Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1912-1916

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walk of some distance except in very stormy weather. H. R. S. also had a clipping upon, “The Value of Time in N. Y.” The people of that city were declared to be “half-crazed” in their efforts to save a moment or two on their way to business, and then were able to waste ½ hour with equanimity.

Louisa T. Brooke told of the suffering and danger of four men in Nev. during the recent heavy snow storms. They were in a tent covered with snow 12 ft. deep for a whole wk. and finally managed to extricate themselves and reach a place of safety and aid. Some information was given about that vast little-known section of South America from Peru to the headwaters of the Amazon and almost to its mouth in one direction. Remains of wonderful old cities have been found, some believed to be thousands of years old and a road 1500 miles long and only 6 ft. wide was discovered. Cannibals frequent these wilds, the forests are dense, and strange unfriendly animals and snakes, to say nothing of deadly diseases, beset the path of the explorer at every stage. Our Ex-Preswho apparently thrives upon such trials and tribulations, will doubtless have many hairbreadth escapes to recount soon at several dollars a line. Mariana Miller, after an urgent invitation, gave us some acct. of the Calif. experiences of her sister Elizabeth, who had just been to beautiful Catalina Island, and will soon be on her way to S. S., via San Francisco and the home of her cousins Stabler, daughters of the late Sam’l Stabler of Harewood.

Sarah T. Miller had brought an amusing satire upon “Yellow-Germists” in the newspapers of the day. These essays and scraps of news them with references to all the terrible ills we can scarcely hope to escape, for we are assured, ‘"danger lurks in air, earth, water, even in Penelope’s lips"! The sum of the whole appear ed to be that a calm mind, and plenty of water would rob us of many delusions, and we were advised to keep steady all the time, and drink

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from 2 to 3 quarts of water daily. Another laughable contribution was upon the dire result of taking a Seidlitz powder in two installments. Several instances were given where the victim seemed in absolute danger from such violent "internal emotions " to put it mildly.

Virginia Steer read of the large omnibuses, called gondolas "much in evidence in N.Y." formerly, now replaced by a vast scheme of transportation overhead, and beneath the streets and rivers.

Stella Moore, who has been taking a course in what may be termed scientific dressmaking, announced her intention of teaching her art, this summer, to classes of our girls who wish to learn her new and easier metod of solving the old problems appropriate garments, constructed at home, "without tears", as the new readers say.

Albina O. Stabler had astonishing statistics first of the money realized in some cities by the collection of old iron, tin and other apparently useless and unsightly accumulations in yards and alleys, that find ready sale, when classified and diverted into proper channels, reminding us of an old aphorism: "Dirt is only matter out of place."

A.O.S. also told us that 20 million bushels of peanuts are sold every year in this country, and many millions of bushels of pop-corn.

Mary T. Bond contributed an account of the tropical luxuriance and beauty of the Chagres River and along the "Spillway" of our great Panama Canal. The animals and birds in the zone have become very shy but will doubtless return to old haunts when there are fewer men and noises.

Ellen Stabler had brought us a few good verses. from which we cull:

"The pleasant word and kindly look, And that's the language of The Book. The answer soft, the tender creed Of love for every living need."

Estelle T. Moore's first selection was a list of clever new words recently coined "Smog" - means smoke and fog. "Snail" - snow and hail. For her second offering she made a little apology, saying

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it was totally different from what she usually gave, but such a bright take off on the curious nay outlandish and immodest “fashions of the day, must cause an arrest of thought,” when there was so much truth in the arraignment. For instance:

“When we went wooing ages since, We learned the lady’s views Concerning churches, dances, books, And expurgated news. We took her inner views on faith We wooed and won and wed Before we had the vaguest glimpse Of what was in her head.

It’s different now, - these modern girls Discuss with pith and jest The things their grandmas didn’t know, Or kept inside their chest. Our ancient charmers – bless their hearts, Did so devise their dress, That of the things they wore beneath, No manly mind might guess.

But nowadays the modest maid Rejoices to display Her garment’s inner mysteries A down the broad highway, Serene, unblushing, calm and cool, To passersby she shows The ribbons of her brassiere, The texture of her hose. The mysteries we wed to pierce Are solved at tea or dance, - Hooray! a man may marry now, And never take a chance!”

Mary E. Thomas gave a sketch of Fanny Crosby, the writer of sweet songs, whose 95th birth-day will occur on the 24th of this month (March). Blind from babyhood she was a beautiful example of how good humor and loveliness of heart and mind may render almost naught such a disability. She commenced her musical career when a girl and while at a school for the

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blind in New York, where she ultimately taught and married a blind teacher, Alexander Van Alstyne. Among her best known early productions are “Hazel Dell”, “Rosalie the Prairie Flower”, and “There’s Music in the Air”, with many others, almost equally popular. Later she composed tunes for a number of hymns, “Rescue the Perishing”, “Pass Me Not Oh Gentle Savior”. “Every Hour I Need Thee”, “Saved by Grace”, “Sweet Hour of Prayer”, and “Safe in the Arms of Jesus”, which last was actually given in 15 min after the request was made by an old friend for a tune that would fit the words.

She recently said, “Right thinking keeps people young and well.” “I hope to live to be 106 as did my grandmother, and I never fret nor worry, do not think disagreeable thoughts nor find fault with any one or anything. If your mind is warped you become a pessimist then your doctor says your liver is bad, not so it is your mind, keep that cheerful and happy.”

The Sec’y gave several rhyming scraps, 1st, “Take a little Journey to Yourself”, from the prolific pen of the Bentztown Bard.”

“Men go round the wide world seeking places strange, Over all the far seas generations range; Some are fond of cities they’ve never seen before, Some of little places by their own green door; But when you go the next time traveling the land, Take a little looking glass and hold it in your hand Pose before the mirror of your virtue and your sin, A journey to yourself is the place you should begin Lots of things to see there and to better know How you’ve made your own life one of pride or woe, What you’ve been to others, helping with a smile, Making friends and neighbors think that life’s worthwhile Mastering your weakness, composing the plan

(Ingleside con) 63 Plainfield 4-10-14

And every morn on what is stored Therein in gratitude I look, But trials, troubles, woe etcetery, I file away in my forgettery, And find the scheme a first rate plan To make me a contented man.” John Kendrick Bangs

“Afterthought” “O little Afterthought I wish You had not come to me, For with myself I otherwise Quite satisfied would be. You’re excellent, but I deplore That you should not have come before.

Why is it that you are not prompt, But saunter in instead When all the things I’ve done are done, And all I’ve said is said? Of nuisances you are the worst; Don’t come, unless you come at first!” -Life

Adjourned to the home to Louis and Virginia Steer, afterwards changed to Plainfield, on 4-10-1914

Mary Bentley Thomas, Sec’y.

Plainfield. 4-10 1914

The Association met at Plainfield, 4-10-1914 to dinner and we all enjoyed the fine shad served so abundantly, and felt sorry that so few of our members were there for the treat, only 13 being present, but we had several guests, Lucy Moore, Kate Thomas, Ellen Stabler and Margaret Magruder.

In the absence of Mary B. Thomas we all felt helpless until Sarah Miller gallantly took up the gavel and persuaded Fannie Snowden to read the minutes and Sarah Willson to write the notes, and as these are the first she has ever written she hopes mistakes will be forgiven.

The last minutes at Plainfield were read