y
THE COURIER.
Hi
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From a thoughtful wo nan, one of tbe
flrat club workers in the f tate, Mrs.
Laura M. Woodford of tho Zetetic of
Weeping Water is tho following mo last
bit of auto-biography, interesting itdeed,
showing the love of this woman fcr her
club and her club associates
"I shrink from anything which in the
least seems like bringing olcj self into
prominence, unless the reasons for such
notice are very urgent indeed. In ftct,
modesty forbids other than a few words
which I might send hoping, they will in
no way seem egotistical. Had you askr d
something concerning the Zetetic, the
idea of diffidence would never have oc
curred to me. The bright women of
our club are a never ending source of
enjoyment nnd I never tire of sounding
their praises.
My life has not been without its varia
tion. I ould say I w. 11 bom on such a
dat in otc, but who would caro
for those things? Ri'h-r I will skip the
earliest portion commencing with my
impressions when cross'ng the MissDuri
river for tho first time in the early
seventies, with two children, followed by
a tide of twenty miles across country
with the husband and fa' her who had
come to Plattsxiouth f meet his family
who were following his earlier stages
westward. Tho feelings of monot
ony and loneliness deepned as the
broad prairie so suggestive of
vastness. of cndlesB length and
breadth crept into the mind. Every thing
in such striking contrast to tbe scenes
of Northern Ohio so recently left in tbe
land of my birth, and later my home
after an interval of twenty years spent in
Washington County.
Our destination, Weeping Water
reached at night fall. A romantic
picturesque little spot full of promise, a
great futurj awaiting it as its most san
guine people declared. How that prom
ise has been fulfilled it is not for me to
relate. Its citizens were of the best. As
acquantance ripened into friendship
some of tho feeling of loneliness and
isolation which had so permeated my
being during .that memorable ridebsgan
to fade away, and' the wise conclusion
was reached that with an undivided
'family and aneable neighbors and
fritnds life need not be very dreary
wherever ones lot may be cast. Still
longings, one could not wholly suppress,
for some of the intellectual opportuni
ties of the older states were ever and
anon forcing themselves to the front.
Opportunity threw into my hands the
program of a womans club in Jowa a
literary club. It was just that inspira
tion needed to foster the idea, which was
not altogether new, that an organization
among women might be effected which
would bring kindred spirits into closer
i elation, which might lead to something
higher and more ennobling than the
ordinary life of the average home
maker had thus far been able to evolve
from her daily surroundings in this new
wast. A woman's literary club resulted
and as one of the early members, Mrs.
Shelton, whose home was later in the
capital city said, "it met a long felt
want". "I have so often wished for
something of this kind.".
If any one doubt3 the woman's club as
a bond of union among women, ss a
placo for tho lonely women who have
left all to follow the fortunes of hus
bands and rind themselves strangers
among a new people let Ihem ack any of
the members of the Zetetic, many of
whom are now in lands far distant from
this, if theirs were not a happier life for
having been during their sojourn in the
quiet city of Weeping Water, connec
ted with this club which has just entered
upon its fifteenth year."
to have a placo where women from the
country may come and find a place to
stay when they come to town. So many
women must come to town and sit
around in stores or other placos and
wait until it is time to go home, tind
and discouraged. And if thsro are any
women iu the state who noed the help
ful influence of tho club life and club
women it is surely the tired overworked
farmer's wiver. A woman who slaves
her life away on tho farm sk)ii Ijses all
interest in tho outer world, ana s;es
only the nanojvhoikon bounded by tbe
pasture fence on one side and tho l.ttle
school where her children go on the
other. If these women of Fork suc
ceed in interesting fai hit's wives in
their club work, they will have dono
moro than all the other club women in
the state have ever acompIisheJ. A
pleasant placj whero women may come
and feel on an equality, feel at home,
wi 1 be a boon much appreciated by tho
women from the rural walks of life.
There is an unselfishness and a desire to
aid their fellow women displayed in this
undeitakirg, that touches the heart "of
all c'ub women and there is a hearty
wish expressed that they may be suc
cessful in their undertakings.
One of the commendable undertak
ings, eminently practical and sensible is
the plan of tho York clubs to furnish
rooms for the Town and Country club
in the city. It is the desire of the clubs
The Utih Federation of Women's
Clubs was the second Stats federation
organized auxiliary to the General Fed
eration, and one of the oldest women's
dubs in the country is the Ladies Liter
ary Club, of Salt Lake. It was organi
zed nearly twenty-two years ago, and tho
club has juat celebrated its twenty -first
anniversary. Up to this time the Utah
federation has met in Salt Lake City,
and the meeting which convened on May
2G was tbe fourth. The federation
numbers seventeen clubs. Saveral clubs
of Moimon women belong to the federa
tion, as the Raapars' Club and the Utah
Woman's Press Club. The meetings
were held in a beautiful church, and
about tnirty delegates were present, and
several hundiel visitors. The president
of the Utih State FeJeration has the
proud distinction of bsing the youngest
State president of the State federations.
Mrs M. B. Jenningp, the president, is
from Massachusetts, and is a fitting type
of her adopted State beautiful and
clever. Mm. Ihinney, chairman of
correspondence for the General Federa
tion, is also State oraaizir. The rapid
increase in tho nuabdr of new clubi
and tt their membership proves her
abil.ty to fill the office. The meetings
wercs crow Jed at every session, and the
audience in the evenings was uniqu j in
the largs uumber of men present. An
Eastern man who attended an evening
session, said "that he had never seen a j
many beautiful women together in any
city of the country." The president of
the Denver Woman's Clubs, Mrs. Piatt,
won all hearts by her i.iFpiring address,
and confirmed the repu ation which she
gaineJ at Louisville of Leing a really great
speaker. The three papers given in the
educational section nvro inspiring, and
the discussions which followed showed
how alive were the club women to the
needs of the State. Before adjourning
the federation voted to adopt as its work
fcr the coming year "Public and Travel
ing Libraries." Receptions, lunches and
teas galore were given in houor of the
visiters and delegates. The whole city
extended the most gracious hospitality,
and even accompanied the party to the
train to wish them godspeed. As I left,
Mrs. Thinney said: "I shall attend the
biennial at Denver in 1898, and fifty wo
men from Utah will be with me." As
the train rolled out of the station, and
the kind friends stood waving good byes
from the platform everybody felt that
the meeting had been ono more step
towards fellowship.
ELLEN M. HENROTIN, in A'eic York-Journal.
Crete, June 23. During the club
y jar, from September, 'CG to Julo, 1)7
tho Columbian club held twenty regu
lar meeting. All were held at the homes
of the members. The average attend
ance was nine. Time o! meeting, 20
to 5 o'clock on alternate Fridaj tf.er
noocs. Tho work of tho year consisted
of papers upon questions which are at
trading gsneral attention, somoof which
were most excellent; all were gwd
Various questions wero considered in
debates. '1 he general discussions bring
irg out many facts not generally known
concerning noted characteisand public
quest onp. Several very fine biograph
ies ofpominent people were presented
during the year. Ttie full ducus sion of
current events sjrved to keep the mem
bers posted en what was going on in
the world about us. Much benefit was
derived from par.iamentary drills, which
were held at almost every meeting.
Th study of civil government,
to which a half hour was
giveu at each meeting during the first
half of the year, was a great help to us
in acquiring a better understanding of
the administration of a republican gov
ernment s contrasted with those of the
old world. Tho work of the entire year
has bstn of incalculable benefit to every
member of the club, and though some
sacrifices were necessary at times in
order to prepare for and attend the
meetings yet the gain was far greater
than the loss. Our meetings were pleas
ant and did us all gcod in a social as
well as intellectual way. Twice have
we been called upon to "mourn with
thcs9 who mourn" the grim reaper hav
ing entered the homes of two of our
members, removing a loved one from
each, yet sorrow has only strengthened
the tie? of friendship and bound us more
closely together. We are under obliga
tions to Miss Maud Dawk for some fine
musical selections which she rendered
on several occasions. In conclusion, the
year his certainly bsen passed in such a
way as to be of great benefit to us and
we believe each succeeding year will in
creasingly add to both the social enjoy
ment and intellectual growth of the
members of the Crete Columbian Club.
The Catheiine Lorillard Wolfe Art
Students' Club, established in the first
datsof last November, ia Gracs House,
on Broadway, in thm city, ia one- of the
very latest organizations in the cause of
the young woman student of art. It
owes its existence to Mrs. Wm. Newell,
who. with her husband, has been in
terested in the welfare of these students
in Paris, and to Dr. Huntington of Grace
Church. Two comfortable rooms on the
second Moor of Grace House, adjoinirg
the rectory, formerly used by missionary
and aid societies, were offered for the
use of tbe club for a year, and funds
were raised for its equipment. Of these
two rooms, cheerfully furnished in red
de'nim, with maroon curtains, the neces
sary tables, chairs, etc., one serves as a
tea-room, in which, every afternoon from
four to six, two ladies of the committee
are in attendance to pour tea and die
tribute sandwiches, and the other offers
one large table covered with periodicals
and works of reference, and a second
with a supply of neat stationery duly
bearing the club imprint. The mem
bers have also the use of the circulating
library connected with the church. The
rooms are open from 10 a. m. to 10 i. m ;
the annual due is 81, and there is no
other expense. Within ten daj s of its
organization the club had a list of forty
members, and the advantages it offers
are so great, and the class it appeals to
is so numerous, that it is probable that
the present accommodations will be too
restricted before the end of the year.
For the tenants of small and unwarmed
hall bed-rooms, or of apartments oc
cupied by three or four in common, with
the accompanying and inevitable weari
ness of each other's constant society,
for those whose income is so limited as
to shut th;m out from uioit cmiforts,
physical and intellectual, these warmed,
wlMuhtHl, and well-furci'hnl rooms
ffer an opening into the world which
thy seo around them. From "Tbe
Fidld of Ait," in tho July Scribner.
MONEY LOANDE
on Diamonds, Pianos and any
good personal security. Diamonds
bought and sold. Business strictly
confidential.
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Don't start on a trip to California un
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JOHN SERASTIAN,
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4 1 Chicago ,111
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G. P. 4 T. Agt. C. P. T. AH.
sT Louis. Mo, un OWk
