Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1896-1900

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to the men who shovelled coal on his fleet in a fiery atmosphere of discomfort and possible danger. A touching incident was recounted of a western mother who had nearly starved herself to give her only son a college education and her last words were "only be a good man laddie" which became his watch words in after life.

Sarah E. Stabler read "Speak well of each other", great may be the evil, ultimately of a few idle words spoken in a censorious manner, and we were urged to seek for new virtues in our friends instead of applying a magnifying glass to their frailties.

A mixture of mace, cloves, nutmeg, torqua bean, cinnamon and orris root was said to be very noxious to the moth tribe, in fact as efficacious a preventive as the unspeakable moth balls which "smell to Heaven" indeed.

Mary Osborne said she always sprinkled powdered alum in woollens and some others used pepper, either red or black plentifully.

Anna F. Gilpin read "Past and Present" a thoughtful poem contrasting the terrible rush of today with the leisure of long ago. Mary G. Colt had another poem " October's Party" a quaint conceit of the leaves; and a clipping recounting the woes of a girl who wore bloomers.

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Mary T. Bond had an interesting description of Johannesburg, a city of 200 000 inhabitants and now the cynosure of all eyes.

Virginia H. Steer gave us facts relating to the very small shops of New York, we often hear of the immense establishments but these tiny places where the customer has to stand outside because the merchant fills all the space inside not taken up by the goods are less known as their oddities deserve.

Clara P. Moore read "A Protest" supposed to have been written by Admiral Dewey, wherein the American people were prayed not to kill him with receptions and processions and reviews.

Elizabeth C. Davis favored us with "A message to Garcia". A Government clerk named Rollin carried a letter last year from the President in Washington to Garcia in Cuba, and the messenger was one of those men who did not ask- ""where is he? How am I to get there? Is there any hurry? Whats the matter with Charley's doing it? " but he went and did it and did it well. The piece was written by Elbert Hubbard has been widely circulated and deserves its fame.

Pattie R. Stabler gave a pathetic poem the lament of a little boy for a lost mother. Florence Bond told of a bright servant who on being sent to tag a number of wheels tacked or pinned the names of owners on to the tires.

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Louisa T. Brooke brought that fine book "The Uses of Life" by Sir John Lubbock and culled words of wisdom here and there a few of which we caught on the fly- "What men call evil, is good misapplied. We all have one pupil and we must teach that one ourselves. Our first object should be to make the best of ourselves. Those who will not accept advice at first hand cheap will buy recompense at second hand dear".

The secretary read "The four leafed clovers"

"I know a spot where the sun is like gold and the cherry blooms bent with snow And just underneath is the loveliest nook, where the four leafed clovers grow. One leaf is for hope and one is for faith, and one is for love you know, And God put another one in for luck, if you search you will find where they grow.

But you must have hope and you must have faith, You must love and be strong and so If you work, if you wait, you will find the place Where the four-leafed clovers grow".

Ellen Farquhar had brought a plate of exquisite begonias of a variety new to most of us- the bulbous sort. We are advised to use soap suds and tobacco water on plants infested

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with the green aphis and to water a sickly palm generously and repot after washing the roots.

"Fatal Food" was said to rid closets of black ants. A question about the use of liquid manure brought out the mode of applying it as followsPour water on the article and after allowing it to stand a short time use enough of the liquid to color water the shade of strong coffee, water the plants once a week with the solution.

Several persons admired the fine appearance of the bay window which had not committed the sin of crowding its occupants so they barely lived, usually the case with that belonging to your secretary- Adjourned to Cherry Grove.

11/23-1899 we gathered at Cherry grove with most of our members in attendance and Mrs. Jackson, Helen Shoemaker, Mary P. T. Jackson, Pattie T. Farquhar, Mary A. Gilpin, Elizabeth T. Stabler, Marianna Brown, Grace Harvey, Eliza Brooke and Mary Magruder guests.

The sentiment of the day was an extract from Ruskin. - "You will find it less easy to uproot faults than to choke them by gaining virtue. Do not think of your faults, still less of others faults, in every person who comes

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near you , look for what is good and strong, honor that rejoice in it, and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes".

Our hostess also gave an article on "Health", how to keep well being a subject which concerns us all. People should wear out instead of breaking down. Some rules were given and the last seemed to embody most of the rest"Be temperate in all things."

Elizabeth C. Davis had an original selection in a short essay upon the value of suspense which was thought to be good discipline and one that is not often obtained in the hurry of this age. "Suspense of opinion" was pronounced the safe middle course.

Mary T. Bond's contribution was a plea for the children in flats, in some cases they are refused admission at all and in most of them have few rights. It was proposed to build some apartment housing especially adapted to the babies with the roof covered in glass and sand piles beneath it.

Grace Harvey told us of the rigorous measures against debtors practiced in China, a man's place of business may be closed and even his front door taken off until he settles up.

Martha Holland read "The Boer's Oath" a solemn obligation taken by those who are now trying to free themselves from British rule.