THE Woman's Home
Companion" for January on The Amusing Side
of Club Life Mrs. Decker says that the
woman's club jokes have entirely banished the
''mother-in-law' joke from the funny papers.
have sidestepped the widow and are rapidly
overtaking the ice man and the summer
boarder." This seems too good to be true and
as fact t ts not quite true as Miss Agnes
Repplier had occasion to remind a New York
audience the other day: These jokes will be
very much older than they are-and so shall we
before they finally give up the ghost"
That the clubwoman joke IS, however a very
good joke indeed is certain, especially when it
happens 10 be complicated With the right 10 vote
as in four states. Here. according TO Mrs.
Decker, the suffering clubwomen have been writ.
ten up and written down. have been memorial
lied, petitioned and "concatenated." They have
been a target for all sorts Of questions. such as.
What has the grandmother done with the bal
lot?' What has the mother done with the bal
lot?' What has the daughter. the wife the
school teacher, the shopgirl. the woman clerk,
the white woman. the black woman. the old
woman. the young woman'-ad infuitum.
ad nauseam-"done with the ballot?' Can the
women voters keep house," DO they go TO
church," Can they read and writer"
Sometimes the more importunate qucstioners
resort 10 telegraphic interrogatves. Wire ten
words telling how many women voted last cleo
ton" Send by return mail ages Of women
voters in your state" Are the women voters
married?" How many women who voted at the
last election were divorced?"
Mrs. Decker tells some good husband stories
Here's one retailed by the president OF a great
department club in a Western city. You're the
boss of the woInan's club. 1 hear" said a big,
red faced but kindly looking fellow TO this gen.
tie president, whom he met on the street Il
want TO ask you. do you need any backing?
Because I am yours. If you do. Why I want to
tell you that bless you and the club from the
bottom of my heart You see. my wife was
ribly sad. We lost the boy year ago the only
had. and have not been so very pros
porous, but she joined the club. Why, maam,
she is a changed woman and our home is a new
place. She's so busy she don't have time to cry
and we have so much TO talk about don't
speak of troubles. You just call on me, maan,
I'm yours
There was another husband whose wife had
Joined a club. rather against his real desire. and
only on condition that she would never accept
office or allow her name TO get into the papers.
After a year or So during which the pledges
had been Simplicity obeyed. the wife debated
with him concerning the continuance of her
mem mbership. Whats the matter with you,
Maria" responded the husband. energetically.
Aren't you smart other women? have
read the club notes for two solid years, and as
far as I can see you have not even seconded
motioni" And then, forgetting his past inJunc-
ton Now, you stay in that club until you
have made some kind of mark. I can't stand
It to have this town believe I married woman
without brains"