Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1912-1916

194 The Cottage, com.

a lecture that has been delivered more than 5000 times by the Rev. Russell Conwell of Phila. This truly remarkable man has sent nearly 1800 young people to College from the proceeds of this one lecture. He keeps a list of those he wishes to help educate and after subtracting his actual expenses the remainder is sent at once to the individual heading the list and their name is crossed off, usually before he retires for the night of the lecture. The obvious moral of this discourse is that one need not travel to distant lands nor look for help from others, but “to make the best of the opportunities within reach will often, if not invariably bring success and contentment.” Mr. Cornwell was a poor boy in a little N. E. town, and he marched away in the early sixties, to fight for the Stars and Stripes. After his return home he became a minister and finally took charge of a forlorn hope in Phila. Now, he not only has a tremendous congregation but has been instrumental in founding a large hospital and a university. He has an almost uncanny power of making people help to accomplish any great philanthropic work he desires.

After a pleasant social time we adjourned to the home of Louisa T. Brooke, on 10-15-1916, afterwards postponed until the 19th, owing to the decease of our fellow member, - Martha A. Holland –

Mary Bentley Thomas, Sec’y-

Holly Cottage - 10-19-1916 195

The Asso. assembled, at noon on 10-19-16 in cozy “Holly Cottage” with Louisa T. Brooke and daughters. Owing to the death of our faithful and respected member, Martha A. Holland, the mtg. had been deferred until the above date. Eliza N. Moore and Frances B. Snowden were appointed to prepare a memorial of our late friend.

Guests were, Mrs. Bluck of Bermuda, Anna Hitchcock and Madge Winslow of Balto., Annabell Page, Roberta Allen, Charlotte Cresson of Washington, Polly Janney Shields of Chicago, Ellen Stabler, Lydia Tatum, Margaret Magruder, Mrs. Wilson, Mary P. T. Jackson, Anna Nesbitt and Dorothy Wetherald of this vicinity.

The sentiment was from the writings of Henry Ward Beecher, “No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart which makes a man rich. he is rich or poor according to what he is, not to what he has.”

A second selection was from Rudyard Kipling, entitled, - “If we only understood”, -

“If we knew the cares and trials Knew the efforts all in vain, And the bitter disappointment, - Understood the loss and gain – Would the dim eternal roughness Seem – I wonder – just the same? Should we help where now we hinder? Should we pity where we blame?

Ah! we judge each other harshly Knowing not life’s hidden force; Knowing not the fount of action Is less turbid at it’s source; Often we should find it better, Purer, than we judge we should, We should love each other better If we only understood.”

A message from Estelle T. Moore informed us she had paid our dues to The Co. Federation, the sum being $3.00. – A number paid the 15 cts. assessed each, and the rest desired to communicate with our Treas, India Downey, at an early date.

196 Holly Cottage, con.

Sallie R. Janney gave an informing article upon “The Student’s Mecca”, which title has been bestowed upon the Library of Congress. A warm tribute paid to the beauty of detail in the building, and the harmony of the whole. The appropriate mottoes on the walls were said to have been largely chosen by Pres. Eliot of Harvard, but we were once told that our old friend Ainsworth Spofford, gave considerable help.

The shelving of the books aggregates nearly 100 miles which is more easily believed than disproved. The number of volumes increases rather faster than is desirable, we were told, since every book copyrighted, must have two copies in the Library and the verist trash is not excluded.

Ellen Farquhar said her selection was connected with money, and somebody once remarked, - “That subject brings a coolness over the meeting at once”, - however she ventured to arraign our country for striving to get rich upon the woes of distracted Europe. Several expressed unity with the writer and condemned the sale of munitions of war to any nation.

Eliz C. Davis gave directions for knitting soft bandages of N8 Dexter cotton, to be wound over the eyes of soldiers partially or entirely blind in the hospitals of Paris and elsewhere. “The Needlework Guild” is supplying thousands of comforts to the wounded and a branch of the Guild in this neighborhood is aiding the good work, - contributions are solicited.

Eliz. Willson, who has been of late, a very satisfactory substitute for her sister-in-law, Sarah, said the latter was nearly through superintending the picking of her cranberry crop and would not return before Nov. 1st.

Pattie T. Farquhar gave extracts from a very original book, “The Harbor”, by Ernest Poole, describing most vividly scenes in the port of New York when an ocean-steamer is about to sail. P. T. F. said she expected to be in Washington for several months and wished Margaret B. Magruder

197. Holly Cottage, con.

to take her place for the time, which request The Asso. was glad to grant.

Eliz. C. Davis had a school-boys’ short history of “Elijah, the boys and the bears”, - “He did, the boys did and the bears did.”

Eliza T. Moore read of the wonderful collection of the illuminating devices used by man, (from the earliest dawn of history to the present), and is now being prepared for exhibition in The Nat’l. Museum at Wash. The fire-brand which transferred the flame from tribe to tribe, the first attempt at a lamp, made of an animals skull, the greased stick, forerunner of a candle, belonged to the camp-fire period. Some Edison of these dark ages, first used a st__ petrel as a lamp by placing fibre in the mouth of a fat bird and lighting the primitive wick.

During the stone age flat pieces were hollowed out and encircled with dry moss, which burned readily around a well of grease. All parts of Europe and Asia have sent to Wash. pottery lamps of ancient and crude design. The next evolution, in light, was an iron lamp, then came also copper, brass and bronze. After many yrs. Argand discovered the method of putting oil in a reservoir, forcing it up in a wick and using a glass chimney, - this was the first real lamp and was supposed to be the last analysis of that luxury. Kerosene and gas followed and finally electricity has been harnessed successfully, for heating and lighting purposes almost all over the civilized world.

Elma Chandlee gave first, a funny story of a boy at Sunday School who, on being told that Methuselah lived for 900 yrs., said he would like to know where all his birthday gifts were buried! Elma also favored us with such a good parody on a familiar song, - “My Rosary”

“Five mournful bushes in a bed, Only one bud in each I see, Although I count them eagerly, each day, My Rosary.

I wait but still no blossoms come,

198 Holly Cottage, con.

A dark fear penetrates my mind I quickly open one small bud, and there A worm I find!

My neighbor’s roses scent the air; And though her gain is not my loss, To see her bushes loaded down with bloom Makes me quite cross. It does, - It makes me cross.”

Mary E. Gilpin read of the relations between “Mistress and Maid” in France which are regulated by Law. A cook, who was discharged, demanded a “character” and the one given was decidedly topsyturvey, as it was apparently from the servant instead of for her.

Alice Tyson said she expected to be away from S. S. until Apr. or May, and should like to have Florence Wetherald again take her place in which the society concurred.

Sarah T. Miller had brought a cheery little book, given to her some time since by the lamented La Vergne Gardner, and the following good extracts will speak for themselves, -

“There’s a bad side, ‘tis the sad side Never mind it, There’s a bright side, ‘tis the right side Try and find it! Pessimism’s but a screen Thrust the light and you between, And the sun shines bright, I ween Just behind it.” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “It is worth a thousand pounds a year to have the habit of looking on the bright side of things.” Samuel Johnson

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.” Emerson

Margaret B. Magruder had mislaid her clipping but gave two bright little verses by Chas. Mackay, - “Today and To-morrow.

Mrs. Bluck, formerly Miss Laura Cox, a Stanmore scholar, expressed her great pleasure in revisiting the scenes of her girlhood, and invited any and all S. S. travelers who went to Bermuda, to