The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-11-14
OF Interest to Women
BY wInona Evans Reeves.

We have been called on the carpet
because we once said In The Gate
City that the Wednesday Reading
club is the oldest literary club In
Keokuk. We had mental reserva-
! ton regarding the Art club, but think
| ing of 1t as an art club rather than
literary club, the statement was
made, and now we find we are all
| wrong, but the Art club Is literary
club, too, and that 1T is more than
| twice as old as any other local club.
When we asked, How old Is the Art
club?' two or three Of the members
said, ooh, IT'S older than Jack Irwin
its just as old as Lees Ballinger. "
These were the two babies who
were brought to the club meetings by
their mothers in the early days of Its
organization. The club was organized
by Mrs. George B. Smythe thirty-four
or thirty-f1ve years ago, and then
Italian Painters, and 1t belonged to
Mrs. Jamison, the wife of the superin.
tendent Of the city schools. There
were no art books in the public IL
brary, and largely through the efforts
of this club the splendid selection of
art books now in the library were
placed there. Among the charter
members with Mrs. Smythe were
Mrs. B. F. Hagerman, Mrs. John Ran
/ kin, Mrs William A. Browne11. Miss
Mamie Smith, Mrs. John NJ Irwin
and Miss Linnie Hagerman, the last
three being still members. Organiza-
lions and clubs have come and gone,
but the Art club has kept the same
constitution, has remained unchanged
in its day and hour of meeting and
in its plan Of study. through all the
years. In some families as the Ran
kin-Irwin, three generations have be-
longed to the club. The steadfast-
ness to purpose, and the amount of
definite knowledge of art which the
club has and the pleasure and real
Joy they get out of the study is due
to Miss Hagerman who has been pres
fdent Of the club for many years. It
is she who directs the study and who
brings to the use of the club the fin
est and most exquisite books publish
ed on the subjects studied Miss Hag-
erman doesn't stand for anything
superficial either. They studied Hol-
land last year and they are still in
Holland and they will stay there un-
til they know the history of that
country, It's geography, its great men
and women in the various walks of
life, they will know how the people
live and get much of the local color,
and then they will understand the
art Of the country,-and will look with
appreciative and intelligent eyes upon
the pictures and other works of art
done by the Hollanders.
Miss Cornelia Meigs' book of stories
for children, 1.-THE Kingdom of the
Winding Road" has been published
by, the Macmillan Co. It is made up
OF twelve charming stories. the kind
and women in whose hearts there is
still youth. The book Is illustrated
i in black and white and In a number
/, Illuminate the text Someone has said
that roses would be into1erable If in
! their hearts they bore notices saying,
Honesty is the best policy and
equally so are stories intolerable in
which the moral teaching is thrust at
you in so many words. Miss Meigs
has been very artistic in the way IN
which she tells the story of the king
of the winding road, who Is lame
beggar who plays upon silver pipe
and as he Journeys. he teaches the
miser the beauty of generosity. he
teaches the prince and the princess
how easy it is to destroy the peace
and happiness Of their home and
thus be in reality homeless No story
book for children is worth anything
without Christmas in 1t and so the
last story is "The Beggar's Christ
mas Feast" and into it is brought all
the elements Of a joyous Christmas.
There is the spirit Of out of doors
through 1t all and much Of nature is
seen and enjoyed along the winding
road One who misses reading this
hook is missing something very much
worth while in its own merit. and
the pleasure in reading it is doubled
in the knowledge that Miss Meigs
wrote it.
Mr.. Francis Perry Elliott is to have
another book published soon by Harp
er's. who published Pals First. one Of
the best sellers of the year. When
this book came out a few months ago.
in the book department at Wanamak-
ers in Philadelphia, counter was
given entirely to the sale Of this one
book. fancy everyone here has read
Pals First, but If you haven't, you
still have very geraC pleasure in
store for you, for It is the most in
teresting book possible, the kind you
can't lay down until you have finished
it. The plot is so cleverly worked
out, it keeps you interested and on
the anxious seat every minute up to
the last page. To have successfgul
author living right here, ought to
make us all mind our p's and as, but
when you meet him and find him,
gracious Observation-Disclosures per-
sonified, you see demonstrated before
your eyes the truth that kindness
and simplicity Of manner are elements
Of greatness
Many Keokuk people know Mr..
Jackson Ralston, a leading attorney
in Washington. He was reared in
Quincy by his uncle. DR.. Ralston, Mrs.
P. c. Haydens father. When he was
little boy his father went into the