THE COUX.J.X,
HERE AND THERE IN OMAHA.
Omaha haa at the present tltno an ele
phant of the white variety on her handn.
This aforesaid animal ia ntf less thantV
Groaler America Exposition, called by
somo the Groitwr America Imposition,
and by others the deserted village. TIimih
was a time when O nalin, Btnroyed, himI
full of hope, gave the to be and ha lot t
nny predictions of failure for the u d i.
taking. "Boycott?'' well Iguepsno ! Tie
state could not do such a thing. Tim
people woulJ havtf' to corno" ti Oinah:,
and if they cams to O.naha they w ndil
certainly gi' out to see Iho bij,' huo.
Mies the Midway? Uh huh never! Dut
on tbeq. t. there has been a wonderful
change in the attitude of the metropolis
and at the present timo the cold clammy
fact has percolated through the density
of many OmahanB and they new know
that the people of the state can at ay
away and that right heartily. It has
been only within the last two weeks
that the iron bsB been driven home.
Every week the managera of the oxpa
sition would say softly to themselves
"Now this weok the' people will surely
come. They have been busy cutting
their grain, or they aro engaged in put
ting away their crops," but the weel s
rolled on like the tireless How of the
river and the crowds at the exposition
were not of proportions sufficient to
catch a hen.
The promoters then said "Well when
we whoop her up hurrah for AkSar
Ben, then the yokels will come in. We
will bang out a tine bait of free parades
and all that doncherknow and they will
come." but alas and alack the peoplo did
not come to see free parades. Then it
was that the members of the committee
in charge took a tumble and said unto
themselves, "Yea, verily the people of
the state have handed us ice in great
quantities.' Why did we not know t is
before, then would we have' cut the ice
into chunks and sold it,' thereby making
much pelf." Then it was that a man on
a street car said'o'ne night, with a bitter
mile on his face 'The peoplo of the
state have not only boycotted the expo
sition but they have boycotted ostracis
ed Omaha as well. I verily believe if we
paved the grand court of the white city
with twenty dollar gold pioceB, that we
could not get a crowd out there."
It ia actually lonesome out at the ex
position this year. Where last year the
millions of feet' kept the pavements hot,
thibyear there are 'out a few stragglers
and they pass on with a weary expres
sion and seem to feel that they have
wandered into' the place by mistake.
Day after day a thousand or so people
(a meagre number for so great a place)
gather and are chased from one place to
another to see the attractions. The lit
tle crowds are nursed carefully and en
ticed from wire walker to sham battle,
from band concert to Midway with a
brass band, the promoters watching with
anxious eyes to see that no one gets
away, for it looks so very bad to be giv
ing a show to empty benches.
A man said one day that the export
tion this year was a fine thing for peo
plo with pulls. Those w 10 have been at
t.be head of the thing have an opportun
ity to Bhow their friends favors by pre
senting paBBea, and it is said that thero
are only 12,000 passes out at'tbe present
time, a great portion of them being held
by Omaha; South Omaha, and Council
Bluffs people. So when the people who
get into the show free are all there it
makes a nice 'crowd, but alas there is
little money in it for the.men behind
the show. " " ., "
The Ak-Sar-Ben parades ,werp rosy,
but they were witnessed by Omaha peo
ple almost exclusively. The Thursday)
night parade in honor of' the coiiiug" of
the king whs out of the most richly
bociutuul prtgeHiir that w"h nver hii
in the west. Tbo Moats wero beautiful
beyond dcacriptionwlth their rauliitudi
nous electric llgh'8 shlniig in' in ill l-
o!oied globes. Scenes from operAs wt re
i! wn tnd it 03tned like n prjuiesun of ,
Hinges Tbo ball too was a great -ff dr.
I'no dm was died with Iho beauty ai.d
Mu chivalry of the city. Ttwe wrro
filching lights the bweet perfumes of
i'v'ry kind of flowore; tbo glint of jewels
and the Hush of bright eyes. There
wero gowns worth fabuloua sume, elo
pineshouIdera,fair as marble and as cold
for tbo night waa chilly and ihero was
no way to heat the vast room. There
was mutic such aa angels might doli;ht
to dance- to and everything to make a
night of merriment and joyousness.
The king strutted in his finery, 'the
queen followed and thra was a brilliant
nee no of coronation. It wa9 a fitting
close to a groat week, but under' the
sweet music wbb an undercurrent of
diBcord, and in the honey'was the taste
ofgail. The people of the state had
failed to come. The gorgeous bait had
failed to catch the countryites, and
gloom settled like a fog at sea over the
city on the Big Muddy.
The Rounder.
HUMBOLDT AND HIS VALET.
"Some- Famous Men of Our Time" is
the title of a chuptor of reminiscences in
the October Century, in which the Hon.
John Bigelov7 presents Von Buneen's
recollections of his friends. The paper
teems with anecdotes of famous people,
amongst others that of universal genius
Humboldt. ,
Von Bunsen told me that Humboldt
in hid latter daya waa completely under
the influence of a rascally valet named
Seiffert, and, to the dieguet of bis
friends, bequeathed to him all hia ef
fects, of little value, it Is true, f Jr the
old man left no property of any account.
Even bis private letters and papers
went to the wretch.
The king and"tho' -queen, -said Von.,
Buneen, were tor years in the habit of
sending Humboldt a present on his
birthday. At length it became difficult
to know what would be acceptable to
the old man, whose w-inta were so few
and tastes so simple. It waa their habit
to send an aide-de-camp to bim a few
weeks before his birthday to ascertain,
it he could, the sort of gift likely to be
most acceptable to' him,' and whatever
that niiyht bo, of courso, it was cent.
Shortly previous to one of these anniver
saries, and in reply to a similar inquiry, t
the royal couple' got word that the phil-,
osopher would be pleased to .receive a
double bed. They wondered what in
the world could have put it into Hum
boldt's head to ask for a double bed,
having probably never slept in one in
all his life, and having beea habituated
from childhood to the least luxurious
sleeping arrangements imaginable. The
old man died, however, before the ex
pected birthday anniversary arrived. It'
then transpired that the provident valet
had concluded itwou d be a nice thing
for him ana his wife to have a spick-"
and-epan new bed with the royal arms
upon it, and had taken advantage of the
king's regard for Humboldt to try. get
ting one at their Majesties' expense.
Duriog the famous Congress at Vien
na, already . referred to, each of the
several monarcba present waa the guest
of some nobleman. On one festive oc
casion Baron Rothschild was invitetl
pan exception. .He modestly went to
take his place, not among the more ex
alted guests, When tney discovered
Rjthschild, however, they all rose, one
after the .other, and saluted bim, except
the Kieg of Prussia, Someone asked
ito kiai WQy be did not salute the
great .European banker. "Did 1 not?"
be replied "Well, I suppose it - was.
because 1 was the only one who did. not
owe hjm anytbriBg."- This reminds one.,
of a line io 009 of Pope's satires:
I never tatwtttdt I was aot in debt.
i
(2LBB8-
i LOUISA L niGKKT?S.
HMHMtMOlMIMMMIMIM
CALKS All OF THE CLUBS OF KEORAHKA
Oi rubor ,.
7, Curront Literature Woman e..,. Fremont
7, Dullness Mooting, Woman's club, Columbus
7, 8un mor Remiulicenctt, Hist, ft Art. Howard
9, Hugh Capot, Crusader, Woman's c.Mluden
0, R?c. and Pros.addrosi, Woman's c, Lincoln
0, Growth of tho Amor Press, 9orosis,Linco)n
' 10. Houso of Burgundy, Contury e.... .Lincoln
.. (Current Lltoraturc, Frlenda in
"( Council FallaClty
It, Domestic Economy meats, Woman's c,
. : Kxetor
12, Washington Irving, Blent, Cui.c, 8. Auburn
IS, Hoc. ft Pros, address, Woman's c, Lincoln,
, I Characteristics of Victoria andHor Reign
,8'1 Woman's 0 , Ashland
. j Settlement of N. Y., History depart
( m nt, Woman's c Lincoln
18, Italy, Hall in Grovo Lincoln
,A J Wagner and bis influence, If atinen Musi-
lu I cat .- Lincoln
. j English writers, Milton, Dryden. Bunyan,
H I Frlonds in Council . . .-. Tecumteli
I Withdrawal of Romans from Franco and
18 Germany. Rlso of Franks. Invasion of
( Baraceus, V oman's 0 Dandno
18 Amnr. Colonization, M. Barnoy c.Fullorton
18 Tho Germanic Kingdoms, Cosyc.Teiumsoh
THE
Officers of the General Federation of
Women's clubB'.' ,
President Mrs. Hebecca D. Lowe,
Atlanta, Ga.
Vice Prceideno-Mr. Sarah S. Piatt,
Denver, Colo.
Recording Secretary Mrs. Emma A.
Fox, Detroit, Midi.
Corresponding Secretat y Mrs.George
W Kendrick, Philadelphia, Pa.
Treasurer, Mre. Phillip N. MooreSt.
Lou id, Mo.
Auditor Mrs. C. P. Barnes, Louis,
ville.Ky.
State Chairman Mrs. Louisa L. Rick
etts, Lincoln, Nebr,
Officers of the State Federation of
Women's clubs; ,
PresidentMrs.., S. 0. Lang worthy,
Seward.
Vice President Mrs. Anna L. Apper
son, Tecumseh.
Recording Secretary Mm.F. Hi Sack
ott, Weeping Water.
Corresponding Secretary Mrs. D. G.
McKilJip, Seward,
Treasurer, Mrs. H. F- Doane, Crete,
v Librarian Mrs." G. M. Lambe'rtson
Lincoln.- 1 ' . '
raent, or lack of punctuality for 1 '' 1
reasons amounts to discount sj , pi
injustice, to the other mrnili-ih .. r
club. Now discourtesy vn hju-tuo
are charges under Which 1 ln dun wo
man, or any woman will tiu rest com
fortably. It is charged that women will
accept a slight headache, tho weather,
the dressmaker, a caller, as a valid ex
cuse to offer for her tardiness or absence
from a meeting where the time and con
venienco of many others msy be In
volved. I remember the strong impres
sion made upon my mind once, by the
chairman of a committee saying to a
lady who came in ton minutes late,
"Mrs. you havo wasted fifty minutes
of our valuable time." Never before
had I eo realized that a membor of any
body, aa a part of the whole, waa respon
siblofortbe time lost by each member
through her tardiness. We aro indeed
"our brother's keoper." The tardy or
unpunctual, woman must Buffer personal
loss oft times, but that is of minor con
sideration when it involves delaying
others who have often overcome greater
difficulties, and made real sacrifices that
they might not break their engagement,
Ineyitably club life must tend tD correct
these faults, because tbo general respon
sibility placed upon each member lends
to diecouragu careless forgetfulnesa of
the rights and feelingi of others, and to
correct caprico and irresponsibility.
There is a growing sentiment that club
meetings should begin on time. Let
the president open, the meeting on time
if thero are two members present. Per
haps if we restricted the quorum clause
io our bylaws to business sessions, the
moral obligations would be strong
enough to bring out a prompt attendance.
'The "Street Vftl'rf witlPits pleasures,
and fun 'and utibounde'd success, is a,
thing of the past. The bright fall days
of Nebraska Were sever more glorious
and with tb(is0new cluVyetr there are
opportunities to do better work. Club
work can, arid should be1' better ths
year than it' was last, The1 world is get
ting better and wiser each year. And
this is especially true in"' club life. As
long as the world moves we cannot stand
still. Without our volition we go back
ward if we are not going forward. If
we stand'etili the fellow ahead will soon
be out of sight, while the fellow behind
will pass us. Relatively the true way
to consider this life we shall soon' be
way, behind. Then let us as club wo
men be swift with unselfish deeda and
kindly thoughts, for We "may not pass
this way again."
Are women as irresponsible as charg
ed? Do they fail to keep engagements,
and are tbey lacking in punctuality? If
we answer the last two questions affirma
tively we will ask another, vis , will cltb
life help to correct them? Does club
life tend to develop a keener sense of
social responsibility in women? I think
it does. The woman who joins a club
and voluntarily assumes the obligations
thereof, in a aense pledges herself, aa a
part of a certain whole, which she with
others hopes to make perfect. She
promises to meet so often and. at such
ah hour, Failure to keep that appoint
Tho natural tendency of club life is to
combino work and study. There' is a
general recognition that they are equally
valuable,' and tho short history of
womBns'ciub-j demonstrates that very
often 'the clubs that take moat activo in
terest in educational or philanthropic
work, are those which carry o'a a
thorough' and systematic courso of
study. In the larger cities out womena
clubs aro surrounded .by conditions
whiuh naturally enlist the sympathies
and energies of philanthropic women
And leti it be said to the credit of
womens clubs in theso large centersthat
tbey 'are making every por sible effort to
ameliorate the condition ot'thenpo'oY ind
unfortunate.' Actlve'lnterest In edttca
tionaV matters has become. Universal
with club women. " . " lumU
It is expected tnkt tne new finance
committee of the state federationlira,.
Doane of Crete, and Mrs? Lambertson
of Lincoln, will 'have tome'deflnite"lar
to present at the coming ariniial meeting
to increase the income eo that it will
meet the expenses of federation . ' "
The Fifth Annual meeting of the NV
F. W. C. will be held' at,. York in l'the
second week of October. The railroad
have grarited one and one third rates on
the certificate plan If one hundred or
more are presented. 'The ladies of York
supply rooms in private residences
while rates have been eecured at hotels
and boarding houses. The following
program must commend itself to the
club women of Nebraika and we'1 be
speak for thia annual meeting a large at
tendance; "
PROGRAM.
Tuesday, October 10. jV. ;
2 p. m. Meeting of the executive board
3 p. m. Meeting of board of directors..
8 p. m; Reception of delegates
" friends.
Wednesday, October ' '
9 p. aa. Invocation,
TPH '
Mrs.
Address of Welco-
""Mr
1.
'. 'If