Year: 1869

From the New York correspondence of the
Chicago tribune we extract the following:


The woman's club idea has become an estab-
lished fact 1t has met a want, and is fast be-
coming the fashion. Half dozen have been or
are about being established in American cities
and a programme for one, following suit to New
York, has just been announced in London.
Everybody has, of course, their own idea of what
woman's club is, or ought to be. Men cannot
get over the old notion that if women and chill
dren are let alone they will sink back into state
of total depravty at once, forgetting that when
such result does occur, it is always through
some man, and that they may possibly be less
likely to reach such a condition alone than If
they were helped. Be that as it may, woman's
club is felt to be somehow dangerous. What do
they talk about whenthey are shut in costly, all
alone? And if they presume to lunch good
gracious what do they have to eat2 g What
do they do at Sorosis?'' asked one New York
lady con6dentially of another, recently. why,
nothing" replied the other, contemptuously,
''onlv meet and eat dinner" "Dear me-" said
the first, how nice y One, without knowing
anything of the truth or falsty of her statement,
intended to say the severest thing she could
the other, with the memory of her lonely "col6
mutton" and "stew" days at home, was struck
with the wonderful jollty of the lunch idea, and
wished to become Sorosian Immediately.


But 1t is gentlemen who are most anxious to
have finger in the pie and who are eternally
suggesting that women clubs should do this,
that or the other-the central point being that
their masculine wisdom is necessary to the
proper direction of womens S conferences. 1t is
of no use to tell them that women do not see it
in that light that with their superior knowledge
and habits of authority, they would at once as
sumo the position of diotators that it is time
for women to educate themselves to business to
self-reliance and independent action. The last
is precisely what men do not wish that women
should be educated to, and they praise the Bos-
ton women for admitting men to their councils,
and for having men to lecture them in the way
they should 60.


Sorosis' in New York has almost committed
the objectionable sin in daring to have "good
time" 1t has given private entertainments, be-
sides partaking of lunches, but it has done no
good in inaugurating early hours, in setting an
example Of freedom of dress and refreshments,
so that none feel bound to do this, and so,
because others do it, but all feel free to fol-
low their tastes and inclinations, to be liberal,
if their means will allow it, and simple to sever
ity if they prefer it.


The great difficulty has been with the so-called
reform in dress and habits, and one arbitrary
form was substituted for another. What we
want, what women want, is what men have
freedom freedom to dress plainly or elegantly
as they choose; freedom to keep fashion that
pleases them, discard one that does not suit
them freedom to treat their guests to tea and
toast" or white grapes and French confection-
cry, as they choose and as their means will per-
nit get rid of repetition and monotony enjoy
everything with zest and ardor, and preclude no
one from participating in the common work and
common enjoyment.