Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1896-1900

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Sarah H. Stone told of a remarkable case of longevity in a Va. couple who had lived together for 83yrs. Elizabeth C. Davis entertained and interested us by a selection from "The Critic" upon American authors who had ably represented us at foreign courts from Franklin to John Hay. Margaret B. Magruder gave a tried receipt for putting up meat, in sifted hickory ashes, and she recited a few pretty verses the concluding lines of which were-

"There's not a sorrow known on earth which yieldeth not to faith and prayer".

Ellen Farquhar warned us of the sorrows and disabilities of debt which was said to be "anti Peace" in its effects. Benjamin Franklin said, "Think what you do when you go in debt". Horace Greeley said, "Never get in debt". Henry Ward Bucher told one of his sons, "You must not get in debt avoid it as you would the Devil". Ellen Farquhar also gave by the eyes of E.C. Davis, "I cannot read the old books", an echo of the Biblical plaint, " of the making of many books there is no end".

Emma Waters read amusing scraps from "The Philadelphian Album of 1826" a curiously personal magazine which antedated all the favorites of today. Cornelia Stabler selected some pithy paragraphs from "The Every Day of Life", the friendship which ministers but cares not to be ministered to was declared to be the only kind of value. "The Douglas Climax" and "Scarlet Rambler" were said to be satisfactory climbing roses.

Mary T. Bond read of the discovery in the British Museum of an alabaster block with a sculptured representation believed to be of the hanging gardens of Babylon. Virginia Flowers, a visitor, kindly gave a portion of Whittier's ever beautiful "Snow Bound". Sarah R. Janney recommended an incubator which she said enabled them to raise more chickens

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than had been done by allowing the mother hens to devote time to that business. The name of Louisa T. Brooke was proposed as a member in the place made vacant by the death of her mother Lydia G. Thomas, and she was elected by acclamation. The sec. contributed a clipping on the pearl fisheries of the U.S. a much more important industry than many are aware of, they are found in a dozen different places some beautiful specimens have come from Mo. and La. M.B.T. also read a poem "The Winner of the Race", the real hero being the one who stopped to aid his suffering fellow mortal and not the one who was first at the goal.

Adjourned to Mt. Airy - Mary Bentley Thomas Sec.

4/20-1899 found the Association assembled at Mt. Airy. Guests were Caroline H. Miller, Virginia Flowers, Cornelia N. Stabler, Carrie S Brooke, Mrs. Jackson, Helen Lea, Mary A. Gilpin and Carrie Janney. Sarah T. Miller's sentiment was "Do what you can. Not what you cannot, not what you think might have been done, not what you would like to do, not what you would do if you had more time, not what somebody thinks you ought to do, but what you can". Anna F. Gilpin's fine selection was entitled "A Blessed Secret", the happiness of living by the day. Any one can do his work, however hard, for one day. Do today's duty, fight today's temptations and do not weaken and distract yourself by looking forward to things you can not see. Short horizons make life easier". Sarah Stones two humorous clippings caused a hearty laugh.

Sarah E. Clarke read, 1st., how a number of young people

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thought they would spend money if they were rich, and secondly an article on the common fault of selfishness as fostered in families, where one member is allowed to accept sacrifices which ought never to have been made. The following was pronounced an excellent soup, 1 qt. stewed tomatoes, 1qt. of milk, allow the latter to boil, pour it into the tomatoes, season, pour through a sieve and let simmer add butter to taste. We were pleased to welcome our new member Louisa T. Brooke who gave us an amusing account of one of Mark Twain's escapades in Germany: he paid his car fare a dozen times in as many squares because he purposely lost or pocketed his ticket just to study human nature in the amazement of his companions in the street car who could not understand such a lack of thrift. He wrote up the experience and a Magazine here paid him one hundred dollars for it. L.T.B. also read a poem addressed to Helen Keller who has been an object of interest to us all for years and who seems to be the most wonderful girl of 16 in the world. The Sec. had been requested to bring the subject of the purification of the Press before all the societies possible and to endeavor to awaken public opinion in favor of pure literature. The request had been made by the Press Com. of Balt'e. Y. Mtg. and the Association endorsed the action of these women who call upon parents and guardians to banish from their homes all papers and magazines which give place to articles, pictures or advertisement of sensational or questionable character. Virginia Steer read from Mary Sidney "Women are awakening". The nation's prosperity is their prosperity and if any doubt this share in Americas progress let him or her study the lives of Mary and Martha

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Washington, of Abigail Adams, Sarah Polk and Lucy Webb Hayes all of whom were active in good works while occupying a more or less exalted position. Virginia Flowers read of the wonderful advance in Egyptian civilization in the last decade. Thousands of trees have been planted and there are more miles of railway than in Spain. Mary E. Moore said both of her selections had been read before her turn came so she merely offered two paragraphs of a comic nature.

Caroline H. Miller was sure she could neither instruct nor entertain us but finally did both when she consented to recite "St. Agnes Eve"

Elizabeth G. Thomas said she had again brought " What all the World is seeking", a fine moral was drawn from "men who live in the upper stories of their lives and not in the basement". Martha Holland had borrowed from Ellen Wheeler Wilcox a bright poem of which we copy one verse-

"You can never tell when you do an act just what the result will be, But with every deed you are sowing some seed though the harvest you may not see. Each kindly act is an acorn dropped in God's productive soil Though you may not know, yet the tree will grow And shelter the brows that toil".

Ellen and Pattie T. Farquhar had likewise chosen poetry, the former a capital take off on old fogyism, entitled "The Calf Path" and the latter of a little girl who was praised when she said she had not laughed, though all the rest did, when one little girl fell off a chair at a party, but it finally turned out that she had been the victim herself. Cornelia N. Stabler read of the small courtesies which are so well worth doing since they bless both giver and receiver.

Mrs. Jackson made a plea for the birds and Mary G. Colt's admirable "Receipt for a Happy Day" is

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worth preserving intact-

"Take a little dash of cold water, a little leaven of prayer, A little bit of sunshine gold dissolved in morning air. Add to your meal some merriment and thought for kith and kin And then, as your prime ingredient, plenty of work thrown in. Flavor it all with essence of love and a little dash of play, Let a wise old book and a glance above complete the well spent day".

Carrie S. Brooke had an interesting description of a telephone central office in a large city and she gave from "The Tribune" curious statistics about the lifting power of growing plants as tested at the Mass. Env. Station, A squash vine was said to have displaced 5000lbs.

Sarah T. Miller concluded our very diversified exercises by "An Economical Wife Wanted", Uncle Sam being the extravagant bachelor who was thought to be in need. Most of the company visited and admired the beautiful conservatory. Adjourned to Norwood.

Mary Bentley Thomas Sec.

The Association met at Norwood 5/12. 1899, although not quite as large a gathering as usual here we had as guest Mrs. Campbell of Laurel, Caroline Scott and daughter, Mrs. Louis Warfield and daughter, Alice Tyson, Carrie S. Brooke and Elizabeth Bond. Eliza N. Moore's sentiment from "The Tribune" was-

"Have you had a kindness shown? Pass it on. Twa's not given for you alone, pass it on. Let is travel down the years, let it wipe another's tears, Till in Heaven the deed appears. Pass it on.