Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1883-1889

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R. E. Gilpin read a piece on the power from Heaven - coming through the inward spirit and "My Rights" poetry.

H. J. Moore selected a Thanksgiving Story "suitable for the day and the surrounding":

L. G. Thomas selected the "Heroes" who live and many die, unknown.

S. Farquhar read "A Little while" and an extract from Past Meridian, by Mrs Sigourney.

An extract from Dean Stanley on an upright course in life was furnished by Jane Porter and Maxims for Married people by R. M. Thomas.

S. E. Stabler read "The Ivy".

S. T. Miller asked for a remedy for badly chapped hands. Camphorine, oat meal soap and Glycerine lotion suggested.

M. B. Thomas read extracts from Kate Glamborn's Calendar. appropriate to the day also a sketch of Mrs. Butler (Elisabeth Thomson's) life - the artist now so well known, through her work.

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The Bridal Veil, by Alice Cary was read by Mary E. Gilpin and here Sarah Kirk closed the exercises by reciting the poem "The Lives of Others."

After having passed a delightful day, we adjourned to Cherry Grove - on the 27th of next month.

Kind words are the bright flowers of earth's existence: use them, especially around the fireside circle. "They are jewels beyond price and powerful to heal the wounded heart, and make the weighted down spirit glad."

"Charms strike the sight But merit wins the soul."

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Cherry Grove 1st mo 24th 1884

Fifteen members and ten guests braved the inclement weather and assembled here to-day - the meeting of last month having been omitted, on account of afflictions among dear friends in the neighborhood.

After the Sec' had read the minutes M. W. Kirk began the usual exercises with Tennyson's New Year Bells - and made a few remarks on the baleful effect (speaking from personal experience) of choral, bromide of potash and other drugs taken to quiet the nerves or produce sleep.

E. B. Smith described an old Jewish Cemetery which she visited in Prague and also told of the mode of living during her stay in Dresden.

Pattie Farquhar asked for a recipe for hard soap, which was furnished. Babbits Potash and Lewis powdered lye were recommended as good to use in making it.

S. E. Stabler asked if Siddals soap is satisfactory to use in washing without boiling the clothes. "Entirely".

M. S. Hallowell said, "if a few

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lumps of charcoal be thrown in a pot where cabbage is being boiled. "all unpleasant odor is destroyed." She read a short article on the cruelty of compelling children to be quiet, when crying is truly a relief to them after an injury. They should be soothed and diverted - She also read a sketch of the early life of Louisa Allcott.

An incident in the life of the Princess Eugenia - where she sold her diamonds to help found a hospital and "A higher hand" was selected by L. G. Thomas.

M. L. Roberts furnished an extract from Friend's Intelligencer. "That is always heaven when we have enough to know, enough to do, and enough to love. Knowledge work, and love being content. So long as we are in loving communion with the spirit of goodness we shall not fear, but know that all things are working together for our good."

Ellinor Hough read a pleasant story called "A bit of Antique Furnishing."

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S. H. Stone read of companionable people - which are they who think more of others, than of themselves - and a sentiment "Clouds do not come from Heaven, but from the earth and intercept the heavenly view."

E. D. Bentley had been requested to read a notice of the Woman's Suffrage Convention to be held in Washington early in March. She also read pleasant lines called "John's Mother".

"Always a river to cross" - a good piece of poetry and "the effect of cold on milk - whether cream does not rise more rapidly if the milk is kept at a low temperature" were furnished by R. E. Gilpin.

M. Farquhar's lines "At Evening" were acceptable, also A. E. Hartshorne's account of a sail through the straits of Sunda - during the recent volcanic eruption, by which so many lives were lost and islands submerged.

S. E. Miller closed the proceedings with two good articles. "Indirect Influence" being in favour of Woman's suffrage - and suggesting, that if influence