South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-18

Here she comes
The whisper ran from one 20 an
other OF the crowd of women m the
Assem- oily rooms OF the Lotus study
club as Mrs Helen Brainerd smith.
secretary of the club. made her be
lated entrance
To me chatting In my corner a.
her rudeness. her manner Of coming
into the room seemed insolently con-
descending majestic. even regal, as
her progress down the aisle was
When she had engaged me 10 give
the course Of lectures on history 10
the club she had asked me 10 be at
the club rooms a half-hour before
the meeting time on the day OF my
first lecture BY taking her at her
v, ord had been uncomforta bly,
aitinE. = stranger and alone while
the members Of the club. unaware OF
my identity gossiped freely Of me
and my work
rSee the conduering heroine
Genes" iibed a voice behind me nm
"a whisper.
Acts as if she owned the place and
its infa bitants" returned the woman
beside her
NY dear. she actually does"
said the first speaker She was born
in this house and il belongs 20 her
from chimney 10 cellar. She prac-
tically gives its use to the club-it's
the price she pays for being absolute
dictator Of the organization"
From their remarks before Mrs.
Smith entered the room. ! had dis
covered that the women behind me
we're newspaper reporters and I
shamelessly listened to their revela-
tons
Pretty steep price for being die
tator of this outfit"
Much she cares about this. She d
drop il i'm minute. If il had served
her purpose. She had an insane
ambition tc be the queen bee of the
big crowd. the federation. YOU know
The fact that she's the whole thing
here gives her a chance 10 get into
the papers and accords her a certain
amount OF prestige in the state or
ganizatiou. She's foxy. She'll never
take the presidency of this club.
{ wants to serve i'm humble
capacity and all that sort of rot. But
she runs things with an iron hand.
and the president il always her
puppet Look at the specimen up
there now"
Poor little rabbit" said the other
woman. and I agreed with her as
watched the timid. appealing look
+ ing little woman who stepped 10 the
+ speakers desk and looked hesitat-
ingly at the assem- blage.
is Mrs Graham here ." she ask
ed. If so. will she come up here.
} please o"
l My face was white with anger and
embarrassment as 7 stepped out from
my seat and passed up 10 the front,
with the consciousness that every
pair of eyes in the room was focused
on my back. I had a primitive de-
sire TO strike the patronizing smile
from Mrs Smiths face, As standing
I los the president: she watched my
I progress toward her. ] have always
: had dread. amounting almost 10
an obsession. OF having people stare
at me. Ii was hard enough for me
TO undertake the lectures without
having this ordeal thrust upon me.
+ But ] knew that this my first APP
pearance before the women whom I
f had been engaged 90 instruct, was
no time 10 show any resentment. 50
f / steeled myself TO calmness and pre-
scented a courteous IL unsmiling de
meauor 10 Mrs. Smiths smile Of
+ greeting and Introduction to the
president. Mrs. Brent
SO sorry 20 have been unable 10
greet YOU 'Ishe said, with mechanical
courtesy. "but 7 was unavoidably de
layed Really. however there was
/ nothing for me 20 say to YOU. OF