Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1896-1900

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essence of all fault, he is a man of "Cheerful yesterdays and confident tomorrows". Sarah T. Miller read from "Voices of Hope" of the advantage "of seeking the silent realm when beset with doubts and perplexities, to let the activities settle until you can see clearly", which reminded us of Carlyle's suggestion - "About thy own small troubles do thou but hold thy tongue for one single day and see what the silent forces within thee may accomplish", which last may not be quoted verbatim however. Virginia Steer gave an extract from Ruskin in "War" particularly appropriate to our national problems of today. He besought England to consider whether any race of men need care how much ground they stand on. The real strength is in the men, their unity and virtue. A little group of wise heads is better than a wilderness of fools and only that nature gains true territory which gains itself.

Mary T. Bond had an interesting sketch of the Araucanians of South America. They inhabit Southern Chili, live in houses of wattled osiers, are herdsmen and horse breeders, have market days and a curious system of computation by means of cords. Christianity as we understand it, has made no impression in them but thy appear to believe in a Supreme Being and to practice many of the moralities of life at least. Elizabeth G. Thomas read a lovely poem contrasting this season with the

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blooming days of Spring, and a second sent to her by a friend breathing a spirit of resignation and hope since-

"The ways of our Father shall all be made clear and the problems explained we failed to solve here"

Elizabeth Scott read for her absent mother an article upon the Empress of China written by a man after a residence of 35 years in that country. It contained much of interest about a remarkably able woman if not one to be admired.

Julia Palmer, another guest, had no contribution but she by request told her mode of raising turkie's and she lost but five from ninety-one hatched and her system must be good, as she had only began the season with four hens. She gives whole black pepper to each young turkey when it was only a day old and feeds them on cooked food for three months. Louisa T. Brooke's clipping related to the thawing out of the hearts of the people during the late blizzard. Of eleven hundred dollars contributed in Baltimore to aid the suffering poor, three hundred was given by convicts in the city jail. Mary P.T. Jackson gave extracts from a graphic letter written by Helen L. Thomas describing her charming surroundings in California.

Mary E. Moore read a poem on "Tones" which is well worth preserving in part at least.

"It is not so much what you say As the manner in which you say it It is not so much the language you use As the tones in which you convey it.

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Then if you would quarrels avoid And in peace and love rejoice Keep anger not only out of your words But keep it out of your voice"

Rebecca T. M. Stabler had an excellent scrap on the uselessness of worrying assuring us that "the world gets very tired of the men and women who placard the word "worry" on their countenances.

Louisa T. Brooke read for M.S. Hallowell "The Mother Heart". Vaccination pro and con, was next discussed, a vote showed there were 10 in favor and 9 against it or doubtful of its value.

Fanny Snowden told of her success in keeping eggs from May to Dec. she made a solution of 22 gallons of boiled water, 1/2 pt. salt and 1pt. air slaked lime, the eggs were placed carefully in jars and the mixture poured on they kept perfectly in a cellar. A number present gave personal experience of the wonderful snow storm of two weeks since and all agreed there had not been a similar fall within their recollection.

These were followed by some remarkable hen tales, of a hen who laid 300 eggs in one year, of another who always flew up in a cedar tree to lay and finally went to sitting in the same place without an egg in sight, of another that answered when spoken to and greeted her mistress with a pleased cluck whenever they met.

Adjourned to Oak Grove Mary Bentley Thomas sec.

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On 3/20-1899 we wended our way by bare fields and leafless trees to Oak Grove in snow drift, the length of several panels of fence lay in a sheltered place, the last remnant of the mighty white expanse of the blizzard of Feb. Our guests were Virginia Herves, Cornelia N. Stabler, Margaret B. Magruder, Hannah B. Brooke, Emma Waters , Mrs Edward Turner, Sarah R. Janney, Sarah T. Moore, Mary Gilpin and Alice Stabler. Several members were unavoidably absent. Margaret S. Hallowell's sentiment was from a Jewish paper

"Sincerity must always remain the ingredient of all our actions, of our thoughts and their expression. Insincerity is the curse of life and cannot be smothered over by any effort"

Mary E. Moore's selection was a short allegorical poem on "Troubles"

"We go, they say to those who mope Who look on life dejected And weakly say goodbye to Hope, We go where we've expected.

Elizabeth G. Thomas read from "What all the World is Seeking", "A kind act or a loving service to another can not be given without bringing a reward to the giver; we may minister as truly to mental sickness as to bodily pain".

Anna F Gilpin said a friend wanted to know how to exterminate Croton bugs in her kitchen,

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was advised to use "R.R.R." Persian powder or a phosphoric paste. Virginia H. Steer read, "The Other Side" from which excellent article we cull - "To the casual observer there would seem no better fortune than health and wealth and no sadder fate than sickness and poverty, yet we find the law of compensation rules more than many imagine: Cold climates develop energy, where Nature is lavish to man, the very case with which his livelihood is gained makes him inert". Hannah B. Brooke's communication was on "Hurry". "Each of us is promised strength for the day and we should not attempt to crowd two days into one". Sarah T. Miller brought interesting extracts, from "The Southern Workman", of a Conference of colored people held at Hampton Va. Essays upon "Industrial Education" and the almost universal need of a better home life, although written by a negro man and woman would have done credit to residents of a much higher station and greater opportunities than these "African citizens of American descent" have probably experienced.

Martha A. Holland's article was entitled "There are Others". The slang expression was found to have a much deeper meaning than at first supposed. A man hearing the words from a little street urchin resolved to put the idea in practice for just one day and give away small deeds of a friendly nature within the scope of his powers.