Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1896-1900

122 Nevertheless it may be well for the Association to exercise a friendly supervision for a season or two upon the supposition "That the woman who hesitates is lost". Elizabeth C. Davis had a rather critical review of the writings of Rudyard Kipling who was said "to represent the war spirit which lurks in every heart". The essayist confessed to a former attack of Kiplingitis but had evidently made a complete recovery. Some dissented from the scathing estimate of a man who counts his readers by the million and who had made fame and fortune at the unusually early age of 32 yrs. Sarah T. Miller offered extracts from "What is Worthwhile"; we were urged to let go worry, pretence and self-seeking and to be wise in the use of time. The most reckless spendthrift is he who squanders this precious possession and each one has the same number of hours each day to dissipate or to garner. Time spent in being interrupted is not wasted and we must endeavor to preserve equanimity under circumstances which appear adverse at the moment". Virginia Steer gave an excellent idea in "A Good Background" The man who comes from a happy home to life's duties is apt to succeed. Rececca T. Miller asked where she could get nuts and seeds of the old fashioned herbs and several kinds were offered her. A guest asked if it was customary to give lunches to harvest hands and found to her satisfaction the troublesome custom was now "honored in the breach". The last of June was thought not too late to bag grapes, Ellen Farquhar had sprayed

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her vines 6 times already this season. A question with regard to hot or cold water for cooking peas elicited the information that it made small difference when they were young but that all old vegetables should be put in cold water. The sec. read an account of the rise and decline of the Iron Mt. Co. of Missouri In mining phrase the ore has "petered out" entirely and of 5000 people once engaged at these works but 13 remain surrounded by fine dwellings, churches, halls schools and lodge rooms given over to bats and spiders and covered with vines. A second clipping told of the proposed federation of all the Clubs of Md. women. No action was taken upon the latter

Adjourned to Rosedale.

Mary Bentley Thomas

The Association met at Rosedale the last 3rd day in 7th mo, 1899 The secretary was at Ocean City so Mary E. Moore was appointed for the day and performed the duty to the extent of taking home with her a handful of notes. But alackaday! Although she has spent hours in the search for them, and looked in every possible nook and cranny where they might have been placed for safe keeping, to this day they have not been found and we can do nothing but record the fact that the meeting was duly held and that it was a very pleasant occasion. It is but just to state that M. E. Ms. house was full to overflowing at the time of the loss.

124 and her notes were probably destroyed by one of the 11 children there at Plainfield.

(This page is left for the Rosedale minutes if ever found)

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8/31-1899 The Association was in session at The Cottage with Hariet Kirk, Carrie S. Bond, Mary E. Gilpin, Marianna Miller and Helen Lea guests. Owing to the fact that our sec. for the previous mtg. had moved her personal belongings three times in one month her notes had been mislaid. The sentiment of our hostess seemed to have reference to the recent deaths in our community and was as follows-

"In this mysterious life there is always gladness somewhere, In spite of its pain and strife And somewhere the sin and sorrow of earth are known no more Somewhere our weary spirits shall find a peaceful shore".

Her other contribution was a witty and all too true recital of the evils of worrying. Ellen Farquhar gave the conclusion of this essay which was long but not too long. In glancing over the old minutes we have been struck with the great number of times the Association has been warned against this weakening, useless and irreligious habit. The remedy was thought to be not so much in repressing worry as in replacing it with something more worthy, exercise in the open air, pleasant deeds and thoughts, and a dwelling upon the great principle that "this is God's world and he will take care of the Universe". Mary E. Gilpin gave an acc. of a working pigeon which arrived safely at Grafton N. Va. from Denver Col. She also told a remedy for mice in pantries, the free use of walnut leaves green or dried. Several asked where to keep pickle, a dark dry closet, neither very cold nor very warm was preferred. Elizabeth G. Thomas read a most interesting chapter from the new life of

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of Susan B. Anthony, of her assisting an ill treated wife to escape from a brutal husband and thus defying the law in a righteous cause. Eliza A. Moore related some incidents of her recent beautiful trip to Norway and Spitzbergen: she spoke of the myriads of birds seen on the shores of the Arctic ocean and told of her success in having her hat retrimmed in a German millinery where neither party could do anything but make signs. Martha Holland read of Robert Ingersoll's having received Frederic Douglass in his home years ago when no one else would entertain the colored orator in an Indiana town. Mary T. Bond's article was by Alice Stone Blackwell upon "Women and Conservatism" and Albina Stabler had a delightful sketch of the lamented author of "David Harum".

Mr. Westcott said of himself "I would rather be deceived by a succession of rascals than to doubt one honest man or lose my faith in human nature". Margaret S. Hallowell read a beautiful memoir of Henry C. Hallowell by his life long friend Margaret B. Magruder. Mary G. Colt said apples could be kept almost indefinitely by spreading them on shelves or the floor in a cool dry cellar & not allowing them to touch each other. Her second effort to enlighten us was a strong vindication of old maids who never need any such defense in Sandy Spring where some of the best people in the world belong to that useful and valuable sisterhood. Sarah T. Miller who