Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1909-1914

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was introduced in this country by some French people who settled in Wilmington.

We were told of the curious affliction of Joel Chandler Harris, whose diffidence amounted to positive suffering, causing him to shun society. Jessie Mc. Reynolds told of a delightful excursion recently made by the Home Interest Club, of Washington to the home of Guyon and Annie Miller at Easton, Maryland.

Corrie M. Brooke gave an article upon the effect of woman suffrage on homes and families in the future. Anna G. Lea read of the partial extermination of the purple grackle in Mass. and the importance of saving the useful birds and songsters by law, if necessary.

Ellen Stabler gave a sketch of the British Queen's active interest in all London Institutes for sick and crippled children, and she recently sent to Germany for a specialist to attend the lame child of an old retainer. A number of members had left their selections or their glasses at home, but Helen S. Stabler was provided with both - and her well chosen clipping was enjoyed by all, we believe - it commenced with,

"There are many things in the world not worthwhile," there is no such thing as doing all that appeals to us to be done; among many possibilities we must wisely select what are desirable for us in order to make a success of housekeeping, home making, business, or of life. If a choice is not made the result is a jumble of half done work. If love and cheer and wisdom guide the activities of home it will not be merely a place in which

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to eat and sleep. Father, Mother and children will grow to be friends, will trust one another and the best things in life come to such, the clean living, the pure thinking, and the nobleness of character which radiates happiness and helpfulness to others.

The Sec. gave a recipe for preserving cherries. Seed by hand. Weigh and allow one lb of sugar to one pt. of cherries, place the seeded cherries in a jar, barely cover with vinegar, let them stand 12 hours or so, pour off all the vinegar, which may be used for spiced pears, add the sugar and stir up for eight days, then fill jars to the top and screw up tightly. They require no heating.

She also gave a few verses upon Mrs. Mulligatawneys extraordinary influence on her family for when she announced that "two and two are three," said Mr. Mulligatawney, "I'm sure it ought to be," Said William " "Arithmetic is wrong." Said Mary, " "Its been so all along." Their perfectly helpless mental plight after Mrs. M's demise proved the danger of allowing any one member of a family to do the thinking for them all.

Adjourned to the home of Anna G. Lea on 7/29,1909-

Mary Bentley Thomas Sec.

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7/29 - 1909 the Association gathered at Argyle for the first time since 1901, our hostess Anna G. Lea, and her husband having spent the past eight years in Baltimore county. Their cozy home has been enlarged and greatly improved, new and complete bath fixtures being first in importance. The garden, which most of us visited after tea, was in fine condition, there were not only vegetables and flowers in profusion, but apples, grapes, currants, raspberries, strawberries, black berries, water melons, and cantaloupe raised in the same enclosure. Anna G. Lea expressed her pleasure in welcoming us once more.

Guests were Amelia Potter, Lucy S. Moore, Mary Muncaster and daughters, Mary Wilson and one brought by the Sec & introduced as "Eliza, Louisa, Carrie, Mary Jackson", for she was supposed to represent four absent members as well as herself. Sarah T. Miller read some lines entitled "The Real Question" from which we borrow a part-

"Oh, a trouble's a ton, or a trouble's an ounce, Or a trouble is what you make it And it isn't the fact, that you're hurt that counts But its only how did you take it?"

Ellen Farquhar contributed an interesting sketch of John Woolman, whose ancient journal has been brought into prominence from occupying, such a high place in the list furnished by President Eliot for a five foot shelf of books containing those best worth reading. John Woolman, a farm boy, afterwards a tailor, was born in 1726, he was from youth an abolitionist, and his writings are remarkable for his intense opposition

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to slavery and for their mysticism," religion was more than doctrine to him - it was duty." A question with regards to the prevalence of house flies brought out the information that they had been seen in various parts of Sandy Spring this year. Amelia Potter contributed an article entitled "The Farmer and the Trolly", which seemed to prove that country people noticed substantial recompense for thus having their quiet indangered, and various trades were given an impetus by a closer connection with the city. Sarah F. Willson gave first a good little paragraph from an unknown Source - "Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it." She also told us how to renovate leather covered furnitureFirst use soapy water and a brush, let it dry and then rub with a mixture of one part of sweet oil to four of vinegar. Lucy S. Moore's selection assured us that there were individuals who are a benediction wherever they go, "The secret is they are filled with love, and love is self forgetful and desirous to minster, not to be ministered unto, to help not to be helped. Alice Tyson had an amusing editorial from the Sun, upon the passing of the peach basket hat. Women had accepted the monstrosity and wore this extraordinarily homely structure with flowers, fuits and vegetables for ornamentation by the absurdity of the headgear and its extreme unbecomingness were at last having some effect, and its death knell is being rung without any mourners present. Alice also had a fine poem on "Peace," the last verse was;

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"Our Father in Heaven, we pray Speed Thou the righteous days, When War shall cease, When nations hand in hand, On every sea and land, In love before thee stand, Oh grant thy peace."

Albina O. Stabler gave startling statistics of the mortality among artisans who have to be in an atmosphere of dust all their working day - among these are coal men, stone cutters, those who make glass, needles and many kinds of embossed paper - The fancy picture cards included. Estelle T. T. Moore's article was punctuated by frequent laughs, it being a letter supposed to be written by a school girl at Wellesley College - in the year 2008. Instead of the bother of studying about architecture of different ages and countries, they just went in airships to view such in any part of the world; and "could be back in time for luncheon without any trouble," while taking a little spin to Canada a few days before, she saw a large crowd and a curious animal with a mane and four legs - said to be a horse, unknown to any of the spectators.

Harriet I. Lea's selection should be passed on to some of our clubs as it would be greatly appreciated by our husbands and brothers who are usually fond of pie. It has been discovered that Emerson himself always ate pie for breakfast, and if a Boston Brahmin could eat it why should man or boy deny himself at either meal? Restauraunts have made it fashionable and there was said to be a great change in public opinion on this subject.