Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1909-1914

200 Marden

9-3-1914 found us assembled, at noon, in the bright living-room of Alice Tyson who is so fond of entertaining societies she had the Association a month ahead of time and arranged for “The Neighbors” to take tea at Marden the next evening. Guests were Martha T. Hopkins, Mrs. Mills, Mrs. Lathrop, Elizabeth B. Hogg, the Misses Hutton and Groverman, Beatrice Rumford, Clara Shelta, Elizabeth and Dorothea Moore.

Alice Tyson began the regular program by calling on a few delinquent members for dues to the State Fed. of Women’s Clubs. Her sentiment was a quotation from Theodore Roosevelt. “Play while you play, and work while you work, and though play is a mighty good thing, remember that you had better never play at all than to get into a condition of mind where you regard play as the serious business of life, or where you permit it to hamper and interfere with your doing your full duty in the real work of the world.” Our hostess gave an interesting description of the projected “Summer Home” for our Presidents fifteen miles from Denver, on one of the foot-hills of the Rockies – Mount Falcon.

Mary E. Gilpin had a funny definition of the chicken said to be a truly useful member of the animal kingdom as it could be eaten before it was born and after death. Virginia Steer brought Thoreau’s tribute to the water-lily. He marveled that men should travel to the Nile to see the lotus and yet not appreciate the beauty of our own lotus.

Eliza N. Moore read of the manufacture of bayberry candles on Cape Cod and Shelter Island, there are large factories devoted to this enormous industry that springs from an old New England superstition, the candles being supposed to insure good luck if burned at Xmas. The berries are gathered before frost and made into a green wax that looks nice enough to eat, the skeleton of the candle is a strong white cord, and they are dipped in the hot wax 33 times, then they burn with a clear, steady flame.

Fanny Snowden contributed a graceful poem

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inscribed to an absent friend, concluding with, - “But these are mere fanciful wishes, I’ll send you a God-speed instead, When I clasp your hand Then you’ll understand All the things I have left unsaid.”

Sallie Randolph Janney’s article was upon the instinct of birds in recognizing an enemy. They usually do not notice a dog, but they try to fight and intimidate a cat. Robins scream at the sight of a jay and the owl is a terror to all small birds. John Burrough once placed a stuffed owl in his cherry tree, but the birds seemed to discover at once that it was not alive and helped themselves to his fruit. Martha G. Hopkins recited William Cullen Bryant’s “Address to a Water Fowl” in her pleasing manner. Estelle T. Moore introduced us to a small boy who in a single morning tied his grandmother to the door knob, put spectacles on the dog, and a tin can on the tail of a pet cat, then dropped a live worm down the cook’s back, and yet psychologists had discovered a boy is at his best in the fore part of the day. India Downey gave a cheery poem – “Always something brighter just beyond our narrow vale, Always something faster than our old boat can sail, Always something higher than our humble means may reach But love its holy presence, keeps within the grasp of each.”

Emilie T. Massey read of the efficiency of our Marine Corps, many of whom are members of the Young Men’s Christian Association.

A second clipping was upon “Reflecting God” A pagan on being asked what he thought of Christianity, replied “It has never yet been tried,”

Elizabeth Hogg told us of her acquaintance in Florida last winter with the poet James Whitcomb Riley. He has become a confirmed invalid, is paralyzed and very cross at times to those who minister to his comfort as best they may. When not suffering he entertains his callers with the most wonderful stories. He has ceased to write as he says he can not dictate his verses to any one.

Elizabeth C. Davis offered extracts from “The Independent” upon our Educational Laws which it was stated might be improved. The article concluded with – “There are only two things of transcendent value in the world; one is love and the other work.” Louisa T. Brooke read “Safety First” – an essay upon the value of the Ten Commandments in business as rules of conduct. A steel mill had adopted them with beneficial effect.

Clara P. Moore took “Time by the forelock” and furnished a list of Xmas gifts easily made or obtained, and likely to be useful and acceptable.

Beatrice Rumford, through the medium of E. C. Davis, made us acquainted with the love-story of Jerome Bonaparte and Elizabeth Patterson, or rather “Betsy Patterson” as she was called in Baltimore where she spent most of her long life. The match so suddenly arranged and carried forward to a grand wedding was soon dissolved and the couple never lived together again. The American Bonapartes are descended from the only son of this union and several of the grandsons have shown marked talent though not for war.

Elizabeth G. Stabler contributed verses, “Selfish & Lend-a-Hand” with an obvious moral to the story. The secretary gave some account of her recent stay of one month at Monta Vista

Springs, Craig Co. Va. a place noted for being the resort of rhematic and sciatic victories. The grand mountain scenery was especially enjoyed, but the rattlesnakes, moonshiners and a few other novelties were not so much appreciated. The range of mountains opposite the Hotel, itself upon a smaller mountain, was said to be 5,000 ft. above sea level and from this summit we may toss a stone into West Virginia and look down on six mountain ranges. The Sec. had made pleasant acquaintances among the Hotel guests and enjoyed her enforced holiday to quite an extent though the object was not accomplished. The Sec had a second topic to introduce in some account of the visit of Pres. Madison to the home of her Bentley grandfather in Brookeville just 100 years before. Extracts were read from Scribner’s Mag. for Oct. 1906 which contained part of the Diary of Mrs. Samuel Harrison Smith who was also a refugee from Washington and was, for part of a day, the guest of Caleb and Henrietta Bentley. She had much to tell of their hospitality – and said so many came in to supper “the table was set four times” the evening the Pres. arrived. Both Eliza N. Moore & the Sec. remembered hearing their grandmother tell of this exciting episode when grandmother gave her room to the President and slept on the floor with her baby, that the village swarmed with soldiers & refugees and the sentrys tramped all over grandmother’s cabbage plants and rose-bushes keeping guard that night. This record will not be complete without reference to the unveiling of a tablet in the old Bentley home at Brookeville in Aug 1914, Eliza Bentley Thomas, a great grand daughter having taken part in the ceremony. Adjourned to Belmont.

Mary Bentley Thomas Sec.

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