Home > 1906-1907 Meeting Minutes

1906-1907 Meeting Minutes

[1906-1907 SEASON]

[MS 988 BOX 4, BOOK 3]

[MS988 Box 4, Book 3

1906-1907 season]

 

560th Meeting.

October 9th, 1906. New Season: 1906-1907.

 

The 560th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore took place in their assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building, on Tuesday, October 9th, 1906. This was the first regular meeting of the season of 1906-1907. It was a Salon, devoted to the loving welcome of our returned President,--who, while absent in Europe, had been unanimously re-elected to her ninth consecutive term as our presiding officer. The musical part of the programme was under the direction of Miss Annie Hollins, Chairman of the Committee on Music.

The President called the meeting to order, and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of May [?29th], 1906.

Mrs. Sidney Turner asked the privilege of saying a few words,--wishing, she said, to strike the key note

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now sounding through all our hearts--of the welcome we give to our President. Last November we had said to her, "Good bye!"--with its old time meaning: "God be with you!" And now we can feel that our prayer has been granted. She has come back to us, looking well again, to president over and share our work and our aspirations. And what more can we say?--but that we all love her, and rejoice to see her again!

Mrs. Wrenshall said she was not prepared to thank Mrs. Turner and her fellow members adequately, and she could not tell them how glad she was to be back in her place of duty among her dear friends once more.

Mrs. Turnbull, our honored first President, always gladly welcomed to our platform--afterwards presented to the returned President a beautiful bouquet of many roses, which was gracefully offered, and received.

The President announced the subjects of the meetings on the three following Tuesdays in October.

The President also announced that she had brought the Club something it would be very glad to possess,--an excellent photograph of our present First Vice President, Mrs. Jordan Stabler, who had been for six months our very acceptable Acting President.

The musical programme began with a "Piano Duet" the "German Round," by [?Moszkowski], finely played by Miss Hollins and Miss Bush.

This was followed by two "Songs for Soprano"; "A May Morning," by Denza, beautifully sung by Mrs. G. T.

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Williams; followed by Schneider's "Love's Fantasy."

Miss Hollins next gave us the pleasure of hearing her play a "Piano Solo,--Chopin's Nocturne, G. sharp major."

The programme next called for an "Address by the President, Mrs. John C. Wrenshall," on "The Opening of the Club Season of 1906-1907"--Mrs. Wrenshall said that it was with deep emotion she found herself among us again; and with heartfelt gratitude for the beautiful welcome we had given her,--seeing in it something of the strong ties of mutual interest and affection which the past years have woven to bind us together. For nearly a year of absence our friendship has held true. We have been constantly in her thoughts; and our unanimous election for her ninth consecutive term as our President had come to her across the sea to strengthen her in giving her best efforts to the work in which we had promised her our support. News of us--our programmes,--and personal letters from our faithful Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Uhler, and from other members,--had brightened her gray hours, and had seemed to focus all our work for her mental vision. To our Acting President, Mrs. Jordan Stabler, our united thanks were due. We much regret her absence this afternoon,--on account of the illness of her mother, (to whom we must spare her) hoping to have her with us soon again. Mrs. Wrenshall went on to speak of our work in the past, and of our plans for the future. She spoke of the sound literary basis on which we are building our superstructure,--that

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we may build better and higher than ever before. We have done thoughtful work, showing the training we have had here,--which ought to make our association a power and factor in the advancement of the community in which we live. Let us make this a memorable year in our spiritual mission for the development and growth of the higher things of life. To belong to our Club is a privilege and not a pastime; we should impart the invigorating quality of high impulses to all who come among us. With singleness of purpose, and trained minds, and kind hearts, we can make a happy and successful season of 1906 and 1907.

Mrs. Uhler, Corresponding Secretary, read a letter from Mrs. Jordan Stabler, First Vice President, expressing her regret for her unavoidable absence; her greeting to all her fellow members; and her thanks for the beautiful remembrances sent to her. Mrs. Uhler explained that, at the close of the last season, at a called meeting of the Board of Management, it was agreed to send in the name of the Club--to our excellent Acting President, a grateful tribute, in the form of flowers, and a note book, with a silver monogram upon it, with words of good speed on the beginning of the summer voyage abroad. Mrs. Stabler's appropriate acknowledgement at the time of the reception of "the lovely flowers and beautiful book" was also read by Mrs. Uhler.

The President then spoke of our fellow member

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and dear friend, Miss Jane Zacharias, who had the day before, gone from pain and sickness to meet the joy unspeakable of a better world.

Mrs. Turnbull spoke of Mrs. Zacharias as a faithful and successful worker for the good of humanity, a lover of children, a far seeing benefactress of the newsboys of Baltimore, and also as one who always retained her joyous spirit. Mrs. Turnbull also recalled the successful management by Miss Zacharias of our early musical Salons, with the charm she gave to those afternoons, and her interest in the special study of the history of music;--dwelling also on her artistic perceptions, and her full appreciation of all that makes life beautiful. "Of her work for poor boys," said Mrs. Turnbull, "we do not yet know all, but perhaps she knows it all now."

The last number of the programme was a fine Piano Solo, played by Miss Hollins: "A la bien aimee," by E. Schütt; and a "Finland Love Song," by Engelsberg.

The President spoke again of her appreciation of our welcome; and thanked Mrs. Powell, Chairman of the House Committee, and Mrs. [?Spilker,] for the decorations and arrangements of the Salon. She also thanked Miss Hollins, Chairman on Music, and our guests, Miss Bush and Mrs. Williams for our successful musical entertainment,--and declared the meeting adjourned.

The members and guests then gave their individual greetings to Mrs. Wrenshall; and enjoyed the refreshments provided by the House Committee.

 

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561st Meeting. 

October 16th, 1906.

 

The 561st meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, October 16th, 1906, in their assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. The programme was under the direction of Mrs. Percy Meredith Reese, Chairman of the Committee on Current Criticism. The President called the meeting to order; and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of October 9th. A letter was read from Miss Amy E. Blanchard, who, on moving away from Baltimore felt obliged to resign her membership in the Club. She wrote of her grief in giving up the privilege of this membership, of her appreciation of its benefits, and her hope to see us again. The President announced that the "Programmes of Topics" for the current year were now on her desk; that each Club member was entitled to a copy; and she would be glad to give them out at the close of the meeting. These programmes contain the names of our officers and directors; and of the Committees and their Chairmen.

The programme began with a "Review" by Miss Lucy Temple Latane, of the new book by Miss Margaret Deland: "The Awakening of Helena Ritchie." Miss Latane spoke of Mrs. Deland's former stories of "Old Chester," and of her bringing back to us again the same place, and the same old friends. The dear Dr. Lavender is as charming as ever,--perhaps a little stronger than before. Mrs. Deland, we

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were told, for the first time, preaches a sermon--taking for her text the Vision of the prophet Elijah at Mt. Horeb. A woman claiming "the right to happiness" at the expense of falsehood, and the tragedy of a suicide, insists on retaining the companionship of a little child, ignorantly given to her care,--saying: "I shall do him no harm!" But Dr. Lavender answers: "Can you do him any good?--can you teach him to be true?" Then, though the storm, the earthquake, and the fire have not affected her awakening, the still small voice arouses the slumbering soul. Finally, when she goes away, the child is allowed to go with her. Miss Latane did full justice to the book. She also read to us a lately published Sonnet, which said of Dr. Lavender--what many of us must have thought.

The programme next called for "Two Reviews," by Miss Lydia Kirk. The first was on: "Pam Decides," by Bettina Von Hutten. Miss said: "It's a dangerous thing to attempt to write a sequel to a popular novel. Even Thackeray and Dickens had, she thought, failed in such attempts." She spoke of "Pam Decides" as an unmistakable "pot-boiler." But she found it interesting from start to finish,--after all the first requisite of fiction. Pam had been left--where most heroines begin--starting to make her fortune,--with a maid for a chaperon, a concession to English conventionality. After writing twenty-two stories and getting a legacy, she concludes to ask

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an attaché of the Russian Embassy to her marry her. There are touched of humor,--through the conversations seem breathless and spasmodic. Still Pam is to us a living creature. The hope was suggested that all the mortgages on the German estate of the Baroness Von Hutton were now paid off; and that she will have time to maintain the reputation she gained by "Pam," and "Our Lady of the Beaches;" Miss Kirk's second article was on the book of Essays by Arthur Christopher Benson, called, "From a College Window." Arthur Benson, she said is one of the three sons of Archbishop Benson,--all Cambridge men, and writers of books. One is the author of "Dods," and other novels. Another, a convert to the Roman Catholic Church, is a writer of historical romances, and a defender of Mary, Queen of Scots. The third is the essayist, and short biographies of Pater and Fitzgerald. He combines, we were told, a keen critical faculty, and a strong personal quality, with simplicity and grace in writing. Miss Kirk quoted his assertion that the one thing which gives to any work of art its value is the subtle and evasive thing called "personality." But that the personality must not be lacking in charm, and every artist must try to have a perfectly sincere point of view. She said that Arthur Benson's book was as frank--aesthetically--as was Marie Bash-

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kirtchseff's--emotionally. But he is an aristocrat of intellect, and very real. Miss Kirk quoted a beautiful extract on "the mysterious instinct of admiring beauty, as perhaps the surest indication of some essence of immortality in the human soul, and the feeling of pre-existence,--of having love fair things further back than the beginning of consciousness." Miss Kirk closed by saying "This is a book to own, and to read the second time,--the supreme tests of any book.

The next article was by Miss Emily Paret Atwater, and was on: "Lady Baltimore," by Owen Wister. Miss Atwater said that the title of this book referred not to a lady, nor to any living thing but to a cake,--made of "sugar and spice, and everything nice." There is a love story of course, with suggestions to the olden--almost mediaeval time, and with something of the delicate humor of Irving's Sketches. A young man in a northern state has an aunt of as blue blood as that of the Druids, or of the Vestal Virgins, who for the sum of fifty dollars, has had her ancestral line traced back to ancient royalties. She induces her nephew to go to Kingsport,--evidently Charleston,--the consult the archives of South Caroline, in order to discover the roots and branches of his own family tree. There he becomes interested in the apparent courtship of a young South Carolinian and a

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Georgia girl. But the girl does not find favor in the eyes of the two aunts of the young Carolinian. These aunts are blue blooded and limited also by their environment,--and delightful. But, after unexpected incidents, a Lady Baltimore cake is baked for a wedding at the last. Miss Atwater spoke of the charming descriptions of the old-lady types of the aristocracies of North and South.

The next article was by Miss Ellen Duvall, and was "A Brief Notice of '[?Calmine],' by Henry Holt." Miss Duvall said she would not take Mr. Holt's novel as he seems to take it himself. Calmine has lost his father, and an uncle is the head of his family. At twenty years old he knows all subjects and all books, and can give chapter and [?verse] for everything that is mentioned. The heroine of the book, Nina, is a society girl, and a conventional Christian. Calmine shows his love by upsetting her faith,--though she did not seem to have much to upset. Then an irresponsible mother throws her sordid daughter in Calmine's way,--and the consequences are, as the French say, unfortunate. When Calmine wishes to marry this second girl, his uncle opposes his doing so, and advises his nephew to go away. The unfortunate girl marries an old lover, for whom she cares nothing at all. Nine, the heroine, learns of this affair, and the book closes in the style of Miss Augusta Evans, author of "Beulah,"--with Calmine on his knees before Nina, who hold his

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child in her arms. "Calmine" is full of information, and opinions. The only Christian in the book is a young rector, who assumes that there is no salvation outside of his own party, one even of a small faction of his own party in religion,--a kind of Christian now met with perhaps more frequently in fiction than in life. Miss Duvall said the author did not seem to know that he is only using the old stock in trade in trying to make impossible young converts from suppositions religious.

The programme next called on Miss Latane to speak on "Henry Holt," the author of Calmine. After speaking of Miss Duvall's excellent criticism, Miss Latané said that the uncle in Calmine seemed to omniscient; she could only liken him to Mr. George in the "Rollo Books,"--there was no possible question he would not answer off hand. This book, Calmine, is said to have been written ten years ago, and revised for its late publication; but its views seem to be those of the early 70's;--not those of today. The author is very bitter towards Christianity,--not knowing what Hell, for instance, means to sensible Christians now. His Biblical quotations are chiefly from the Old Testament. He seems to think that he can disprove the accuracy of the Mosaic account of the Creation, and therefore he has overthrown Christianity. He gives us no sensible Christian,--only the dapper little Rector. Miss Latane said she thought the readers of the book must be chiefly those who

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have presentation copies.

Mrs. Lord made some humorous remarks on her own experience with regard to Mr. Holt as the publisher of her own book on "Lamb and Coleridge." Our attention was called to the fact that Mr. Holt can publish anything he can choose to write.

The President thanked Mrs. Reese, and her Committee for the afternoon's entertainment,--and the meeting adjourned.

 

562nd Meeting.

October 23rd, 1906.

 

The 562nd meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, October 23rd, 1906, in the Assembly room of the Academy of Sciences Building. The literary program was under the charge of Mrs. Frederic Tyson, Chairman of the Committee on Current Topics. The President, Mrs. Wrenshall, called the meeting to order, and the recording secretary read the minutes of the meeting of October 16th. The President called attention to the Programmes of topics, which were distributed to the members of the Club last week, adding that those members who did not receive their copies at that time would find them on her desk at

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the close of the meeting. She also announced that on account of very serious illness in the family of our Treasurer, Miss Mullin, the duties of the Treasurer had been very kindly assumed by our Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Uhler, consequently the bills for dues of members would be received signed by her. The President also called attention to the work of our Memorial Committee, of which Mrs. Thomas Hill is Chairman, in decorating with flowers the graves of Authors and Artists of Maryland, every year on November 2nd, All Saints Day. She read the names of the members of the Committee, and also the names of the authors and artists we are accustomed to commemorate.

The Programme then began with Mrs. Tyson's Talk on Current Topics. Mrs. Tyson told us the topic of "Americanisms." She asked, "What is Americanism?" And in answer, she recalled to us Oliver Wendell Holmes' description of "John," as he appeared to himself, John, as he appeared to some one else and the real John. With regard to what we think of

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ourselves, she said that we think we live in God's own land, where each of us can live his own life, follow his own destiny, take his own position, whatever that of the ancestors may have been, where women for the first time can stand on their own feet, protected by law--and we can congratulate ourselves accordingly. As to what European nations think of us; frankly, they do not generally like us, they say we are rude and self-assertive, our children are rough, that we bow down to Mammon, and have no appreciation of art and culture. We must acknowledge that some Americans deserve such criticisms. Mrs. Tyson went on to speak of the true Americanism, and of the higher and purer ideals of life and government and citizenship, that claim our allegiance all the more as life goes on. She went on to describe our difference from other nations which go on to make us happier and stronger, and to give us larger opportunities for advancement, than they have. Her next topic was "Our Country's Internal Resources,"--of a

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rich soil, as strong people, and abundant wealth, agricultural mineral and industrial, before which students of Political Economy [?should,] in astonishment. Mrs. Tyson's next Topic was "Four Remarkable Men." The first, she said, was Theodore Roosevelt, our President. She would not speak of him politically, politics do not belong to our Club, but Mr. Roosevelt's ability, integrity, and sincerity seem to be [?concealed]. Yet we are not drawn to him--while we admire, we may not like him--though he is in many ways a typical American. She spoke of his often noticed likeness to the German Emperor--with many difference of heredity and environment of course. She then spoke of the President's former opponent Mr. Bryan, and though giving him credit for high character, fine oratory and attractiveness, she thought him more of a reformer and idealist than a statesman. The next remarkable man brought to our notice was Mr. Taft, now Secretary of War--one, she said, whose words and manner give charm to whatever he talked

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about, and who never forgets anyone he has known. He has been a peacemaker in the Philippines and in Cuba. It was said that in these two difficult tasks Roosevelt might have stormed and been stormed at in return. Bryan might have talked eloquently, and been answered eloquently, but Taft knew what to do, and he did it. She compared him to the present King of England, who has been called the most tactful man in the world. It is related, she said, that when Albert Edward was Prince of Wales, if any disagreement arose in the Royal Family, his mother, Queen Victoria, was accustomed to say, "Send Bertie to arrange it, if he can't--nobody can." The fourth remarkable man on Mrs. Tyson's list was Burbank, the great scientific gardener, who has by scientific and careful combinations discovered how to bring nearer to perfection and abundance the products of our soil, and the food of cattle, and to make California an exquisite garden. Mrs. Tyson's next subject was "Around the Caribbean Sea." She spoke of Mr. Roosevelt's approaching trip to Panama and to Porto Rica, and referred to the present state

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of the work on the Panama Canal. The next topic was "An Autumn Bride." The bride in question being Frauleen Bertha Krupp, the cannon maker's daughter--said to be the richest woman in the world. We were given a pleasant word-picture of the wedding in a chapel built for the occasion, where the Emperor was a guest, and of the apparently otherwise unpretentious multi-millionaire girl, and her comparatively poor husband, whom she has endowed with her [?immensely] possessions--and her hand and heart which we may hope he appreciates. The next Topic treated by Mrs. Tyson was "An Island in the Pacific." She told of the Isle of New Zealand, with its climate like that of New York or London--much more temperate than the climate of Australia, owing to the fact of being father south from the Equator. Another difference is the fact that New Zealand never was a [?cornish] colony. But, more interesting still, she said, is the fact that New Zealand has a Constitutional Government, which has incorporated strong efforts to work out the theories of political economy, good laws

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and freedom, some of these theories as old as Plato or Aristotle, and others supposed to be very modern. Of course, New Zealand is a part of the British Empire, but England learned from her American experiences to have her colonies very much to themselves--under the suzerainty of the Mother Country of course. The next Topic treated was that of new books, of which Mrs. Tyson gave us a varied and comprehensive review, with comments and opinions. She also told of some pleasant sayings in regards to our Club. Mrs. Turner spoke of a Bank officer who said he had seen her name in the paper in connection with the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore, and he felt sure she could tell him something good to read. She told him that most men liked, "The Shy Pilot." Sometime afterwards he told her he had read the book four times and so enjoyed it he was likely to read it four times more. We of the club can remember Mrs. Turner's review of the book when it was new to most of us. The President expressed our appreciation of the afternoon's

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varied entertainment, and declared the meeting adjourned.

 

563rd Meeting.

October 30th, 1906.

 

The 563rd meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, October 30th, 1906, in the assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. The programme was under the direction of the Committee on Fiction, Miss Duvall Chairman.

The President called the meeting to order, and the Recording Secretary read the Minutes of the meeting of October 23rd. The President called our attention to the bulletin-board, containing Book lists. Miss Cooper, who has charge of these lists, has requested that when Club members read books of especial interest, or which they consider good, to send the titles of such books to her to be places on the bulletin-board, for the benefit of their fellow members of the Club. Any magazine article of worth she will also be [?glad] to have named to her.

The President announced that she had received advance sheets of a new book on

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"The Prominent Families of Virginia," by Madamoiselle Louise Pecquet de Bellet. Mademoiselle de Bellet has been a guest at our Club Meetings, and her book is of great interest to Marylanders as well as to Virginians.

Announcement was made of the coming lectures of Professor Bloomfield on the "Religion of the Vedas." The President also gave the list of subjects for our meetings in November.

The programme began with a story by Mrs. Percy M. Reese, called "The Happiness of a Day." It told of Mrs. Mason, a widow, and her daughter [?Horteuse], who, after reverses of fortune, were trying to keep their heads above water. Horteuse, by singing, makes some money, but in her anxiety for the future cannot look with favor on a lover whom Horteuse seems to care for. Our sympathies go out to the brave fight of the daughter, and even to the weaker vexations of the mother. But, the unexpected happens, as it has been known to do even in life, and we can be glad and satisfied with the denouement

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of the story.

The next article was by Miss Emily Paret Atwater, and was called, "A Case of Exorcism." It was a story of negro superstition, given in good negro dialect, not overdrawn nor tiresome. The footsteps and "spell" of an old departed negro "[?Uncle,]" who had in life been considered a wizard, embarrass the life of his daughter, who is a type of her race, with her vanity, limited shrewdness, ignorant ambitions, and untaught, half-conscious loyalty to some things outside of and supposedly above herself. There is a love-story mingled with the ghostly one. Then a witch-woman offers to take away the "spell" for fifty cents. There are some wierd [weird] incantations, but the next day reveals cheating, and probably robbery also. The love story, however, reaches a satisfactory conclusion.

The next article was by Miss Lizette Reese, and was entitled "The Ways of Fiction." Miss Reese said that writers of fiction have pet methods in their workmanship. The conclusion of personal identity has been a god-send to poets and romancers. Rosalind" trips up and down the forest of Alders

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as "a pretty youth"--and [?similar] personations belong to Shakespeare's comedies. Ulysses comes back to Penelope in the rags of a beggar. Sir Walter Scott is fond of such mischances also. We have too, the story of the "Seven Sleepers" with their everlasting identity, and that of the wandering Jew, that of Barbarossa, and many others. Edgar Allan Poe in William Wilson, Dickens in the "Tale of Two Cities" Wilkie Collins in the "Woman in White" and Stevenson "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," were recalled to us. The Ghost, the dying visitor, the haunted house; pre-existence, the revels of malign spirits, are much in evidence also. The development of evil into good, or good into evil--as for the latter in George Elliot's [Eliot] Tito Melerna--we have often met. The fiction that appeals to us is full of the personalities and developments belonging to our common human nature.

The next article was a story called "The Tenure of Tradition" by Miss Virginia Woodward Cloud. Miss Cloud depicted a woman attractive and intelligent, whose mental inheritance--and especially her inherited traditions--caused her to make a great and long-continuing self-re-

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nunciation apparently without being aware of the sacrifice, which is accepted without demur by a grasping sister. The latter, however, dies at last. There, by a strange and surprising revelation, the unconscious martyr finds herself authorized to accept the love and happiness she had denied herself years before.

The last article was by Miss Ellen Duvall, and was called, "The Pursuit." Miss Duvall's story also began with a great self-sacrifice, that of an elder brother to the younger children of their dead parents. He is beginning to feel some relief after years of toil, and is waiting just a little longer to marry the girl he loves, when he finds himself persecuted by the stealthy footsteps of a persistent pursuer. Detectives are employed but fail to arrest the pursuer. This is not a detective story, but one of deeper meaning and finer fiber. And where detectives fail, science, friendship, and true love are so successful that the happy ending comes as it ought to do.

The President thanked Miss Duvall and her Committee for the fine programme they had given us and the meeting adjourned.

 

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564th Meeting.

November 6th, 1906.

 

The 564th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore took place on November 6, 1906, in the assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. Owing to the absence of Miss Lydia Crane, the Recording Secretary, the Minutes of the preceding meeting were not read. The President, in a few graceful remarks, expressed her pleasure and satisfaction, and that of the Club, in having with them again the 1st Vice President of this year, the acting President of last year--Mrs. Jordan Stable, whom all were delighted to welcome.

The programme of the afternoon was then taken up. This programme was under the care of Mrs. Edward Stabler, Chairman of the Committee on Unfamiliar Records. The first article, or address, was called, "A Contemporary of Jamestown" and was given by Miss Mary Dorsey Davis. Miss Davis began by saying we are all interested in the tri-century celebration of the settlement of Jamestown, the first English Colony--and she therefore thought some account of a sister-settlement at the North, would not be un-interesting. She had spent the summer on the Coast of Maine, she said,

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and would be glad to share her experience with her fellow-members. The Western Continent was not unknown to the Norse Navigators. Fifty years before Columbus discovered America, Norsemen had filed a map at the Vatican.

Popham and Gilbert landed at the mouth of the Kennebec in 1607, and a little later the Popham's Colony built at [?Peinnequid,] Fort St. George. A plan of this fort and settlement was discovered by Professor Alexander Brown in the in the Spanish archives of [?Sananeas,] having come presumably by spies, into the possession of the Spanish Min9ister in London. Miss Davis gave an interesting account of this early fort and settlement, traces of which have recently been un-earthed. The pinnace Virginia, the first ship built in the Colonies, built at Jamestown, rode at anchor under the guns of the fort. An account of the Fort carries with it the well-known names of Popham and Gilbert. Now what was once the fort and an important plan of defense, is nothing but the small fishing village of [?Peinnequid], a resort for

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summer tourists. But a Society has been formed to search for and preserve such relics and mementoes as may remain. The second article was by Mrs. Thomas Hill, and was called "Concerning Fishing Industries in the United States." Mrs. Hill had spent sometime at Hawthorne Inn, East Gloucester, Massachusetts. There for the first time she came face to face with the fishing trade carried on in Gloucester proper. This trade consists in the catching and preparation for export of divers kinds of fish. Mrs. Hill then gave some geographical details concerning the immediate vicinity of Gloucester. The harbor is fine, and the sight of the large fleet of fishing vessels is impressive. The settlement of Gloucester dates back to 1626. For 1883, the value of the fish-trade-export was $4,500,000 and value ever since. The word "schooner," descriptive of a certain kind of fishing-vessel was first used in Gloucester, being applied by a Captain Robinson to a vessel of his own, particular design. Mrs. Hill spoke of the mackerel fishing, the cod-fishing, and the halibut.

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The fish are usually caught in seines and great dexterity is necessary in handling the boats. Cod, perhaps is the fish most in demand, and the preparation of the "boneless cod" is most interesting. Mrs. Hill touched upon the treaties between this country and Canada, and upon the vexed question of fishing rights and limits. She also spoke of shark fishing or catching, the shark being killed like beef, and then hauled away and buried.

The 3rd article was by Mrs. Frederick Tyson, and was called "A Dutch [?not sure of word]." Mrs. Tyson began by saying that an atmosphere "is necessary, both historic and social, for the proper presentation of any subject or personage[," ]and therefore, before reading her paper, she gave a running description of the Dutch Colony of Manhattan, New Amsterdam, New York, as it was successively called. According to her sketch, the times were rough and turbulent. [?Might] made right, and self-interest was rampant. The three Dutch Governors, Van Twiller, Kieft, and Stuyvesant were by no means

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models of public men. The Dutch were traders and it was for commercial reasons, pure and simple, that they founded their colony.

Also, they, like others, were seeking a direct route to the Indies, the land of spices and of value, those spices so necessary to the [?liege feeding] of those days. With Van Twiller, there came to the Colony Everhard Bogardus, a gentleman, scholar and statesman, also a [?divine], a man of strong will and irascible temper, who spoke his mind un-sparingly, yet stood for all that was good and just. Van Twiller oppressed the people, cheated the Indians and was wholly indifferent to public welfare. There was neither school nor church, and in this respect Bogardus spoke bitterly of the difference between the New England, and the Dutch Colonies. Finally, Van Twitter was re-placed by Kieft. But Bogardus and the New Governor agreed no better. Then followed the treacherous and inhuman slaughter of two bands of unsuspecting Indians. But the Five Nations took terrible [?reprisal,] and the very existence of the Colony was

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jeopardized. Again Bogardus interfered and laid the facts before the States General, and Kief was succeeded by Stuyvesant. Bogardus had a charming home and garden, this latter being a source of local pride and glory. He married a Colonial belle, a young widow [?Not sure of name] by name. But unfortunately, Madames Bogardus and Stuyvesant were rivals, and their quarrels rmarred the peace of everyday life.

Bogardus [?not sure of word] sailed for Holland in 1684 and their vessel was lost at sea. Then Mrs. Tyson gave a description of the Van Vechten, [?not sure of word] and of an entertainment given there on Christmas Eve 1444. General and Mrs. Green were the hosts and hostess, and among the guests were General and Mrs. Washington, Lord and Lady Sterling, Colonel Harry Lee, Alexander Hamilton, and Miss [?Schuyler], whom he afterwards married, and others. Derrick Van Vechten, an old man of eighty, owner of the mansion, which he had placed at the disposal of General Green, was also described. All these good people enjoyed themselves in the

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accepted manner at this evening gathering.

The 4th and last article was by Mrs. Jordan Stabler, and was called "Some Danish Experiences." Mrs. Stabler prefaced her remarks by calling attention to some curios, a Norwegian horse, a piece of money with the three lions on it, and also to some pictures. Mrs. Stabler dwelt particularly upon her visit to Copenhagen, where she saw something of Danish life and customs. She was entertained by Mrs. Hamerick, herself an American, a former member of the Club, who had married Mr. Hamerick, for many years at the head of the Peabody Conservatory here. Mrs. Stabler gave a charming account of Mrs. Hamerick's life, and then passed on to speak of certain musical geniuses, Hartman and Glade, who are related to Mr. Hamerick. She touched upon the theater and opera, royal processions and the [?Glyptholick] which like the Tag Mahal is a memorial to a woman. Seiner, a kinsman of Hamerick, is the architect. Mrs. Stabler spoke of Danish

[295]

life and character and also read a description of an allegorical representation, a kind of masque, meant to be edifying, but spoiled by that "invisible devil" as Shakespeare calls it, "the spirit of wine." She spoke of meeting Georg Brandes, one of the foremost literary critics of his day, and read from his comparatively recent book of Shakespeare. Brandes spoke warmly of his friend, [?Clemenclare], now Premier of France, whom he joined at Carlsbay. Mrs. Stabler read Brandes' apostrophe to Hamlet, whom he feels as a kindred soul--a fine tribute to the livingness of Shakespeare's creations. She also read Kipling's beautiful and glowing tribute to England and Shakespeare.

Mrs. Stabler gave a greeting from Mrs. Hamerick to the Club, and after speaking of the pleasure and satisfaction of home-coming, she closed her interesting paper by Kipling's patriotic lines in Puck of Poon's Hill.

The meeting then adjourned.

 

565th Meeting.

November 13th, 1906.

 

The 565th meeting of the Woman's Liter-

[296]

ary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, November 13th, 1906, in the assembly room of the Academy of Sciences Building. The programme of this meeting was under Miss Lizette Reese, Chairman of the Committee on Modern Poetry. The President called the meeting to order, and the notes of the meeting of November 6th were read by Miss Duvall, who had kindly acted as Recording Secretary at that meeting.

The President announced the election to membership in the Club of Miss Susan Morris Jones, formerly of Virginia but now of Baltimore. Mrs. Wrenshall also announced the election to honorary membership of Mrs. Alger Hamerick, now of Copenhagen, Denmark, formerly a member of our Club and one who preserved still pleasant recollections of her association with us--and whom we have some hope of again seeing next spring.

Mrs. Jordan Stabler, our first Vice President, who had the pleasure of visiting Mrs. Hamerick in her own home last summer, read a letter to herself dated October 21, 1906.

[297]

Mrs. Hamerick told of her happy life in Copenhagen, and its musical and social opportunities for [?experience] and progress. She describes a literary Commemoration and tells of the members of the Royal families of England, Russia, and Greece--then visiting their Danish kindred. She closes with love to her friends here--saying she can never lose her memories of the Woman's Literary Club.

The first article was by Miss Ellen Duvall, and was on Marlowe and Goethe. Miss Duvall said it should have read "Marlow Milton and Goethe." Miss Duvall then called attention to the three-fold judgement of books--that of the critics, the people, and what genius yields to genius. She spoke of the universally popular human element in books. She went on to the intellectual criticism which is given to such works, as Gibbons' "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" or Locke's "Essay on the Human Understanding." She contrasted it with that recognition which genius gives to what it loves. She spoke of Shakespeare's evolution of Measure for Measure from an Italian story, and then recalled to

[298]

us Tennyson's Ballad of Mariana. She told of Goethe's account of the impression made on him by Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus." Miss Duvall went on to compare the treatment of the so-called Faust Myth by Marlowe with the more ample development by Goethe, and to place on parallel-lines with Mephistopheles the Satan of Milton in Paradise Lost. Miss Duvall's criticism was an intellectual one but brought before us excellent illustrations of the natural appreciation of genius for the works of its kindred spirits.

The next article was by Mrs. Jordan Stabler, and was on "Milton as Latin Poet"--repeated by request. Those of us who had heard Mrs. Stabler's article were very glad to hear it again. She gave an account of Milton's advantages of education, of his linguistic acquirements, ancient and modern, European and Asiatic, and his work as Latin Secretary under Cromwell when [?Shakespeare's] were alleged to be written in Latin. Mrs. Stabler reminded us that the inscription on his monument is in the language he loved so well.

[299]

The programme next called for a Poem by Miss Virginia Cloud. It recalled the old Provencal days of Chivalry. This she followed with a second "[?Nursery] Tale" of "Cremora Fairy Lore," in Irish dialect, and with the Irish humor, of which Miss Cloud gives us to good and quality that we would be glad to have more of it.

The next article was by our President, Mrs. Wrenshall, and was on "Ludlow Castle and the Masque of Comus." Mrs. Wrenshall gave a lovely account of her late visit to Ludlow Castle. She told of its historical associations and its ineffaceable beauties. The real presence of the Masque of Comus seems to be there. To those who love the poem Mrs. Wrenshall readily imbued with the atmosphere of the castle and interpreted the poem as it was represented there by the author, the musical [?composer] and the real characters of the story, the Lady Alice, and her brothers, art directors, and performers, on the same spot that has been glorified by that very light of poetry. Mrs. Wrenshall reminded us that Milton was only 26 when he wrote this poem, in 1634, and

[300]

She then thanked Miss Reese and her Committee for the much enjoyed programme—and declared the meeting adjourned.

[END OF VOLUME]

 

[MS 988 BOX 4, BOOK 4]

[ii]

Minutes of the Woman's

Literary Club of Baltimore

by Lydia Crane,

Recording Secretary

 

[1]

Minutes of Woman's Literary Club

of Baltimore

Beginning November 20th, 1906, ending May 5th 1908.

 

566th Meeting. [Nov. 20, 1906]

The 566th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, November 20th, 1906, in the Assembly room of the Academy of Sciences Building. The programme of this meeting was under the Charge of Mrs. Thomas Hill Chairman of the Committee of Colonial and Revolutionary History. The President called the meeting to order and the Recording Secretary read the of the Meeting of November 13th. The President announced the forthcoming publication of two books of much interest. The first was: "Some Prominent Virginia families" by Mademoiselle Louise Pequet de [Belles?]-- which contains accounts of a host of Marylanders as well as Virginians. The second was the "Life of General Robert E. Lee" by Professor Henry Shepherd-- well known in Baltimore.

Mrs Jordan Stabler then presented to the Club a Monograph of unusual interest

[2]

It is the story of an old Spanish mission bell, brought from California to the North many years ago and now installed in a bell-tower of its own again. These old mission bells are not allowed to be taken from the state of California any longer.

The first article of the programme - genuine was by Mrs. Edward Stabler and was on "Some Bits of Indian History". Mrs. Stabler gave us some details of the history and national customs of the Iroquois Indians - the five Nations - who lived in what is now the northern part of New York State, and the surrounding regions - in early Colonial days. They were governed by Chiefs but the women of the tribe elected the Chief and sometimes trained the boys who were to have the Chieftainship. Their Councils of War were held, the women, it is said, were in hearing distance of it. The law of inheritance belonged to the maternal side. Divorce was easy - if a husband behaved undesirable he could be told to go. The wigwam and the children was the wife's property. But in spite of these advanced ideas the Millenium - we were told - was as far off

[3]

as from almost anywhere else. Mrs. Stabler spoke of the forty Indian tribes, described by John Smith, who were ruled by Powhatan, and other Chiefs, and who had their tribal boundaries made by rivers and mountains. When William Penn came to America in 1682, he found powerful Chiefs able to make a treaty with him, and convey their land to him. She spoke of the Chiefs dealings with the founders of Maryland also. She quoted a speech of great natural eloquence made by an Indian Chief to an assembly of Friends, whom he calls his brothers protesting against the injustice of bad white men who gave "fire water" to the young Indians when they came from their hunting, and then defrauded them of their furs and other property. Mrs. Stabler spoke of powerful tribes who seemed to hold their own, for a time, against the onward movement of the white race, only to pass away like the leaves of the forest at last.

The next article of the programme was by Miss Lydia Crane, and was on "The Bi-Centenary Celebration of the Landing at Jamestown, May 13th, 1807." This Commem-

[4]

oration, a century ago, of the first of our great Colonial events seems almost ignored in our histories and contemporary events, except for short mention in a foot-note or list. But in Bishop Meade's book "Old Churches and families of Virginia," an appendix is found which contains "Extracts from a Pam-phlet reporting the Proceedings of the Jubilee at Jamestown, May 13th 1807." In quaint and old-fashioned style, it tells of the "32 vessels in the old harbor, the crowds dispelling the gloom of de-population, the groups of beautiful women embellishing the scene. Then of these pilgrims of 1807 going down on their hands and knees to examine the old tombstones, and to discover their dates, discovering nothing, however, earlier than 1682. "It tells of the cannon-firing, the bands of music, and the old river Powhatan, evolving his flood in silent majesty." After describing the procession, it gives the prayer of Bishop Madison of Virginia, one of great length and some eloquence. He gives thanks for "national prosperity and progress, and prays that the people of these

[5]

United States may be "inspired by those inflexible virtues which republics demand." Two orations and an ode follow, given by young Virginians. Two days and nights of joy and feasting at Jamestown and another day and night of the same at Williamsburg, completed this Bi-Centenary celebration of 1807. We in 1907 should keep it in mind on the principle once announced to the school-children of Boston "You cannot be as great as your forefathers unless you are a great deal greater."

The next article on the programme was by Mrs Fayerweather and was on "North Carolina in the Revolution." Mrs Fayerweather says that justice has not been meted out to North Carolina for her part in the revolution. While the teachers and writers of other states have not hesitated to glorify the deeds of their direct ancestors, she spoke of the events following the year 1767, when the western counties of North Carolina organized to resist the heavy taxation of Great Britain. She described the battle of the Alamance in 1771 -- which has been called the first blood shed in America in resistance "to unjust British taxes". Mrs Fayerweather

[6]

went on to tell of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, more than a year earlier than the Declaration of Independence of the 13 Colonies, in Congress assembled in Philadelphia, July 1776. But this declaration was not printed largely and sent over the country, as of course was the one in Philadelphia. Mrs Fayerweather told of the battles of Kings Mountain and of Guilford Church House and of the valor elsewhere of the North Carolina troops, which had its part in bringing on the surrender of Yorktown and the freedom of our Country.

The last article was by Mrs Thomas Hill, and was on "La Marquis de La Fayette". Mrs Hill reminded us of her former interesting article on the same subject, when she left this brave and true young friend of America just after he had been wounded at the Battle of Brandywine. She told of his recovery in two months, and of his return to the Army. In the darkest days of the revolution he won the confidence and gratitude of Washington and of the whole country by his invaluable services. Mrs Hill read a beautiful letter

[7]

from La Fayette to his wife, when he was as he says "exiled 3000 miles away from her and camping in the woods." In 1779 he visited his home in France, was received with enthusiasm, and, we were reminded, used all the influence he had acquired to the advantage of America. He returned in 1780 bringing aid and comfort with him. Washington gave the defence of Virginia to La Fayette, and on his way he stopped in Baltimore. We have all heard of the reception given him here and of his enlisting the sympathy and the efforts of the ladies towards the clothing of the army -- it is said that some who met him sat up all night sewing for the soldiers. He was a prominent figure at the surrender of Yorktown. He returned to France but in 1784 was back again and a guest at Mt. Vernon. The state of Virginia ordered two busts of La Fayette from the French sculptor [Houdin?], one to remain in France and the other for the capitol at Richmond. Mrs Hill told of La Fayette's part on the French Revolution, which was noble and honorable in a time of not much honor nor nobility. She spoke of his sending his son George Washington La Fayette to live with his

[8]

trusted friend at Mt. Vernon. She went on to his imprisonment in Austria. and the devotion of his wife and daughters. She told of his visit to America in 1824 - 25. Almost wild enthusiasm greeted him. Ten years later La Fayette died leaving an example for all time.

The President thanked Mrs Hill for her very interesting afternoon, and the meeting adjourned.

 

567th Meeting [Nov. 27, 1906]

The 567th meeting of the Womans Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, Nov. 17th 1906 in the assembly room [of the] Academy of Sciences Building. The programme was under the direction of Mrs Wm [William] Paret, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Travel.

The President called the meeting to order, and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of Nov. 20th. She then retired and the President announced the subjects of the three meetings for December. She also gave notice of the lectures on Biblical Archaeology by Professor Bliss at the Johns Hopkins

[9]

University to which the Club was invited.

The President said it was not her custom to make appeals of any kind to the club, but she would read a letter from a non-resident member Mrs Alexander Hodgson. She speaks of the effort on foot to supply the sailors, fishermen, and Naval employees at Solomon's Island, Md. with good reading matter as a means of making their leisure hours beneficial and happy, and keeping them from undesirable resorts and amusements. The members of the Club were asked to contribute any books or magazines not needed in their own homes but which would be elevating and give recreation to these men who lack mental and moral advantages. It was said that Mr. [Lyceth?], 311 N. Charles St. would receive these books, which should be marked for Solomon's Island.

The first article of the programme was by Mrs G Lane Taneyhill, Jr. and was on "A Young Tourist's Pilgrimage." Mrs Taneyhill said she would show us the model of a shrine to which pilgrimages are made, not for the Holy nor the Sinful but

[10]

eminently for those in love - the Taj Mahal at Agra, in India. After telling of the inconvenience of travelling in India where one must carry ones bedding and other comforts with one's luggage, she spoke of being entertained by a real missionary with home comforts. The Taj Mahal is consecrated by a Mohammedan King to the memory of his wife, and was erected 220 years ago. The young pilgrim would have been glad to approach it unattended, but the carriages provided carried each 4 persons -- and no less. She described the approach to the most gigantic and spotless mass of white marble in the world, telling of the colossal monumental tower and the Avenue of Flowers, leading to the Crown of all - the exquisite tomb of Nourmahal called "The Light of the World." She told of the delicate tracery, the snow-like purity, the lace-work in marble, and the crystals, replacing it is said the gems of which the Taj has been despoiled. She told of the Koran texts, which sung in the tomb, resound like a long dream of music. Mrs

[11]

Taneyhill told of the palace, and the fortress of Shah Jehan, of the wonderful mosaics, of the black marble throne and the rooms of the wives of the Sultan. In one subterranean room of the fortress was a black cross beam on which the offending wives were hung, their bodies dropping into a well and from there carried off to the river. This she told us was a dark blot on the loveliest of Love's Memorials.

The next article was by Mrs H Marshall Elliot, and was on "Odds and Ends of a Summer's Trip". Mrs Elliott gave most entertaining items of her European trip last summer. She had the good fortune to see under most favorable conditions the great "Warwick Pageant" in June at the old historic castle. She said she could not describe it. But told of the chorus of 300 performers in the costumes of old monks, singing the story about to be represented. The historical pageant went back to early British days and had 11 episodes. Among others it represented King Alfred, Piers Gaveston, Warwick, the King-maker, and Queen Elizabeth who stayed

[12]

at Warwick on the road to Kenilworth. We were told of Queen Elizabeth's gold chair and of little Mr. Shakespeare being allowed to kiss her hand. Mrs Elliott told of her stay in France and Germany, and some of the comments made in French newspapers on the thousands of Americans who go yearly across the sea. She quoted the ridiculous accounts of a party of schoolgirls from the middle West, who went over last summer, and who were reported at one time to be suffering greatly from a famine of [chewing gum]. She told of a revival of interest in Herman or Arminius, the Father of German liberty, who lived early in the 1st century of the Christian Era. He defeated the Roman General Varus in the year 9 A.D., capturing immense treasures. These it is said, he gave as a thank-offering to the priests of his archaic religion, who were also said to have buried them in the Harty mountains. No search discovered these traditional treasures, until late in the 19th Century when an opening in one of the mountains disclosed gold and silver vessels of Roman design and workmanship, which were sent of course to the German treasury. When the German Crown Prince was married a few years ago, one of his presents was a fac-simile reproduction of these treasures. The jewellers who reproduced them obtained permission to make some for sale, and Mrs Elliott brought home and showed to us an exact reproduction one of these ancient silver cups. It was beautiful and graceful in form and in its lovely carven ornamentation.

The last article was by Miss Octavia W. Bates and was on "Interesting People Met Abroad." Miss Bates spoke of the surpassingly interesting things to be seen across the sea, as also of the people, as interesting also. She spoke of some leaders of thought and action among the women of England who are working for the advancement of their own sex, and for the progress of the world. She gave personal details touching on their eternally feminine side, as well as on their more public work. One of them, a friend of

[14]

Ruskin, an advocate of perfect taste in daily living, had introduced the old arts of spinning and weaving amongst poor women, and the results the results of their work had been materially and educationally good and gratifying. She spoke of a visit to Cambridge, of the Professors and Scholars there, men and women, and told of some late excellent work done on Egyptian manuscripts, and other important archaeological labors. She told of Miss [Klumpké?], who is engaged in mathematical and astronomical work at the Observatory in Paris. She told of a little Japanese girl whose English friends were instructing her somewhat beyond her development. She spoke of meeting Mrs. Humphrey Ward, who seemed modest and retiring, and Mrs. Sarah Grand, who seemed -- not so retiring. At the end of Miss Bates paper the President remarked that we had been in excellent company enjoying accounts of both people and things. After thanking Mrs. Paret and her Committee for our enjoyment,

[15]

she declared the meeting adjourned - to partake of the hospitality of the House Committee.

 

568th Meeting [Dec. 4, 1906]

The 568th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday December 4th, 1906, in the Assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. The programme of this meeting was under the direction of Mrs. Frederick Tyson Chairman of the Committee on foreign languages. The President called the meeting to order and the recording Secretary read the minutes of November 27th. There being no announcements Mrs. Wrenshall said she would take a moment to ask us to be punctual in arriving at the meetings.

The first article of the programme was by Mrs. O. B. Boise, who as a new member received the Club's welcome. Her article was "Lyrics from Other Tongues", German and Italian. Mrs Boise began with a lively story of a discussion between a German actress and an American -- Mr. Clemens -- on the possibility of

[16]

successfully translating German poems into English verse. The actress spoke of the meaning and force given to German words by suffixes and affixes, and of important words which are of one syllable in German and of two or three in English. But Mark Twain declared he knew of one German poem translated perfectly into English -- he knew it was so because he had done it himself. Mrs. Boise then spoke of the Italian lyrical poems of the 16th century. She gave us her own translation of two of these Love Songs, "Cupid's Pranks" and "The Bee", and in them we recognized the romantic charm of the time to which they belonged. Mrs. Boise then spoke of the German writers, who imitated the classics, also those of the Storm and Stress period and went on to the Romanticists who turned to the Middle Ages for the themes which they interpreted and exalted. She told of Wilhelm Miller's "Venita," the story of a sunken city supported to be situated in the Baltic Sea -- whose domes and bells are seen and heard by some mortals

[17]

with [increasing] fascination. Mrs. Boise of course brought before us the great lights of German literature, Goethe and Schiller. She spoke of their works in the Storm and Stress period-- but we were told that they were both too strong to be held by the limitations of that epoch, and in the re-action both showed the many-sided genius they possessed. She spoke of Heine as a mixture of tenderness and bitterness of sensitiveness and sarcasm a poor tortured soul seeking momentary satisfaction. He has been given musical expression by Schubert and Schuman, but especially by Chopin, who has without words voiced Heine's cravings. Mrs. Boise read to us there of Heine's lyrics preserving in English verse the qualities she had described. She spoke of Uhland's ballad "The Minstrel's Curse". She said there was another poem on the same subject by Graf Von Hapsburg with with the different ending of making the king repent of his cruelties by the power of song. She then gave her translation of Uhland's, "Minstrel's Curse" -- which to

[18]

those who know the original recalled the force and eloquence of the German poem.

The next article given from the programme was by Miss Annie Hollins and was called “The Two Artists” from the Spanish of Don Jose de Castra.  The scene was laid in the city of Seville, in the year 1616 and in a second[-]floor room—the somewhat disorderly studio of the youth Velazquez.  There is a peasant model whose wonderful smile the young painter is trying to transfer to canvas.  But the ideal is not satisfactorily materialized.  He throws the picture down with the despair of genius, while the model slips away.  Then comes the meeting of the artist of seventeen with the artist of seventy—Cervantes, poet, romance philosopher, who has a military air to which he has good right by witness of the wound received at the Battle of Lepanto.  He asks why youth in the first love of art should fall by the wayside.  He speaks of his own weight of years and misfor-

[19]

tunes and takes up the picture calling it a destroyed masterpiece.  He himself cannot be a soldier now, but he orders the painter to take up his work again.  Miss Hollins proceeded to tell of Velazquez’s going to Madrid at the age of eighteen, with the picture which afterwards came to the possession of Joseph Bonaparte and is said to have been later in the collection of the Duke of Wellington.

The last article of the programme was given by Miss Octavia W. Bates and was called “Le Chariot” by [illegible] Silvestre of France.  Miss Bates said that “Le Chariot” was what we call in English Charles’s Wain or The Dipper in the Great Bear.  The author said that he had read the story as translated from Hindu mythology—or else he had dreamed it.  It was a graceful tale of Elias and his wife Agel who lived near the Ganges.  She was affectionate and beautiful, but Elias was a pearl diver and possessed with the desire for adventure and seeking

[20]

for jewels.  Jealous pangs arose in her heart when her neighbors talked of his mysterious absences.  At last one night she follows him—or dreamed she did—to the grotto where he believed a shower of precious stones would reward his explorations.  A [illegible] went before her with an aureole of seven jewelled [jeweled] stars—which he conferred upon her.  Just after, her husband turned and saw her crowned with the jewels he long had coveted and beheld her suddenly translated to the heavens where she became the Chariot in the constellation of the Great Bear.  The true jewels of human love were thus placed far above him.

At the close of Miss Bates’ article the President announced to membership in the Club Miss Mabel Butler and Mrs. N.S. Belding.  She thanked Mrs. Tyson and her committee for their very interesting programme and declared the meeting adjourned.

[21]

569th Meeting. [Dec. 11, 1906]

The 569th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, December 11th, 1906 in the Assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building.  The programme of this meeting was under the charge of Mrs. Sidney Turner, Chairman of the Committee on Essays and Essayists.  After calling the meeting to order, the President announced that the annual New Year’s reception of the Club would be held on Thursday evening, January 3rd, 1907, at 8:30 o’clock.  She explained the instructions of the Board of Management with regard to invited guests for that occasion.  The President also announced that the Society “L’Alliance Française,” which has been the guest of the Club will now meet elsewhere, our parting still maintaining the friendship of our close companionship.  As is well-known—the Academy of Sciences, of which we of the Woman’s Literary Club are all associate members, is, by its charter from the state of Maryland, forbidden to rent its rooms, which might involve its

[22]

liability to taxation, and prevent any appropriation from Congress.  The strict enforcement of these rules made it necessary no longer to admit the entertainment of the Alliance Française, and with all good feeling and friendliness we must discontinue the hospitality accorded to this Society from the beginning.

The first article of the programme was by Miss Elizabeth Cary Nicholas, and was on “Eighteenth[-]Century Literature.” Miss Nicholas spoke of English Literature in the first half of the Eighteenth Century, which has been called its Augustan Age—and dwelt particularly on the writers of Queen Anne’s reign.  She told us that the literature of any age is the exponent of the trend of thought and problems of that age.  After the renaissance and the re-action from [Protestantism?] there was a lack of reverence and enthusiasm in religion and, in literature, and of a lack of the true love of Nature, a preference for town rather than country, and for the imitation of ancient writers.  Miss Nicholas gave interesting notices of [Addison?],

[23]

Pope, Gray—and of the writers of the eighteenth.

The next article given from the programme was by Miss H. Frances Cooper and was on “Sensibility.”  Miss Cooper says that Hazlitt has spoken of the dangerous gift of sensibility, but, she said, our sensibilities make our own environment.  She spoke of the benefits of the power to feel pleasure, and the uses and compensations of the association with and the power to feel pain.  She told of Paganini’s having made a musical instrument out of an old wooden shoe—the musician’s sensitive ear having detected the note of music in the improvising piece of wood.  She spoke of Mrs. Browning’s “Portuguese Sonnets,” of the picture of “Hope” by Frederick Watts, and of other manifestations of the same sensitive perceptions.  Miss Cooper spoke of the Scotch poet in our own city.  Mr. Henderson who died this year and in whom she found the same sensibility to the touch of Nature, and to poetic emotion.

The next article of the programme was given by Miss May Virginia Henderson, and was on “Montaigne.” Miss Henderson told of

[24]

the great French essayist whose work after more than three centuries, still preserves its charm.  She told of his being taught in childhood to speak Latin in preference to his native tongue, then of his college training and his presence at the French court.  She told of his association with the leaders of both sides in the Civil and Religious wars of the latter part of the sixteenth century—with Henry of Navarre, and the chieftains of the League. She then described Montaigne’s returning to his estates, and there writing his admirable essays.  Of these Miss Henderson gave interesting extracts and criticisms.

The next article was by Mrs. George K. McGaw, and was called “Pessimistic Pieces of Present Conditions.”  Mrs. McGaw said that she could not now write literary articles.  She felt almost reduced to being a common scold—in danger of the ducking ordeal.  She brought before us the domestic trials of every[-]day life in a somewhat pathetic and wholly humorous style.  She told of the dresses of the present day with no pockets, of the lack of good

[25]

servants, and the lack of good manners especially with the rising generation, which make life sad and wearisome.  But she had a vision—a house in perfect order, with no cook to take account of, no troublesome dusting and sweeping, where electricity did the work and where there was time to read and to study—for good humor and courtesy.  If this dream would materialize, she said she would be able to write essays for the Woman’s Literary Club.

The last article was by Mrs. Philip R. Uhler, and was on “Obliteration by the Finger of Time.”  Mrs. Uhler described the Verger of Westminster Abbey, pointing out a tomb and announcing it as that of “Helena, wife of Hedward [Edward?] First,” a Queen whom Miss Strickland’s record calls “Eleanora of Castile, surnamed the Faithful.” Mrs. Uhler said that her name recalls one of the sweetest of historical love stories, lasting through 35 years of married life—and on beyond the separation by death.  It began with a political marriage to end a war between the fathers of a boy and girl. But

[26]

the love of these two and the beautiful stories of their devotion appeal to us after six centuries.  Mrs. Uhler went over the events of the Queen’s life until her death in 1290, on her way to meet the King at the border of Scotland.  Wherever the funeral train rested on its way to London the King vowed to erect stone crosses to her memory.  Mrs. Uhler viewed the still remaining crosses of Northampton and Waltham.  She told also of Eleanora’s statue and her tomb in Westminster Abbey.  Tradition has recorded that Charing Cross in London was named after “la chére reine,” and at least it has helped to keep her memory green.  Mrs. Uhler said that the stone crosses to this queen and the words “Charing Cross” have escaped obliteration by the “finger of time.”

The President thanked Mrs. Turner and her Committee for a charming afternoon and declared the meeting adjourned.

570th Meeting. [Dec. 18, 1906]

The 570th meeting of the Woman’s

[27]

Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday December 18th, 1906 in the Assembly Room, Academy of Sciences Building.  The programme was under the direction of Mrs. Alan P. Smith, Chairman on the Committee on the Study of the Bible.  The President called the meeting to order and the recording Secretary read the minutes of the two meetings of December 1st and December 11th.

The President announced that our member Miss Mary Davis had presented to the Club a Christmas gift—a photograph of her own drawing of the Great Seal of Maryland.  She asked Miss Davis to give us some account of her work on this picture, and she told of the History of this great Seal of our State, and of the changes that have been made in it and the scope of her work in restoring the ancient Seal of the colony from broken impressions on wax attached to old deeds.  The result has been engraved and photographed and accepted as a contribution and illustration of the History of Mary-

[28]

land.

The President then repeated the notices of the omission of the meetings on December 25th and January 1st and of the Reception to be given on January 3rd.  She would strike, she said, the first note of the New Year by announcing the subjects of the meetings in January, 1907.  The entertainment of Thursday, January 3rd would be an old-fashioned reception in the true spirit of hospitality, each one of us being the host of our own, and our fellow member’s guests.

The first article of the programme was given by Mrs. Alan P. Smith and was on “The Bible as Literature.”  Mrs. Smith said that as presenting the Bible as literature there is an embarrassment of riches.  It is not one book but 66 books a sacred library, representing a literature of 1500 years, and declaring the deepest and highest message that can be given to mankind—the noblest prose and poetry.  Its literary character has been overshadowed by its moral and spiritual teachings—its rules for right living—its revelations of inspiring faith and eternal hope. But the [illegible] is worthy of

[29]

the jewel.  The scared writings are found by scholars to stand side by side with all literature of ancient or modern times.  Mrs. Smith briefly reviewed the historic and prophetic books, the gospels, the epistles, and the apocalypse, in their different characteristics—in their dramatic, poetic, pathetic and heroic features.  She went on to the lyric poetry, and the antichoral songs of victory—which in translation and in our modern mental environment are hardly appreciated.  She read the victorious Song of Deborah, emphasizing the declarations and responses of the chorus of men and the chorus of women, and the combined outburst of both together. “Let them that love the Lord, be as the Sun, when he goeth forth in his might.”

The next article of the programme was to have been given by Mrs. Jordan Stabler but as she was unable to be present from illness in her family, it was not read.

The programme next called for an article by Miss Ellen Duvall on the prophet “Jonah.”  Miss Duvall spoke of the Book of Jonah as containing the word of God and the word of man, and as a revelation of man

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to himself.  She quoted Milton’s description of “a book that is the precious life blood of a master spirit embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.”  She gave the result of some historic researches into the story.  She referred to the antiquity of drawing lots as a custom in an emergency.  She spoke of the Phoenician mariners who finally threw Jonah into the water as being worshippers of a god of fish-like form, and of their evident purpose to make him a sacrifice to that deity.  Miss Duvall dwelt on the controversy between the Lord on high and Jonah [that?] showed by quotations that this book is like Job, the solemn drama of a human soul.

The last article was given by Miss Lucy T. Latané, and was on “Nature in the Psalms.”  Miss Latané spoke of the Psalms of David as the sacred lyrics which have been counted among the gems of all literature for 3000 years sung, read, recited in Jewish temples, Christian Churches and Mohammedan Mosques.  She spoke of the trans[l]ation made of them, and the music to which they have been sung

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touching on the Psalmody of the sixteenth century, where Queen Elizabeth forbade the singing of “Genevan [illegible] [Genevan Psalter by Calvin?] in the English Churches.  She went on to their references to Nature—to the birds and animals, and all living things, to the strength of the mountains and hills and to the Natural Forces in the conflict between good and evil, revealing the victorious power and glory of God.  She spoke of their ancient conception of the Sea which is like that of Homer but somewhat unlike that of modern times—especially recalling the 107th Psalm.  She read the 29th, called the Psalm of the Thunderstorm, the 119th and the 23rd with other pastoral hymns of the shepherd boy—going on to the wonderful 8th Psalm “When I consider the Heavens” etc.  Miss Latané read with the spirit and the understanding “the immortal lyrics of the sweet singer of Israel,” who she said has still the power over our souls that he possessed to calm the troubled spirit of King Saul.

The President thanked Mrs. Smith for her programme.  She told us we were extremely fortunate in having such a

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fine Biblical scholar among us—also that the subject of the meeting was appropriate to our last assembly of the year.  She then declared the meeting as adjourned.

571st Meeting [Jan. 3, 1907]

The 571st meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club was held on Thursday January 3rd, 1907 at 8:30 p.m. in the Assembly Room, Academy of Sciences Building.  It took the place of the usual Twelfth Night Festival of former years.  The Club rooms were tastefully decorated, and a musical programme had been prepared.  The arrangements were under the direction of Mrs. Wrenshall Markland.  The members of the Club were well-represented, and there were many guests from the literary men and women of Baltimore.  Ornamental programmes were distributed, and each guest received an envelope containing a card of greeting with a written sentiment, original or selected.  The President Mrs. John C. Wrenshall presided in receiving, assisted by the other officers and the Directors of the Club.

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The general reception was from half-past eight to half-past nine, during which time fine instrumental music was given by the orchestra of Mr. John Thiel.  Then followed the vocal music of the programme, given by Mrs. William C. Edmunds, soprano, Mrs. [illegible] Delia Mitchell, contralto, and Mr. F. Reginald Baugher.  The accompanist was Miss Lena Stiebler—and the music was much enjoyed.  The closing number of the programme was the merry Finiculi Finicula [Funiculi Funicula] and was given by Mr. George Upshur Pope and a chorus.  During the singing, an enormous cake was brought in decorated with 75 lighted candles—in reference to the number of members in the Club.  A supper was served in the adjoining room, presided over by Mrs. Powell and Mrs. [illegible].  Mrs.  Percy M. Reese poured coffee and the [claret?] punch was on a side table.  Later in the evening the cake was cut.  According to an old superstition, a ring, a bean, a thimble and a coin had been baked in it, and the slices containing these

were to denote, it was said, to those who should receive them, the

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future bride, the spinster, the Queen of the Feast, and the future possessor of wealth.  The spirit of mirth and jollity evidently held sway in the assembly—which finally closed with informal dancing to the music of the orchestra.

 

Minutes of 572d Meeting by Mrs. Frederic Tyson.

The 572d of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, January 8th, 1907.  The opening paper was read by Mrs. Spilker whose subject was Professor [Eugen] Kühnemann—she said Germany could not have sent us a more distinguished scholar of the new school which produces not scholarly recluses on the fashion of the old school but men of vast erudition who live constantly in the stir and rush of life.  Kühnemann was born in Hanover in 1868, and is known as a writer of masterly literature and a lecturer.  The course he gave upon Faust showing the relation between German philosophy, and German literature, brought together the largest audience ever gathered at the University.  The Professor has had a large experience of German Universities, having been a Profes-

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sor at Bremen, Zurich, Marburg, Bonn, Breslau, and has finally been sent by the German government to Harvard in the movement to bring about closer intellectual relations between the two countries.  He is a close student of American conditions, understanding as few foreigners do, the strong idealism of our National life, and also of the portent position taken by women in that life.  Professor Kühnemann will be the lecturer in the Percy Turnbull course of lectures at the University next month, and his theme will be Shiller [Schiller] of whom he has written his most brilliant and successful words.

The next paper was given by Miss Henderson and treated of the Congo Free State. Miss Henderson said Africa has for many years been the happy hunting ground for the nations of Europe who have ruthlessly divided its domains among themselves—owing to the jealousies of the larger powers.  The Congo fell to the lot of Belgium and King Leopold.  It contains 800,000 square miles, and a population of 18,000,000.  Miss Henderson then sketched graphically and stirringly the assertions of the

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various Europeans within its boundaries. Missionaries, businessmen, adventurers, etc.--one side asserting the most frightful atrocities and awful massacres were of daily occurrence and the people were trampled upon in their eager quest for india [India] rubber—which brought the nations no profit: the other governmental side asserting the government was paternal and delightful.  Miss Henderson left the batallions [battalions] arrayed in hostile positions for the decision of her hearers.

The next paper was read by Miss Duvall and the subject was the “spirit belligerent.”  Miss Duvall said to the thoughtful man or woman, the beginning of the year usually and properly witnessed a sort of labyrinth of mental and moral stock to find with certainty the position occupied, the progress made or ground lost.  She asked how should American women with the brilliant phenomenal position accorded them, best influence the world, best bring up the children left so much to their care and influence, she thought it should be in the direction of a love of peace and hatred of things belligerent.  Since she

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contended with Franklin there never had been a bad peace, nor a good war—she spoke of the increase of the belligerent spirit in our national life as evinced by the increased army and navy, great battleships costing countless treasure to build and support—and deprecated any course of education, any mode of action that would increase this belligerent spirit.  Man, she declared, has at all times been an ardent worshipper of self, and that the Goddesses of War, Blood and Discord were still worshipped by him for the glorification of that self.

The next speaker treated of Life in Berlin and was given by Mrs. [Bowie?]. Mrs. [Bowie?] said the society of the two Nations would never coalesce since their idea on many vital matters are so widely different that anything like intimate association seems impossible.  She said the student life in Berlin was totally different from the conception put upon it by young girls who desired to take advantage of the facilities in the various arts.  She illustrated her point by several interesting anecdotes of the peril young

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girls were placed in in residence at a foreign capital.  The American Club has been instituted to meet just such emergencies and she talked at length to an interested audience of the work and success of that club.

The next subject was given by Mrs. Sidney Turner whose subject was “The Mind Scientific.”

Before, however, beginning her paper she said she felt sure she expressed the universal praise of the Club for all the pains and duties taken by our President for the Christmas entertainment and she suggested a rising vote of thanks to her.  It was promptly given and gracefully acknowledged by the Chair.  Mrs. Turner opened her speech by explaining the reason for it.  She said she was hourly and daily reminded of the almost impossible feats accomplished by the men of science of today, with results so stupendous as to be marvellous [marvelous] and seemingly impossible.  She spoke of [Hecks?] the miner whose release was accomplished in the face of tremendous odds, owing to

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the highest scientific knowledge after a burial four feet deep of five days, and also of an equally wonderful rescue from a Welsh mine led, too, by an American.  She enumerated the wonder-working results of the telephone-placing one in familiar converse with a loved one a thousand miles away.  If wireless telegraphy by which Marconi has chained to service the power of air and earth, of the wonderful tunnels bored under cities and beneath cities whose two opposing ends met without deviation, as it had been planned they should by the modern mind scientific. She told of the five systems of cars—one on top of the other, twenty feet in air, forty feet below ground now, being operated in New York.  Can any on [anyone] guess how a few holes in a sheet of paper placed on a graphaphone [gramophone], give out a song in Caruso’s [Enrico Caruso] melting tenor or Melba’s [Dame Nellie Melba] divine tones?  Nor how Burbanks [Luther Burbank] by his knowledge can make a lily large and red—or small and pink--nor how he could turn the hurtful thorny cactus into a thing of succulent joy for vast herds of cattle.  Some

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one has said he would rather be able to appreciate the Sistine Madonna than to own it, so we if we are not endowed with genius, may at least appreciate the great scientific minds.

The President offered to the Club her good wishes for the coming year and begged we should all appreciate the beauty and glory and privilege of work.

 

573d Meeting. [Jsn. 15, 1907]

The 573d meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, January 15th 1907 in the Assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building.  The Programme was under the direction of Miss Anne Cullington, Chairman of the Committee on Education.  The subject for discussion being “The Ideal in Education.”

The President called the to order and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of January 8th which had been written by Mrs. Frederick Tyson, Chairman of the Committee on Current Topics who had been in charge of the programme

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of that meeting.

The President said she had one announcement to make in regard to the discontinuance of the meetings of l’Alliance Française in the rooms of the Woman’s Literary Club.  Our President then made the following clear and succinct statement on the subject.

“Having been recently asked by several members of the Club as to reasons for the Baltimore group of l’Alliance Française no longer holding their meetings in the rooms of the Woman’s Literary Club, I repeat an announcement made at the time the change took place:

“As you are aware, we occupy these rooms as associate members of The Maryland Academy of Sciences.  In the opinion of the Academy of Sciences, meetings held in this building by societies not holding associate membership, may make the Academy liable to taxation, from which it is now exempt, and a decision was made that such meetings cannot be held there.

If such expense would seriously [involve?] the Academy, the Woman’s Literary

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Club reluctantly accepted the decision.

“I should also state that a letter was sent from the board of Management of the Woman’s Literary Club and signed by its members to Mr. Julian LeRoy White President, Mr. William H. Perries Vice President, and the other officers of l’Alliance Française expressing deep regret for their necessary removal.  A reply from Mr. White recognizes the fact that this is a decision of the Academy of Sciences and not the Woman’s Literary Club.

“The pleasant relations that have ever existed between l’Alliance Française and the Woman’s Literary Club have thus suffered no dimunutton [diminution] and remain un-altered.

This notice I hand to our Recording Secretary, for insertion in our records and will ask her to read it at the next meeting.”

The first article of the programme was given by Mrs. Waller E. Bullock and was on “Early Childhood.” Mrs. Bullock spoke of the ideals to be [illegible] with in primary education.  Ideals, she

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said are small in the savage and large in the child of civilization.  Our ideals shape our lives—are read ere long in our faces—high ideals lifting us up to understand the thoughts of God.  Our schools in the present day develop the child’s mental life but are mostly secular and stop short of soul culture.  The child by nature lives close to the world of imagination.  Not by maxims but by personality can the parents give that teaching which leads the young imaginative soul up to the personality of God, the Father, not an abstraction but a Being all love and law.  After speaking of the great foreign emigration to this country, Mrs. Bullock said that the entire secularization of schools leads to anarchy—and we owe the duty of Christian nation to the rising generation of this mass of immigrants.

The next article was read by Miss Ellen Duvall, and was on “The Growing Boy and Girl.”  Mis Duvall quoted the saying “A man is known by the company he keeps—and she stated that we know something of the child by the books

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he chooses to read.  In her endeavor to discover the favorite books of children between the ages of 12 and 16 in the public schools she was glad to find by inquiring at the Pratt Library that there has been in the last five years a decided improvement in the character of books popular amongst school-children.  Books of history, of adventure,--of course of nature especially of animals—even of science in popular style—and really good fiction were sought for in large numbers.  Miss Duvall also spoke of the present lack of religious education; the book of books is left out of the schools, and nothing put into its place.

The next article was by Miss Anne Cullington, and was on “The Lost Spirit.” Miss Cullington spoke of the methods of the latter part of the nineteenth century, and the beginning of the twentieth one, as breaking away from the old systems not so much in form as in spirit.  She went back to the teachings of Dr. Fruold of Rugby and his contemporaries, and dwelt on the high tone and religious influence which was the proper training of boys—not in the dreary poring over Latin and Greek, but for the growth of thought, faith and character.

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Miss Cullington spoke of Mr. Newell former Principal of the Normal School in our own city.  She spoke of his wide and kind influence, judicious outlook and keen insight into character, and of his power to arouse the enthusiasm of his students.  Miss Cullington thinks that schools are now conducted too much on the methods of banks or railroads.  Pupils also are coached and led by pleasant paths—and of course choose the line of least resistance.  Let us hope, however, that the best spirit of true education is not lost, and that from present methods we may yet choose the good and reject the evil.

The next article was by Miss Lizette Reese and was on “The Lost Personality.”  Miss Reese spoke of that teaching which we miss the right atmosphere and find wanting the true individualism, which is never dug out of books, but which is the essential thing that makes leaders of men.  She spoke too, of the value of teaching by example—rather than by maxims. 

The President called on our guest Miss Richmond to speak on the subject in

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hand.  Miss Richmond gave a beautiful eulogy on Dr. Newell before mentioned with whom she had been associated in teaching.  She spoke of him as a true educator—born not made—a student all his life, and one who knew he could not create anything but who sought always to discover and develop what God had created.

Miss George spoke on the same subject.

Miss Latané spoke of the apparent great lack of visible reward for conscientious teaching.  She told of an old colored uncle, who hearing someone say that children do not in after years repay the care and trouble spent upon them, answered: “Of course not, but the children pay as they go.”  Perhaps we who have been teaching may agree that some children do.

The President said that in listening to the interesting discussion of the afternoon, she could not help thinking of the difference between instruction and education—between providing, piling up or putting in, and maintaining, bringing out or developing.  But, of course, we need both methods.  She thanked Miss Cullington, her Committee and our guest

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for our intellectual entertainment and declared the meeting adjourned.

574th Meeting. [Jan. 22, 1907]

The 574th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday January 22nd, 1907, in their assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building.  The programme was under the charge of Miss Virginia Cloud, Chairman of the Committee on the Drama.  On account of unavoidable delay in the arrival of the Recording Secretary, the reading of the minutes of the former meeting was omitted.  The President announced that an invitation from the Publisher of the Baltimore Sun to the Woman’s Literary Club to visit their new building on their reception day, January 17^th, or on any following day had been received too late for acceptance on the day mentioned.  She said the invitation was fully appreciated.  She considered it would be appropriate for our members to visit the fine new head[-]quarters of the Sun on any day convenient to them.

The first article of the

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programme was given by Miss Virginia Cloud, and was on “Recent Poetic Dramas.”  Miss Cloud spoke of Shakespeare as the dramatist and the writer of sonnets, and she also drew a parallel between action dramas and poetic dramas.  She spoke of the new poet Albin [Alfred] Noyes, who she said was not afflicted with the disease of pessimism nor with that total lack of reverence so prevalent in the present day.  Miss Cloud proceeded to tell of the six dramas of the past year—which she seemed to think—on the whole—not good acting dramas.  Beginning with “Nero,” written by Stephen Phillips, she called it a great achievement, even a great tragedy.  But she considers that tragedy does not now command the success of former times.  She reviewed “Burton’s [illegible]; and went on to “Augustine the Man” by Amélie Rives.  She spoke of the former writings of Miss Rives, as of varying merit—some of them she thought scarcely appreciated, and some have not added to her fame.  But praise was given to this latest work of Miss Rives in its study and presentation of the great Father of the Church

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in the fourth and fifth centuries.  Miss Cloud spoke with great interest of the two plays of Miss Olive Dargan—one an effort to treat dramatically the manner of life 535 Before Christ [535 B.C.], and the other dealing with the disturbed [seismic?] life of the [Prussian?] people of the present day.

The programme next called for poems by Miss Lizette Reese.  The first given was “Found Dead in the River”--a poem of tragic pathos—a story in all its phases “wondrous pitiful.” The next was “Spring” voicing the mysterious half painful awakening of the human spirit in sympathy with the awakening of Nature.  Miss Reese’s third poem was a “Song of Marching Men”--telling of the heroes whom the Lord has made strong to march onto final triumph.

The next article was Miss Ellen Duvall’s, and was on “The Plays of Bernard Shaw.”  Miss Duvall spoke of the great temple of Diana at Ephesus, built for the consummation of Nature worship, and as the embodiment of Greek culture and civilization.  This temple—was—we remember—burned down on the night when Alexander the Great was

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born, and the avowed motive of the incendiary was to make himself famous.  This sacrilegious act is paralleled now by those who write for fame or gain at any cost.  Miss Duvall said that Bernard Shaw was an Irishman—made in Paris—that is he lived during his formative period in that city.  She drew an interesting parallel between the Celtic Irishman and the Celtic descendant of the ancient Gauls.  She went on to speak of Bernard Shaw’s play of “Man and Superman”--which she saw and regretted having seen.  It is, she said, clever in spots but the characters are either knaves or fools, and the heroine who chases down the hero is objectionable and has no redeeming qualities.  Mr. Shaw tells us if there is one person an English girl hates more than she hates her elder sister it is her mother. Miss Duvall said that an English critic had called Bernard Shaw honest, “but she could not think him sincere. He is against religion, against marriage, would reduce all worth having to chaos.  Such writing has just enough power to be unpleasant.”

The last article of the programme was given

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by Miss Virginia Cloud and was called “Couleur de Rose: A Romance of 1815.”  It was read by Miss Marie Perkins for Miss Cloud, and was the story of a French emigré nobleman—an exile in America still mourning for the lost love of his youth, the lady Rose, whom he could not save from the guillotine.  There is with him an old French servant woman, faithful and reticent about the past.  Later comes in Monsieur René, a survivor of the Reign of Terror, who has lived and done his part in it, and who seems to accept its memories with equanimity, if not with satisfaction.  The old aristocrat can hardly listen to René’s statements of events but under his own roof he tries to tolerate his old enemy.  The revolutionist says he comes for reparation, perhaps for penitence.  At last the exile understands that the dear Rose herself is perhaps living, always true to him and waiting to come to him.  She comes “like morning brought by night” and life is bright again to two pure souls.  Miss Cloud’s modern story has some of the same undying charm of the old Greek drama of Alcestis, as told by Euripides

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and in one time by Robert Browning. Miss Perkins made her recital just dramatic enough to be vivid, appealing and delightful.

The President thanked Miss Cloud and her Committee for their very fine entertainment we had enjoyed.  She also presented to the Club the photograph of the Great Seal of Maryland—the work—and gift—of Miss Mary D. Davis.  The meeting adjourned.

There was no meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club on Tuesday—January 29th, 1907.  This omission was on account of the death of a member, Mrs. Spilker [Cora R. Spilker].

 

575th Meeting. [Feb. 5, 1907]

The 575th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, February 5th, 1907 in their assembly room, Academy of Sciences, Building.  The programme was under the charge of Miss Annie Weston Whitney, Chairman of the Committee on Anthropology.  The President called the meeting to order,

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and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of January 22nd^, 1907, followed by a statement written by the President—giving a clear and comprehensive answer to inquiries in regard to reasons for the discontinuance of the meetings of L’Alliance Française as the guests of the Woman’s Literary Club.

The President announced the loss of our member Mrs. Cora Spilker, whose sudden death occurred on the 24th of January: and said that in regard for her memory, the regular Club meeting of the 29th of the month was omitted.  Mrs. Spilker, our President reminded us—was an active and valuable member, always willing to undertake any duties in the Club and fully appreciating and enjoying its privileges.  The requests for the writing of motto cards to be given to our guests at the recent New Year’s entertainment were committed to her, and the responses not being so prompt—nor so general—as she expected, she prepared two thirds of them herself.  The President spoke of Mrs. Spilker’s excellent papers given to us, especially one of January 8th, on

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Professor Kühnemann--particularly appropriate, as it told of the lecturer who is to give the course of lectures on the Percy Turnbull Foundation, at the Johns Hopkins University this year.  We shall, Mrs. Wrenshall said, [miss] Mrs. Spilker’s help and her cheerful personality, as time goes on.

The President announced the subjects of the meetings for the month of February.

The President then spoke of the absence of our excellent vice-president, Mrs. Jordan Stabler. She has gone, we were told, on a short voyage to the Caribbean Sea, to the West India Islands, to Cuba, to Venezuela and Panama, hoping for great benefit to the health of her husband on the journey, and hoping to be with us again on the first of March, when we will all give her a very cordial welcome.

The first article of the programme was by Mrs. E. E. Fayerweather, and was on “Education in China.”  Mrs. Fayerweather said that after centuries of seclusion, China has emerged with a civil-

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ization going back to the time of Abraham, and institutions 4000 years of age.  Her ancient system of education has been highly revered.  There are, we were told, no government schools, the government provides examiners, but the schools are self-supporting.  She described the competitive examinations, which were intended to sift out the best and the ablest of the scholars as the most fitted for public service and honors.  But the majority of the people are very ignorant—the women particularly so—probably not one in ten thousand can read, and those who can read and keep accounts can do nothing more. Many copy signs that they do not understand.  But in the educational system in which China thought herself strong, she has found herself weak.  The example of Japan has affected her greatly, and Chinese students by the hundreds have gone to their neighbor to learn the secret of her success.  With the vast population the past has been sacred, but the new edicts of the Chinese government permitting the teaching of the New Testament in the schools, abolishing,

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the use of opium and other commands of importance have shown real progress.  Mrs. Fayerweather said that education is the foundation of character, and we can hope much for the future of the great Chinese Nation.

The second article of the programme was by Mrs. Samuel A. Hill and was on “The Musheras of Central India.”  Mrs. Hill said that when she was living in India she often met an old gentleman who was deeply interested in the aboriginal inhabitants of that county, and had collected much information regarding them.  This he liked to impart to his friends—and she often found it tiresome, but, had she known that one day she would be called upon to impart similar information to the dear Woman’s Literary Club, she would have listened with keen interest.  She described the Musheras as a tribe living in the hills and valleys of Central India, and believed to be the descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants of the India of long ago, before the arrival of the Aryan invaders from whom the Hindu of the

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present day are descended.  Some of the customs which survive among them seem to go back to pre-historic times.  She described their rude tools especially one for which they seem to have a religious reverence.  There are three tribes of Masheras. The jungle men who live a kind of village life, and those who have intermingled with the Hindus, and become modified by this intercourse.  She told of those who live like animals in caves, or who climb trees, and of those who have huts not to stand up in but to crawl into, and to lie down in.  They know the nourishing power of vegetables and roots, and eat almost anything, including cats and porcupines.  Being very fond of the wild honey in hollow trees, they know how to [illegible] out the bees, and thus secure the honey.  But the Musheras have one industry that is of some value.  We know something “Tussah Silk,” worn by civilized women now.  The tussah silk worms are confined to a very small area, and the Musheras know how to prepare the product for its first sale.  The men wear one piece of cloth and the women add

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one more piece.  Mrs. Hill spoke of their superstitions in regard to trees, and reviewed some of their customs of courtship and marriage, and noted that the Mushira girls are not married until they are grown which is far different from the custom of their more civilized and advanced relatives the Hindus.

The next article was by our President Mrs. Wrenshall and was on “Prehistoric Man in Devonshire—A Visit to Kent’s Cavern.”  Mrs. Wrenshall spoke of the attractiveness we find in the things of long ago; of our efforts to reconstruct the past especially those prehistoric ages of which the earth holds the records, even our own America. After referring to different theories and discoveries relating to this subject, she went on to tell us of Kent’s Cavern, near Torquay in Devonshire, England, whose wonders she investigated a year ago during her sojourn in that country.  The great antiquity revealed there years ago was at first somewhat shocking to a few good people who considered it opposed to religious teaching.  The [illegible]

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of the stalactites and stalagmites on which the water comes, it is said, by three drops a day, points to ages of deposits and some scientists have thought there is evidence of hundreds of milleniums [millenniums].  The entrance through the cliff was by a wooden door—candles were provided, and sometimes she walked on a plank or two planks over the mud.  There are evidences of the prehistoric man thirty feet below the cave entrance.  Much of the cave is long and narrow, but there are lofty chambers. In one place looking up she saw a fine cast of the skull of a big horrid cave bear, the mud having covered his body, but over his head was a crystalline deposit.  One chamber 15 feet high contained tools made of flint, and there is a strange legible inscription giving a name and the date 1688.  There are bones of extinct bears, hyenas, elephants, and a species of lion with sabre-like teeth.  There have also been dug out objects of use and ornament—dishes, a spoon, a bowl, a human jaw, a bone needle with a distinct eye, an amber head, shell ornaments, etc.  There are traces of different epochs in the depths

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of the digging and of changes in climate.  The Paleolithic man had used fire, the Neolithic man made clothes of skins, and perhaps cooked his lion steak while his wife sewed on his dress costume from the animal’s skin with her bone needle.  They had a sort of civilization—they combed their hair.  But, said our President, we are thankful that we live in the twentieth century.

Miss Whitney was asked to give some account of the book she is preparing on folk lore.  Miss Whitney said that Mrs. Bullock is engaged in this work as well as herself.  She went on to tell of her success in collecting items of folk lore in Maryland.  She spoke of Indian folk lore, that of the tribes to whom we owe the corn pone and the hominy.  She told of the Choptanks, who believe that the Souls of men stay with their bones, and therefore dig up the skeletons of their dead to take with them to new residences.  She told of the [illegible] superstition of why there is no 30th of February, and said they believe that the patriarcal [patriarchal] Job was born on that

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day, consequently it is blotted out as he requested.  We remember that Job did say “Let the day perish on which I was born and the night not come into the number of months.” She spoke too of the so-called power of the divining rod, and the investigations of the Society of Psychical Research with regard to those persons who are said to possess the power of discovering water—even without the aid of a rod.

Mrs. Wrenshall spoke of the belief that powers of this kind are not to be sold, that the accepting of money for their use immediately impairs them.

Mrs. Lord by request then spoke of the anniversary of our great fire which devasted part of the city three years ago.  She closed by giving us, as she said, the first reading of her poem “Resurgam,” [I shall rise again] on the resurrection of a more beautiful Baltimore, than we had ever known, or hoped for.  The President thanked Mrs. Lord for the first reading of her graceful lines.  After thanking Miss Whitney and her Committee for our delightful afternoon’s entertainment, the President in her

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usual way declared the meeting adjourned.

576th Meeting. [Feb. 12, 1907]

The 576th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, February 12th, 1907 in the Assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building.  The programme had been prepared by Mrs. Percy M. Reese but in the absence of Mrs. Reese, Chairman of the Committee on Current Criticism, it was under the charge of Miss Virginia Cloud.  The President called the meeting to order and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of February, 5th.  The President announced the death of a former member of our Club Mrs. Charles Beebe, sister of Mrs. Percy M. Reese.  Mrs. Beebe had been an active member with us, and left us only because the care of an invalid daughter took up so much of her time, that continued membership became impossible.  The President spoke of the sympathy we all have for the bereaved sister, and our Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Uhler

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was requested to write, in the name of the Club an expression of our sympathetic regret.  The President announced the beginning of the Turnbull Lectures at the Johns Hopkins University, on February 14^th  to be given by Professor Kühnemann of Breslau, Germany, and in the German language.  The President also announced the lecture of Miss M. Eleanor Ford, to be given at the Belvedere.  The subject being the well-known author Maeterlinck [Belgian author] so much under discussion now.

The first article of the programme was given by Mrs. C. W. Lord, and was on “Fenwick’s Career,” by Mrs. Humphrey Ward.  Mrs. Lord spoke of the atmosphere and characterization that we find in Mrs. Humphrey Ward’s novels.  Her people develop before us like those of George Eliot.  But she did not place “Fenwick’s Career” in the same [illegible] with “Robert Elsmere” or “Marcella” or the continuation of the latter-- “Sir George Tressady.”  She seemed to miss in it some of the qualities found in “Lady Rose’s Daughter” and “The Marriage of William Ashe.”  She spoke, however,

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with great praise, of the presence of the lovely “lake country,” which we are made to feel in the beginning of the story.  Mrs. Lord sketched the plot and dénouement of Fenwick’s Career—with appreciations of its good points.

The next article of the programme was given by Miss Emily Paret Atwater and was on “Coniston” by Winston Churchill [American novelist].  Miss Atwater spoke of Coniston as a political novel, and also as a picture of rural or village life.  Political novels, she said, are usually supposed to be written for men readers, but Winston Churchill seems to address himself to feminine ones as well.  The central figure, Jethro Bass, is a product of New England, the son of the village [tanner?] and is able and unscrupulous.  He falls in love with the minister’s daughter, Cynthia Ware, and in that community he is socially not at all her equal.  She has a sense of horror with regard to him, while not insensible to the attraction of his forceful individuality.  He becomes apparently a conscienceless politician, but with a strange strain of sentiment, so

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real that he uses his political and trust-controlling power to compass successfully the marriage, against parental opposition of the woman he loves to the man she loves, the latter a much weaker character than himself or Cynthia.  Miss Atwater found Jethro, in spite of contradictory traits, well and clearly drawn, and the other characters well depicted also, and she gave us the conduct and plot of the story with much interest.

The next article was by Miss Virginia Cloud and was on “Some Recent Literature.”  Miss Cloud gave us the lively impressions she had received from some recent publications.  She spoke of the life of Charles Godfrey Leland [American humorist] by Elizabeth Pennell.  His personality, she told us, pervades the book.  Miss Cloud spoke of his intense interest in Gypsies and Gypsy lore, with which she felt much sympathy.  In his knowledge and appreciation of the Gypsy race, he is inferior only to George Borrow.  He understands their free outside life, and their intuitions and inspirations from nature itself—in their relations to art and literature.  She spoke of his representation

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of a Gypsy mother, who with a background of nothing apparently showed herself the primaeval mother [illegible].  Miss Cloud spoke of the work of Gilbert Chesterton on Robert Browning saying that it tells of Browing the man, and especially of Browning after the death of his wife, which wrought much change in him.

Miss Cloud then spoke of novels beginning with “The Beloved Vagabond” by William J. Locke—to which she gave great credit of much charm.  She went on to “The Lonely Lady” by Mrs. De La Pasture.  Miss Cloud said she was not in sympathy with novels that are soul studies or sex problems.  “The Lonely Lady” does [no by?] reason is moral—not knowing it—has simplicity and inherited [illegible] all very delightful.  We were given also an able criticism of the new book by Guy Thorne “Made in His Image.” Miss Cloud went on to the Rudyard Kipling’s latest book “Puck of Pook’s Hill.”  After speaking of Kipling’s various [poems?], his butterfly movements, his wilful [willful] Puck-like flights, she gave him credit of

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having produced a masterpiece, of [coming?] to his own; of showing what he could have done and ought to do, and what we were waiting for.  She felt like saying, “Dear Puck, Now sit still and know thyself.”  At the close of the Miss Cloud’s article, the President spoke of two French books, in which she had found great pleasure. “L’Isle Inconnue?” and “Eve Victorieuse.”  The former was written by a woman and has passed through fifty-four editions—of which we women can be proud.  She thanked the Committee on Current Criticism and declared the meeting adjourned.

 

577th Meeting. [Feb. 19, 1907]

The 577th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, February 19th, 1907 in the Assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building.  The programme was under the charge of Miss Duvall, Chairman of the Committee on Fiction.  The President called the meeting to order, and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of February, 12th.  The President announced the Lecture to be given before the Club on

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Friday evening, February 22nd by Miss M. Eleanor Ford, the subject being “Maurice Maeterlinck, the Flemish Writer.”  The President spoke of having heard Miss Ford lecture, of meeting her and finding her a gifted woman—a speaker of much force and interest.  An invitation to attend the Lecture of Professor Moore at the Johns Hopkins University was also extended to the Club.  The first article of the programme was by our President, Mrs. Wrenshall.

Mrs. Wrenshall’s paper dealt with “Character Sketches.”  She gave two sketches of characters well-known in her old Southern home, long ago.  One important character in these sketches was known as Mr. Littleton—a tall negro [Negro], a person of much importance in his own estimation, and in that of his immediate compeers, but also one of the faithful servants of the time “before the war.”  The first story was “The Coming of the Bride.”  We were given a picture of the beautiful environment of an old Southern homestead on a plantation where everybody and everything was involved in the

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making ready for “Master George to bring home his bride.”  The negro [Negro] quarters were full of joyous excitement but Mr. Littleton “was disturbed in mind. [Illegible] were humorously given of the privileges he had accorded to himself—such as using his master’s horses and carriage, etc., which liberties by long use [illegible] like rights, and possibilities, such as walking to see his sweetheart—might arrive with the advent of a new mistress.  We are told of the happy welcome when the young wife comes.  But when Mr. Littleton enters the room he stands transfixed, and only bows reverently when Master George engages his faithful service for her in life and death.

The second story was “Miss Lily.”  It describes the approach of Christmas, when all around the old homestead, from the blackest pickaninny to the fair mistress herself, are engaged in the generous preparations for the coming feast.  Helping the cook is a young girl, perfectly black, but with the regular features, which the descendants of some African tribes possess.  This is Miss Lily, the maid of

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A neighboring Colonel’s wife—and the object of Mr. Littleton’s devotion.  But he is again disturbed in mind—more so than on the former occasion.  At last he asks for a word with his mistress, and kneeling down before her he reveals his trouble.  He and Lily love each other, but Lily’s mistress is opposed to the match, and threatens to sell Lily to her brother.  Then he begins to tell with a rude eloquence of a time when the yellow fever spread like a pestilence over the South.  A Sister of Charity came to nurse the negroes and died herself of the disease.  She had a picture of the Madonna which they buried with her, and Mr. Littleton “Said that when he first saw his new Mistress he was struck with the resemblance to the picture, Madonna, and also to know that she bore the same name, so he had come to Miss Mary, in his troubles, knowing that she would help him.  Would she ask her husband to buy Lily?  When she had promised her help Miss Mary sat very still thinking of the responsi-

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bility that was hers for these people, listening to Lily’s laugh and the singing of a bird very near her.

The next article was by Miss Dorsey and was called “The Missing Link.”  Miss Dorsey gave some interesting re-counts of the Indian tribes of Dorchester County, Maryland, telling of their migrations to different localities, and of their final extinction—as Indians.  But as some of them had intermarried with negroes [Negroes], there are still recognizable traits of Indians, and perhaps of traditions, also.  She told a legend of this mingled people—Indian or negro [Negro], or perhaps both.  The heroine of the story took the form of a duck.  In trying to climb a tree, she fell and broke her arm, or wing; but, nevertheless, was able to swim away with her lover—when pursued by their enemies.  Then they came to a land where lived big black people with long tails.  The duck-woman warned her lover not to look back at these missing links but he did so and was it seems, unable to continue his flight—while she apparently went on her way without further

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injury—a reversal of the story of Lot’s wife.

The next article was by Mrs. A. T. Atwater, and was called “Truth Stranger than Fiction.”  Mrs. Atwater told of some un-explained, but authentic statements of strange experiences of reliable persons of proved intelligence.  She told an experience related by Bishop Talbott relating the dispatch of a wireless telegraphic message sent from the Canary Islands to New York.  She spoke of the wonders revealed by the study of light, and especially of the new function ascribed to the violet rays, to tell where life exists in apparent death—by the power to throw shadows its absence.  She spoke of the so-called x-rays, of the marvels of radium, of discoveries in the domain of sounds—and of the known and vastly unknown, powers of electricity, all suggesting the new knowledge that is coming to us through the unseen environment of our existence.  Mrs. Atwater told of many presentiments of danger—by reason of which disasters have been

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avoided, and also of admonishing dreams, which recalled the old Bible warnings, so much regarded in the old ages of simple faith.  No doubt many of us can recall similar experiences of our own—or of others well[-]known to us.

The last article was by Mrs. Sidney Turner and was called “Ashore.”  It was a poem in prose, suggesting life’s endless toil and endeavor, and also the sympathy of the great world of Nature with the human spirit.  It told of the wave of a stream treading its short life seeking the banks through brambles and bridges and coming ashore at last.

The President thanked Miss Duvall and her Committee for our fine entertainment and meeting adjourned—to enjoy the tea and cake appropriately prepared for a very cold afternoon by our House Committee.

 

578th Meeting. [Feb. 26, 1907]

The 578th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore, was held on Tuesday February 26th, 1907, in the Assembly Room, Academy of Sciences Buidling. The

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programme was under the charge of Mrs. Robert M. Wylie, Chairman of the Committee on Art.  The President called the meeting to order, and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of February 19th.  The President announced the subjects of the meetings for the month of March.  The 19th of March is the birthday of the Club, and the President asked for a full attendance on that occasion.

The first article of the programme was by Miss Lydia Kirk and was on “Arts and Crafts.”  Miss Kirk spoke of the movement begun in Europe more than twenty year ago, and later in America which found expression in efforts to bring the materials and handicrafts of modern life into the sphere of art and beauty.  We are not yet emancipated from the furnishings and accessories of the middle age—the Victorian age, but our standards with regard to familiar tings are higher now.  We were told of the influence of William Morris, [Edward] Burne-Jones, and others for the true beauty of ecclesiastical details

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and afterwards for domestic furnishings and decoration.  The best models the past and of the original work of the present was [were] sought for.  We were told of the finding of an old chair in an ancient English farm-house, by someone in the Morris firm, and of its reproduction in which is now known as the Morris chair.  Miss Kirk told of the revival of silk weaving in England, and of the thirty or forty families who left London to engage in this work under better surroundings than they could command in the great city.  The pottery of the Arts and Crafts Guild has been thoroughly appreciated.  Since 1883 this work has been known well in our own country—in Boston, St. Louis and Chicago, especially for its work in pottery and wood.  In New Hampshire the old and new designs for hand[-]made rugs have commanded success.  With their interest in their work, the ideas and ideals of the workers are developed, giving promise of the establishment and culture of a distinct American Art.

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At the close of Miss Kirk’s article, Mrs. Wrenshall gave an account of her own visit to an Arts and Crafts Exhibition during her visit to England.

The next article was by Mrs. Sidney Turner and was on “Pictures in the Home.”  Mrs. Turner said that the ministry of pictures in the home is manifold.  She spoke of our visits to galleries, and of the pictures we choose for our walls to have always with us.  For the framing of pictures she advised gold frames for landscapes, suggesting the brightness of the open air, but pictures representing death are not appropriately framed in gold—generally.  Pictures of the sea may have the sunlight or some of the brown sand around them.  Cathedral aisles, with their dim religious light may not suit gilt frames but be more suggestive with a surrounding of carved wood.  Pictures should be always hung straight, and not too high, but some should be looked up to and some with level sight, and sometimes it is even well to look down into eyes that

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look up at us.  She spoke of pictures that are like dear friends; that are memories to us or that extend our own ideas for us.  Mrs. Turner closed by quoting the artist who said: “I have one critic more exacting than all others: myself.”

The next article was by Mrs. George K. McGaw, and was on “Art Conditions in Baltimore.”  Mrs. McGaw said that Baltimore is sometimes called “A one horse town”—with no artistic attractions.  But we have our monuments, our Court House, our Cathedral, fine Bank buildings, the First Presbyterian and other Churches, fine old Colonial houses, and the north view from the corner St. Paul and Saratoga Streets.  She spoke of the artists who have lived among us.  [Charles Yardley] Turner, Frank [Francis Blackwell] Mayer, [Thomas] Hovenden, and many others.  We have not the Art Collections of Europe, nor those of New York, but we have those of the Peabody Institute, of the Maryland Historical Society, and the Walters Gallery.  She spoke of the special exhibition of pictures now at the Peabody Institute with admiration—and also of the efforts lately made for organized improvement

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of the art conditions of our city.  Mrs. McGaw reminded us that only perfect parts can make a perfect whole, and that each of us can help in the work to be done.

The President then recalled to us an article written and published more than a decade ago on “The City Beautiful.”  It was written by Mrs. Wylie, the Chairman of the then present meeting.  It was the work of a loyal Baltimorean, and is not forgotten.  Mrs. Wrenshall also spoke of the artist formerly of Baltimore, now of New York, C. Y. Turner and said she thought our picture of Bayard Taylor was his work.  Some doubt of this being expressed.  Mrs. Wrenshall said at any rate the picture was a gift to the Club from Mrs. Graham, the artist’s sister.  The doubt was later set at rest by the discovery of Turner’s name plainly signed upon the picture.

Miss Cloud spoke of a Baltimore artist now in Paris, Miss Mary Middleton Wyatt, granddaughter of Dr. Wyatt former rector of Old St. Paul[‘s] Church

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--whose work has been accepted, and never refused for the Paris Salon Exhibitions.

The last article of the programme was by Mrs. O. B. Bowie and was on “Art Conditions in Berlin.”  Mrs. Bowie spoke of German art in the present day—of its development and environment and of the conditions of which German is expectant.  She told of an Art Exhibition in Berlin in which the best works were those of two brothers—the one a painter, the other a sculptor—Max and Oskar [Krieser?].  She described the home of Max Krieser which was a seat of culture and art with his beautiful wife and the circle that gathered around them.  She told of the Sculptor Begus [Reinhold Begas], whose home is also the rendezvous for distinguished people every Sunday.  She spoke of the statue of Wilhelm der Grosse given to the city by his grandson, the present Emperor, as being great and imposing.  She spoke of the great painter [illegible] whose pictures resemble those of [Lawrence] Alma-Tedema and whose daughter

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married the brother of Swinburne, the English poet.  She described the magnificent Lieges Allee, and its beautiful statue of Victory commemorating the defeat of France in the war of 1870-1871.  There are the great Hohenzollern rulers from Albrecht der Baer of the twelfth century to Emperor Wilhelm and around each ruler the busts of the most distinguished men of his reign.  She spoke of the beautiful statue of the almost [most?] adored Queen Louise.  After speaking of artists of international reputation, Mrs. Bowie reminded us that life and art are of course much more systematized in German than with us.  The people have the traditions and the atmosphere of art.  But the class distinctions are not enough stretched there to give the families of artist any social position—whatever favor the recognized artists may receive from Royalty or Court.

The President spoke of the great pleasure we had received from the programme of the evening, and declared the meet-

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ing adjourned.  She called attention, however, before leaving the platform to the beautiful pictures brought by Mrs. Bowie to illustrate her article.

579th Meeting. [Mar. 5, 1907]

The 579th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday March 5th, 1907, in the assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building.  The programme of this meeting was under the charge of Mrs. Frederick Tyson, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Languages.  Mrs. Uhler, Corresponding Secretary, presided.  After calling the meeting to order, Mrs. Uhler explained that our President, Mrs. Wrenshall, had been called to Washington on account of the severe illness of a near relative; and that she sent her love to all of us, and hoped to be with us in the near future.  The Recording Secretary, Miss Crane, read the minutes of the meeting of February 26th, and announcement was made of the Lectures on American History to be given at the Johns Hopkins University, beginning on March 5th, to which the Club was in-

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vited.  Mrs. Uhler then spoke of the bereavement of our member and former Vice President, Mrs. R. K. Cautley, in the death of her husband.  She reminded us of the affection and regard Mrs. Cautley gained among us and of her much[-]valued services to the Club.  Mrs. Uhler also spoke of the interest taken by Mr. Cautley in the work and success of our organization and of his calling himself “The Father of the Club,” while his wife in the absence of our President, was acting as our presiding officer.  Mrs. Uhler said that our hearts all go out to Mrs. Cautley in her sorrow.  A motion was made by Miss Crane and seconded by Miss Tait that our Corresponding Secretary be requested to write to Mrs. Cautley in the name of the Club expressing our loving sympathy with her in her affliction.  It was passed unanimously.

The first article of the programme was given by Miss Octavia Williams Bates and was her translation of “The Execution of Marie Antoinette,” from the French of Imbert de Saint Amand.  It began with the first coming of Marie Antoinette to France, and described the enthu-

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siasm and admiration with which she was received; which was intensified only, when on the death of Louis fifteenth, she ascended to the throne of France.  The people seemed in love with the young Louis sixteenth and his lovely wife; they compared him to Louis twelfth—called the Father of his People, and to their Hero, Henry the fourth, with the comment that 12+4=16.  We were given a letter from the Empress Maria Theresa, the mother of Marie Antoinette, in answer to one from her daughter, telling of her happiness.  The Empress congratulated her daughter on her great advantages and on being the Queen of the Finest Kingdom on Earth.  The young Queen then seemed to bring joy and acclamations wherever she appeared.  We were told of the storm that some fifteen years afterwards arose to overwhelm France and destroy her rulers.  The last scene in the life of Marie Antoinette was dramatically described—the indignity of the passing of the Queen in a cart to her execution—the delay and slow progress in the shadow of death itself, the heroic martyr spirit that would not be crushed,

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down to the inborn courtesy that on the scaffold could apologize for stepping the executioner’s foot--all must appeal to the integrity of our eternal womanhood.

The next article was given by Miss Annie Hollins, and was her translation from the Italian of F. [Fencajoli?], of a story called “The Pharaoh.”  The story took us to the banks of the Nile, and to the days of Rameses the Second.  The great Pharaoh is supposed to be mortally ill, and the astrologers have foretold that a royal personage is to die before morning.  His grandson Horus is waiting to receive the seal ring from the sovereign’s hand as soon as that shall grow cold.  Horus has prepared edicts of great political importance; also three of them of his personal importance and interest.  The three are one to recall from exile his old preceptor—one to give to his mother’s body a royal burial, the last to release from prison the girl he loves.  While he is waiting, a deadly insect stings his foot.  Horus waits on with the pallor of death on his face, and soon the un-

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sealed edicts drop from his hand.  Presently he holds but one—that asking the release from prison of his loved one.  As that also slips from his stiffening fingers, a messenger hastens to tell of the miraculous return to strength and health of his grandfather—the great Pharaoh.

The last article was given by Miss Marie Eulalie Perkins, and was her translation from the French of Maurice [Remy?] And was called “The Last Days of St. Pierre.”  Miss Perkins’ description contained a vivid description of the recent eruption of the volcano Mt. Pelle [Pelée] on the Island of Martinique, and the destruction of the capital city, St. Pierre. It described the days just before the catastrophe, when an approaching election was causing great excitement amongst the people.  The contest seems chiefly between the white people and those of mixed blood, the latter being more antagonized by pure Caucasians than are even the full blacks.  In the midst of politics and irrepressible problems, comes that destroying convulsion of Nature.

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There is a story of ill-starred lovers in this recital of disaster.  The girl after giving warning of danger to those who have only scorn to give back to her, is overwhelmed among the volcanoes [volcano’s] victims.  Her lover finds her dead with her prayer book and rosary close by her side—a fate probably less sad than continued life might have been for her.  Miss Perkins evidently gave us the description of an eye-witness of the Island’s calamity.

The Presiding Officer thanked the Committee on Foreign Languages for our afternoon’s entertainment; and declared the meeting adjourned.

580th Meeting. [Mar. 12, 1907]

The 580th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday March 12th, 1907 in the Assembly Room, Academy of Sciences Building.  The programme was under the charge of Mrs. Sidney Turner, Chairman of the Committee on Essays and Essayists.  The Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Uhler presided.  She spoke of her regret--

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shared by us all—for the continued absence of our President, Mrs. Wrenshall, but added that her invalid relative had so far recovered that she hoped soon to be with her dear fellow members again.  The Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of March 5th.  Announcement was made of the Lectures to be given at the Johns Hopkins University by Mr. W. H. Mallock—to which the Club is invited.  Announcement was also made of a Lecture to be given on Friday, March 15th, by Miss M. Eleanor Ford—whose address before us on Maurice Maeterlinck had been much enjoyed.  Announcement was made that by action of our President and Board of Management the next Salon should not be held as usual on the last Tuesday in the month but on the 19th, which is the birthday of the Club.

The first article of the Programme was given by Mrs. Sidney Turner, and was on “Letters and Letter Writing.”  Mrs. Turner spoke of the reception of the morning mail, from which some letters make little impression on the recipients, some have their contents shared generally, and one perhaps is re-

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served for solitary reading.  She remarked that letter-writing has been called “a lost art”--but is it lost?--or is it really an art?  She quoted from the dictionary various definitions of the word “art,” which do not apply to letter writing.  A letter may be a revelation of character, talking of the pen, or the literature of every day.  Mrs. Turner spoke of letters from home, or letters from over the sea.  She told of letters sent to be opened on a voyage abroad, and of letters written and delivered on shipboard—giving very humorous and entertaining specimens of such maritime missives.  She spoke of the letters we write which are part of ourselves and the treachery of publishing such letters—especially after the death of the writers, as in the case of Emily Dickinson’s letters.  Recollect that Mrs. Turner has given us an account of Emily Dickinson’s life and work—but not of her letters. She went on to speak of ancient letters as those of Cicero, and of those still older mentioned in the Bible—in the Book of Job and of [Esther?] and of others.  She spoke of epistles of

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the New Testament, especially of the letter of St. Paul to Philemon.  She told of the Puritan love letters in the early part of the seventeenth century, and quoted one from John Winthrop, the first Governor of the Colony of Massachusetts, written to the lady to whom he was engaged, just before their marriage.  He quotes from the Bible, apparently the most discouraging texts he can find in it, taking pains to remind her that “God alone is true, and every man a liar.”  Mrs. Turner remarked that she would have broken the engagement at once.  A much pleasanter quotation was—not from the dictionary, but from the dictionary-maker, Dr. Samuel Johnson, who thought that a friendly letter to be a good for anything, should speak from the fountain of the heart.  Mrs. Turner said that her Committee had written a number of different kinds of letters—of which specimens would be given to us.

The next article on the programme was read by Miss Mabel Butler, and was called “Committee Letters.”  Miss Butler read to us a “Diplomatic Letter,” a “Business Letter” and a “Love Letter”-- each after its kind modelled in proper terms meaning and

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expression.

The next article was by Mrs. C. W. Lord and was on “Robert Louis Stevenson as a Letter Writer.”  Mrs. Lord said that the letters of this gifted man are left to reveal his inner self.  She told of Stevenson’s early life, of his very orthodox parents, whom he shocked in many ways, and of his parting from his father because he refused to adopt his father’s profession of engineering.  She told of his coming to America, of his struggle with poverty, and of his marriage to a woman with a family of children.  At length the relenting father sent him £200 which was for a time an intense relief to his troubled spirit.  His letters show his true self, and are like those of Charles Lamb in humor and pathos.  She told of Stevenson’s letters from Hawaii and afterwards from Samoa, quoting extracts which described the beauty of the land and of the sea, and showing his delight in Nature.  But the struggle goes on, he craves a regular income, with all that it would mean to [him?] and at last asks only for rest.  But the grace and brightness of his mind, we were told, and his noble and tolerant spirit

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never left him and shine through these records of his heart and life.

The next article was given by Mrs. S. A. Hill, and was on “Rudyard Kipling as a Letter Writer.”  Mrs. Hill, during her residence in India saw much of Rudyard Kipling as a young man, and his letters to her husband and herself have been of great interest.  She said she would omit all the reading of which might seem like a breach of confidence.  In Mrs. Hill’s extracts, Kipling speaks of being ordered off to a government post, and when there the discomfort, heat and want of real companionship are mirrored in bright flashes of wit and humor.  He cannot talk to his assistants as after thinking of confiding in the cat under the sofa has doubts of finding sympathy even in that quarter.  He writes from San Francisco, after his early literary success, telling of the Bohemian Club whose totem is an owl—the monarch of the [crew?]--with his claw stretched out ready for a hand-shake.  He goes to Tacoma and on one of his journeys stays at a hotel “one thousand miles from anywhere else.”  The last letter read by Mrs. Hill spoke of his latest work “Puck of

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Pook’s Hill,” and showed his love and appreciation of little children, as we remember them in “They” and “The Brushwood Boy,” and in his other works.

The last article of the programme was by Mrs. Philip R. Uhler and was called “Addendum.”  Mrs. Uhler said she would suggest a few “do’s and don’t’s” from a secretary’s point of view—on letter writing.  Write clearly.  Do not omit your full address. Don’t write just “Mrs.” or “Miss,” write your full name or initials with “Mrs.” or “Miss” in addition.  Don’t write “Rev. Mr. So and So.” Reverend is a title, like Mr. or Dr.  Write all names plainly—any person resents the incorrect writing of his name.  Don’t begin with the personal pronoun.  Don’t send post cards unless you address them regularly.  Read your letter over before you send it.

Mrs. Uhler thanked Mrs. Turner very heartily for the interesting programme given by her Committee and herself, and declared the meeting adjourned.

581st Meeting. [Mar. 19, 1907]

The 581st meeting of the Woman’s Literary

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Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, March 19th, 1907, in the assembly room of the Academy of Sciences Building.  The programme announced that this was our anniversary, our birthday, with the dates 1890 and 1907—showing the entering upon our eighteenth year as a Club.  Our President, Mrs. Wrenshall, on calling the meeting to order, expressed her pleasure at being with us again—after her short absence, and was warmly welcomed back by her fellow members.  The Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of March 12th.  The President announced that our book of membership was on the table near the platform, and requested the new members, and others who had not enrolled themselves in it, to place their names on record at the end of the meeting.  The programme of this meeting was under the charge of Miss May Virginia Henderson, Chairman of the Committee on Authors and Artists of Maryland.  The President spoke of the value of this Committee in the earlier days of the Club, of its apparent retirement for a time, of its recent revival, and of its promise of great interest and worth in the future.

The first article was given by Miss Mary

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Forman Day and was on “George William West.”  Miss Day told of this early artist of Maryland who lived in the latter part of the eighteenth century, and was the son of Reverend William West, Rector of Old St. Paul’s Church in 1779.  He showed early in life great artistic talent—and was sent to London with commendatory letters—one, it was said, from General Washington.  He enjoyed the advantages of England for study and practice, as well as association with distinguished artists until his return in 1795.  Miss Day described his portraits and miniatures with much interest and appreciation.  He painted the portrait of her own great-grandmother.  One lady whose picture he painted in her ball-dress, lived until 1863 and died at the age of 91 years.  Miss Day also showed some well thought of pictures of this early Maryland artist, and much regretted not having fuller details of his life in London where he was associated with the other Maryland artist of the same surname, Benjamin West and with other distinguished men of the times.

The next article was

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By Mrs. Frederick Tyson and was on “Tusculum and the Delphians.”  Mrs. Tyson said that Marylanders seem not to possess the aggressive pride in our state’s history, achievements and honors that the natives of other states make so constantly evident with regard to their own.  But when the bloody wars were being waged with the Indians in New England, Lord Baltimore’s Colony was living in peace with the Aborigines, having bought their lands at a satisfactory price—and was treating them well.  When Massachusetts was persecuting Quakers [Baptists?] and driving Roger Williams out of her territory, Maryland was a place of refuge for all sects and creeds.  She went on to speak of our fine educational institutions and distinguished men of the high position taken by the comparatively young Johns Hopkins University and its learned Professors and distinguished Surgeons, whose works are authorities in other lands.  She spoke of our libraries and art collections, public and private.  She told of a book she had discovered in the library of the Maryland

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Historical Society—which made her feel like another Columbus—or Balboa.  It brought back the life and atmosphere of the best learning, wit and culture of our own city during the first half of the nineteenth century.  It contained the records of the Delphian Club of Baltimore—beginning in 1815.  The Delphians of Baltimore called their club home “Tusculum” after Cicero’s classic villa.  This Club was founded by John Neal of Portland, Maine during his six years residence in Baltimore.  Among its members were Jared Sparks, afterwards President of Harvard College; William Wirt, among many distinctions, author of “The British Spy,” John P. Kennedy, afterwards Secretary of the Navy, and author of “Swallow Barn,” “Horseshoe Robinson,” and other novels, Rembrandt Peale, the well-known artist, Francis Scott Key, and many equally distinguished residents of Baltimore.  Many visitors to the city were entertained there.  Their literary articles were published in the so-called “Red Book,” written after the fashion of the Spectator and the Tatler in the style of Addison and Steele, and are mighty good reading now.  Some poetical contributions were read to us—which

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were as enjoyable as when written.  Mrs. Tyson said this dusty volume had brought back vividly the Baltimore of long ago.

Mrs. Jordan Stabler told an anecdote as related to her by the late Judge Gilmor concerning Mr. Thackeray on his second visit to this country in 1855 when he was engaged in writing his novel “The Virginians”--a secret [sequel] to “Henry Esmond.”  It appears that he was invited to spend an evening with this literary club, but excused himself on the ground that his hero was lost amongst the Indians and he was obliged to rescue him.  The tradition is that John P. Kennedy offered to write the then current chapter of “The Virginians” in order to give Mr. Thackeray time for his social club evening—also that the offer was accepted.  The President reminded us of the well-known assertion that John P. Kennedy when in London was associated with Thackeray, and has been credited with helping the great English writer to give local color to his “Virginians.”  Mrs. Wrenshall also told of seeing Thackeray herself when he visited the South during her childhood.  She related her pleasant recollection of having been patted on the head by

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Thackeray himself.  Miss Duvall said her father had often spoken of the assistance which was given by Mr. Kennedy to Thackeray under stress of writing, but did not recollect whether it was told as occurring here or in London.  There was further comment, with the impression that such incidents might have occurred on both sides of the water.

The next article was by Miss Virginia May Henderson and was “A Roll of Honor of Maryland’s Authors and Artists.”  Miss Henderson said that Maryland as a state appears small on the map of our country, and cut in two by the Chesapeake Bay, but it has a proud history, being the mother of men of renown never to be forgotten.  In other states, Maryland is known as the Land of the Terrapin, the “canvas-back" and the oyster, but the intellect, culture and achievements of her sons—and daughters are not appreciated.  The children of Massachusetts know all about the landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims; but only of late years have the children of Maryland been conversant with the story of the landing of the Ark and Dove

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at St. Clement’s Island in the Potomac, just 273 years ago.  Miss Henderson’s “Roll” was very full from Poe, Kennedy, Key, Wallis and many other writers, down to those of well-earned fame, the authors among our own Woman’s Literary Club.  She told of artists such as Peale, Rhinehart [William Rinehart], Mayer, Turner, Bolton, Jones, Corner and others well-known among us.  The President spoke of the large material open to this committee, and also of the quiet, reserved culture of our city, hardly known among ourselves.

We next had the pleasure of hearing our President’s Anniversary Address—followed by her “Plea for the Permanence of the Ideal.”  Mrs. Wrenshall spoke of her great pleasure in being with us on our birthday, and gave to all her heartfelt congratulations.  To be just seventeen years old is a time for gladness and laughter, and she said there is much to make us glad.  There is a suggestion of sadness in the past, also, but through all things we hold to our hopes and aspirations and to the Permanence of our Ideals.  We truly live while our Ideals can live with us and they can give joy to our work present and to come.  The Ideal we made seventeen years ago of high and pure literature remains with us still, and we own much to it. 

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582nd Meeting [March 26, 1907]

The 582nd meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore took place on Tuesday, March 26th, 1907 in the Assembly Room, Academy of Sciences Building. The programme was under the Charge of Miss Annie Hollins, Chairman of the Committee on the Literature of Music. The first Vice President, Mrs. Jordan Stabler presided. After calling the meeting to order, she spoke of her great re-

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-gret of course shared by all--for the enforced absence of our President Mrs. Wrenshall, who was again in Washington on account of the death of her near relative. The Recording Secretary read the minutes of the Meeting of March 19th. Mrs. Stabler announced the subject of the programmes for the month of April. Mrs. Stabler said we would enjoy the present programme all the more from its being deferred from January 29th.

This programme began with two articles by Miss Hollins-- followed by Musical Illustrations, instrumental and vocal. The first article was on "Music in Poland." Miss Hollins spoke of the earliest Polish music as not very well-known to us, except by the traditions of their war-songs and folk-songs before and during the 10th Century. Then came the Christian Music and later the musical teaching at the University of [?]-- an early centre of National culture. She spoke of the special characteristics of Polish music, and the influence upon it of the music of other nations-- German[,] French[,] and Italian. She told of the earlier composers and traced the long line of Polish musical genius to the present time. She spoke of

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The founders of Polanders for the piano and of their love for dancing music and the peculiar preciseness of their compositions of this kind. She said the Polonaise is the dance of the nobility-- slow, proud, and stately-- while the Mazurka is the dance of the people, much more lively and varied.

The second part of Miss Hollins article was a sketch of Frederich Chopin. She spoke of Chopin's birth near Warsaw in 1869-- the son of a Polish mother of noble descent and a French father-- which may account for several things regarding him besides his blending of the peculiar Polish national music with French elegance and taste. She spoke of his precocious genius, and of his performing and even composing before he was nine years of age. At Warsaw he studied music and Joseph Elsner. He went to the German cities and there found great advantages. Being implicated in the Polish Revolution of 1030 he became an exile from his country for the rest of his life. He went to Paris to live, gaining musical fame [?] little figured success. Miss Hollins told of his con-

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-nection by a Lord of civil marriage with Madame Dudervant, better known as Georges Sand, a woman of genius, 5 years older than him, not handsome, separated from her husband and having two children. For nine years he was an inmate of the Sand household. They went to live in Majorca, where Madame Sand worked all day and wrote nearly all night, and where the musical genius, who had broken down, was described as a "detestable invalid." He could not save money, and at last broke the connection with Madame Sand-- who is said to have caricatured him in one of her novels. He went to London where he had to be carried upstairs to his concert-room and returned to Paris where he died in 18th aged 30-- and is buried in the Cemetery of Père Lachaise. Miss Hollis spoke of Chopin as a sincere artist and [?] attention to the public ideas original, harmonious effects and ornamentation of his works. They were not for the orchestra, but he would always remain the Bach of the Piano-- whose capabilities he long had realized and with a [unsure] of beauty peculiarly his own.

The second part of

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the Programme consisted of illustrations of Polish music. The opening number consisted of two of Chopin's compositions. The "Polonaise A Major, Op. 40, No 1," and the Polonaise C Major Op. 40, No 2." The first of these Miss Hollies explained was composed to illustrate the greatness and glory of Poland, and the second the downfall of Poland. The two pieces were played with force and expression by Miss Hollins and Miss Bush.

The next number of the programme was two songs for soprano, "The Maiden's Wish," and "On [In?] the Spring," finely sang by Mrs. H. C. Edmunds. 

The next number was Solos for the Piano. V], A minor Op 34, No 2 and [unsure of word] B major, Op 32 No1, both appropriately played by Miss Hollins.

The next number was a Duet for the Piano, Moritz Moszkowski's German Round No. 1, given by Miss Hollins and Miss Bush. This was followed by a soprano song "The Serenade," sung by Mrs. Edmunds.

The closing number was Polish Dances by Phillip Scharwenka, played as a duet

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by Miss Hollins and Miss Bush.

The Presiding Officer thanked Miss Hollins and her able assistance for their highly appreciated programme, and the meeting was adjourned.

 

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583rd Meeting [April 2, 1907]

The 583rd meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, April 2nd, 1907 in the Assembly Room, Academy of Sciences Building. The first Vice President Mrs. Jordan Stabler presided. The Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of March 26th. Mrs. Stabler read a letter from our President saying that she had returned to her home with so severe a cold, after her visit to Washington that she was entirely unable to attend this meeting and sending her love to each of her dear fellow members. The presiding officer announced the lecture on "Florence and Venice" by Mr. Samuel Frederich Hopkins of the Maryland [unsure of word] at McCoy Hall, Johns Hopkins University on April 10th for the benefit of the Pocahontas Memorial Association. A lecture on education at the Johns Hopkins on April 9th, to which the Club was in-

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-vited and the lectures of Mr. Horne on English speech, were also announced. Mrs. Stabler said the present meeting would be under the charge of Mrs. Charles Carroll Marden, Chairman of the Committee on Letters and Autographs. She reminded us of the good work done by the Committee while in charge of Miss Mary Davis and cordially welcomed Mrs. Marden as her successor.

The first article of the programme was by Mrs. Marden and was on "William Byrd." Mrs. Marden said we seem to have been weighed in the balance and found wanting, as far as our appreciation goes of the deeds of Chivalry[,] heroism[,] and valor of the founders and makers of our own state of Maryland, but anything of the kind is far more apparent than real now, if it did exist formerly. If the children of our homes did not know of the Ark and the Dove, they always did now who came with them from England. The name of Lord Baltimore was always duly honored as were also the names of heroes and heroines among his contemporaries and successors.

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Mrs. Marden then spoke of one of the preach men of early Virginia history-- William Byrd of Westover who served his state in Official capacities and left records of much value regarding the time in which he lived. He spent years in Europe and then returned to live on his immense estate, and in the home still visited and admired, for its old grandeur and its historic and romantic associations. William Byrd held office under the Crown, and was in the Governor's Council and the House of Burgesses. In 1728 he was one of the Commissioners signed to determine the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina. Mrs. Marden told of his very interesting writings, especially of the Westover manuscripts-- selected from the papers, preserved by his descendants. Colonel Byrd was a classical scholar and his writings have been described as possessing an exuberance of humor, as jesting with serious things and as degenerating into the proud expressions which we find in Shakspeare [Shakespeare] and in other writers for sometime after his day.

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They slow the influence of his time, but with all their telling force we are told they possessed that refining touch which makes wit instead of humor and is not coarse in expression. Mrs. Marden quoted extracts from these manuscripts. His description of a journey taken with a friend in 1713. Tells us "When we got home we laid the foundations of two cities-- one of the Shocco's to be called Richmond, and the other at the point of the Appomatox [Appomattox] River to be called Petersburg. Thus did we not only build castles the air, but cites also." We were told of the rural entertainment at Westover, of the grand library of 4000 volumes, and of the portrait of Colonel Byrd's daughter the lovely Evelyn Byrd. But after all of his official literary and official careers, Col. Byrd is chiefly remembered now as the owner of a beautiful home and the father of a beautiful daughter. Mrs. Jordan Stabler gave some very interesting remembrances of a visit she made to Westover-- and to Brandon-- the home

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of the Harrison's. She spoke of the carved pineapples which decorated the walls and the rooms and said it has been asserted that the pineapple is the emblem of hospitality. She spoke of traditional secret rooms and underground passages for escaping from the attacks of Indians. Mrs. Marden showed pictures and autographs in illustration of her article.

The next article was by Mrs. P.R. Uhler and was on "Joseph Henry." Mrs. Uhler told of Professor Henry, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute and of his great work for education and science-- especially of his discoveries in Electro-Magnetism. Mr. Henry was of Scotch descent, and in youth loved fiction and drama, being for a short time as an actor. But the readings of one little book on Physics turned his mind to scientific research. Mrs. Uhler then spoke of the request of James Smithson, an Englishman of some half a million of dollars to the United States of America for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among

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Men. In 1846 Congress organized the Smithsonian Institute with a Board of Regents and Joseph Henry, who had been Professor of Natural Philosophy at Princeton College, was put in charge as Secretary. She spoke of the vast and varied work of the Institute -- educational and scientific, and dwelt particularly on the important advances made in the knowledge and application of electricity and magnetism. The invention of the electric telegraph owed success to the conscientious labor of Prof Henry, who never seemed to care for honors he might have claimed,-- nor for money. He insisted on "no conflict between science and religion," he believed in law through all the works of the great Law-maker. He died in 1878, confiding all things to the creator and the "Intercessor." Mrs. Uhler showed a letter from Prof Henry to her husband, Prof. Uhler.

The next article was by Mrs. H.P. Atwater and was on "Mark Twain." Mrs. Atwater spoke of her acquaintance with  

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with Mr. Samuel L. Clemens-- and also with Miss Olivia Langdon whom he afterwards married. She said that in his autobiography he tells us he was born in Missouri without mentioning the particular locality-- in 1835 and that he has reason to think that his ancestry goes back to Noah and that there was a Clemens who helped to kill Charles the First. So forth he wandered off and became a [unsure] on the Mississippi River, where he gained his adopted name from the cries of the [unsure] on the boats-- besides gaining much material for his later witty delineations. He was, it was said, a soldier in the Confederate Service for two weeks-- contriving in some way to lay down his arms early. He soon began to write speeches for the Press, developing his original style. Mrs. Atwater spoke of living very near Mark Twain in Elmira and of having Olivia Langdon also for a neighbor. This young lady was an invalid, with-- it was supposed-- a weak spine. She was beautiful and well-educated, and Mark Twain fell

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in love with her-- and stayed so. She went to New York where by electricity and massage she was so benefitted that overcoming all opposition they were married in 1870. Olivia was a lovely wife and mother. Mrs. Atwater quoted some verse that she wrote and spoke of the devotion of her husband and the beautiful tribute from his pen after her death. She spoke of the great success of Mark Twain's works and of his brave and successful effort to pay off the debts of his publisher for which he really was not liable. Mrs. Atwater then read two extracts from Mark Twains' works. The first was from the classic "Tom Sawyer," the story of the white-washing of the Fence. The 2nd was the story of the boy whose aunt in watching over his health insisted on giving him all the advertised remedies and recommended treatments in newspapers and gossip. When one particular distressing remedy was given by the boy to her cat in secret, resulting in Tabby's having a fit, she scolded him for cruelty to an animal-- until it dawned on her mind

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the possibility of cruelty to a boy also. Mrs. Atwater's reading was thoroughly enjoyed by her hearers. She showed a photograph and a note from Mr. Clemens in which he says "Let us love [take?] the tomorrows for [unsure]."

Mrs. Boise by request told of the visits of Mr. Clemens to her house in Berlin and gave us some of his bright humorous retorts and verbal surprises.  

The programme called for an article by Mrs. John T. Graham on Benjamin Hallowell, the Educator, but as Mrs. Graham was unable to be present, it was deferred.

Mrs. Stabler thanked Mrs. Marden for her much enjoyed programme, and declared the meeting adjourned.

 

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584th Meeting [April 9th, 1907]

The 584th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club was held on Tuesday April 9th, 1907 in the assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. The programme was under the direction of Mrs. S. A. Hill, Chairman of the Committee on Historic Studies. The President called the meeting to order;

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and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of April 2nd.

The first article of the programme was given by Miss Elizabeth Lester Mulllin and was called "The Coming of Arushâ and Arushî: A Story of the Vedic Period." In miss Mullin's absence, the article was read for her by Miss Mabel Butler. Miss Mullins' story was encompassed by the atmosphere of India-- the India of the Vedic period. It was filled with old mysteries of long passed creed and worship, full too of the old realities of human love courage sacrifice and devotion. Arushâ, the young Prince and Arushî, the daughter of the dawn child of a great seer, are true lovers centuries before the Christian era-- and true faith and true love conquer treacherous enemies and impending evil fate.

The next article was by Miss Octavia W. Bates and was on "Sir John Lawrence Governor General of India. Sir John Lawrence was born in 1811 and died in 1879. Miss Bates said he was certainly not what is called a good boy at school. He himself said he was punished every day

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except one-- and then it was turn[?]. But in 1837 he went to College where he gained first prizes in Oriental Languages and Law. He entered the English Civil Service in India; and after the annexation of the Punjab he governed that province with great success, suppressing discord and enforcing good laws. In 1854 during the Indian [unsure] he a Civil Officer acted like a born soldier, saved the Punjab and had so attached the Sikhs to himself that he was able to send relief to Delhi-- and was ever called the mainstay of British Dominion in India. In 1859 he came back to India, was honored by the Queen and made a baronet. He returned to India as a Governor General. Coming home he was advanced to the Peerage and remained in England till his death in 1879. Those who knew him well, said his most remarkable quality was his heroic simplicity-- and that his life was known by action not by speech.

We next had the pleasure of hearing two of the Oriental Lough of Amy Woodforde-Finden. "A Kashmiri Love Song"

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and "The Temple Bell" beautifully sung by Mrs. Charles Morton accompanied by Miss Annie Hollins. 

The next article was by Mrs. Samuel A. Hill and was on "Benares, the Sacred City." Mrs. Hill told of this very ancient city, which is the centre and religious capital of Hinduism, and a resort of pilgrims as are Jerusalem and Mecca. She told of its early history, of the evidences known of the power and vitality of Brahmanism, Buddhism and Mohammedism, and of the wonderful temple and morgues remaining from past ages. It has seen the revolutions of the two great religions of Eastern Asia, and the invasion and power of moslem fanatics. She would like to take us through Benares but it would have to be in the rainy season, from June to September, when the daily showers cool the air sanctity there she said is synonymous with the vilest odors-- and the rains have a purifying effect, which is a relief. She spoke of the Ganges, the sacred river with the people going to it,

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and standing in it to pray and bringing up bottles full of the water, of the steps on which the pilgrims sit in clothing whose bright colors indicate the provinces from which they come from. She told of the sick being brought there to die, and the dead being buried beside the Holy River. She told of narrow streets and tall houses, and of Street Scenes and described the beautiful Golden Temple with its dome of copper, covered with gold-- and of the idols far too numerous to enumerate.

We again had the pleasure of hearing Mrs. Morton sing. She gave us "A Persian Love Song" which was so highly appreciated that it was requested again and enjoyed a second time.

The President said the Club was to be congratulated on having two musicians who could sing and play so well together without having practised [practiced] before together. She thanked Mrs. Hill for her Indian programme, and spoke of her own great interest and that of the Club since its early days in the subjects treated. She then declared the meeting adjourned.

 

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585th Meeting [April 16, 1907]

The 585th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, April 16th, 1907, in the Assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. The programme was under the charge of Miss L. W. Reese, Chairman of the Committee on Modern Poetry. The President called the meeting to order and announced that for lack of time the reading of the minutes of the meeting of April 9th would be omitted.

The first article of the programme was by Miss L. W. Reese and was called "A Universal Poet." Miss Reese spoke of the poets from Homer to those of our own day, who strike the universal notes that find response in every human heart for joy or for grief. Who reveal the mystery and the heart of common things-- to the delight of old and young. Such a poet was our old friends Mother Goose -- or whoever that name stands for. She brings to life "Old King Cole" and makes "Jack and the Beanstalk" loom large before us. Her heroes and

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heroines belong to many lands. Old King Cole was a British King of the 3rd Century. Jack and Jill were of Icelandic origin. Jack Horner did put in his thumb and pull out a plum of much value to himself. And so on of the dear old myths of Mother Goose. We were told of the collection of rhymes published under that name in Boston, and in the 18th Century with which we are familiar. Some of the verses mean more than we know, and others reminded us of that dear old lady who found great pleasure in repeating that [unsure] word "Mesopotamia." Miss Reese spoke of the effort made to render Mother Goose consistent and plausible -- or to read a moral meaning in each story. but she said these morals do not appeal to children, and Mother Goose remains the children's Shakespeare-- with nothing else to take its place.

The next article was "On Shakespeare's Birthday-- A Poem," by Mrs. R. K. Cautley. It was read for her by Miss Reese. In a vision of poets, Mrs.  

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Cautley brought before us the great master poet, Shakespeare's day of birth-- and death.

The next article of the programme was two poems by Miss Virginia W. Cloud. The first was "A Sea Song," bringing to us the boundless majesty and eternal mystery of the sea. The second was "Village to Himself" -- a Poet's Soliloquy-- and self-revelation.

The next article was by Miss Ellen Duvall, and was on "A Prince of the moderns." Miss Duvall's modern prince was Goethe. She spoke of his birth in 1749-- and recalled the state of literature and intellectual advancement, in the middle of the 18th century. She told how this almost universal genius began to show itself, and to set free the German mind. From French and Classic models, with bold originality Miss Duvall compared Goethe with Cleon in Browning's poem-- and quoted from it "In brief all arts are mine." Goethe, we were told, acknowledged his early indebtedness to Marlowe's "Faustus" in the being-

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-ing of his own greater work Faust. Miss Duvall gave a fine comparison of the two works-- Marlowe's being objective and Goethe's subjective. She spoke of Paracelsus and the Rosicrucians, and of the many records of the great moral and metaphysical questionings which thoughtful minds cannot escape.

The next article of the programme was a poem-- "The Gates" by Mrs. Sidney Turner. It told with poetic grace and pathos of the gates which close behind us and shut off the various stages of our lives-- till we wait with faith and hope for the Golden Gate to open to us.  

The next article was by Miss Anne Cullington-- and was on "The Celtic Muse." Miss Cullington spoke of the Keltic nature, ancient and modern. She told of the Druidical religion-- common to all ancient Keltic nations. She quotes from the Roman Lucan, who in A.D. 155 told of the Druid's belief that death is the path to another life. One old Bard said they went much to war but always were among the fallen. They had many old songs that they

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have not produced one of the world's great epics. She spoke of [unsure of name]'s poems, collected by McPherson in 1779. From oral and traditional sources, she quoted ancient songs and from the days of final cause down to many modern authors. She told too of our own contemporaries such as George Moore, Russell and Yeats. The latter is said to have left the Church of England, because his Archbishop did not believe in Fairies. She told of Fione [Fiona McLeod] McLeod of his dual literary individuality. Miss Cullington read to us some of the beautiful Irish Melodies old and new which appeal to all of us with the Keltic love of mystery, the Keltic imagination, and the Keltic note of the loved ones who have fallen on the battle-fields.

The last article of the programme was "Poems[?]" by our President Mrs. Wrenshall. The first was "Sweet Water." It was filled with the sweet restful influences of Nature to cam and restore the wearied human soul.

The next was on "Stoke

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Pogis" where the Poet Gray lies buried in his own Country Churchyard-- which we were reminded his poem has illumined with golden light. Mrs. Wrenshall's 3[r]d poem was "Coronation." It spoke of Windsor and Stoke Pogis -- the royal palace of English Kings, and the God's sire, to which pilgrims come from across the sea to bow down before the resting place of a king in the realm of poetry who can never die.

The President thanked Miss Reese for her fine programme.

She then announced a meeting in the interest of the erecting of a suitable memorial to the Poet Edgar Allen Poe in this city, where he lived for years and is buried. This meeting will be held in our assembly room on Saturday, April 20th at 4 p.m. The wish to accomplish this purpose took force to some extent among the teachers of Baltimore as early as 1865. In 1877 Miss Rice, a teacher herself had so interested the school children and others that a touchstone had been placed over Poe's grave in the Westminster Church grave-yard.

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The Centenary of Poe's birth is approaching, and our Board of Management has taken action to form the Edger A. Poe Memorial Association. Invitations have been sent to the Presidents of other Societies, in our city and state, to come or send an authorized representation to the meeting on Saturday afternoon. Some other literary women have also been invited. Membership in this Association is made by contributions of any amount large or small. The force of the memorial cannot yet be determined. Answers are being received accepting the invitations.

Miss Pendleton spoke of the room in which Poe died in what is now the Church Home, and said it would by an excellent memorial to him if that room could be acquired and dedicated to the use of poor authors, who are not able in richness to pay for the comforts and advantages of such a home. Poe was a sufferer himself and his memory might be the weight[?] of alleviating the sufferings of others,

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also. The President said Miss Pendleton's suggestion was an excellent one.

Mrs. Alan Smith spoke of the same subject.

Miss Rice spoke on the propriety of keeping the grave of Poe in the place that it now is, as a sacred spot, and erecting a suitable memorial elsewhere also. After appropriate remarks by Mrs. pope and others the President asked all present to attend the meeting of the Edgar Allan Poe Association in the same room on Saturday afternoon-- and declared the meeting adjourned.

 

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586th Meeting [April 23, 1907]

The 586th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, April 23rd, 1907 in the assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. This meeting was under the charge of Miss Virginia Cloud, Chairman of the Committee on the Drama. The programme announced the birthday of William Shakespeare. The President called the meeting to order and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of April 16th.

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The President spoke of the first meeting of the newly-formed Edgar Allan Poe Memorial Association, on Saturday, April 20th in our assembly room, and said that it was encouraging and inspiring-- from its large attendance in response to our call, and from the very great interest shown in the project for which it assembled. There was an address by our President and short addresses from our members, and by the representatives of other societies, and voluntary contributions of money in addition to what had been previously given by a portion of our own Club. The good will shown was truly gratifying. The President then announced that we had with us our former active member, and now honorary member Mrs. Hamerik, whose graceful talents added to our enjoyment in former days, and from whose good news and pleasant remembrances have come to us across the seal during the nine years that she has been living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her husband, now Sir Asger Hamerik,

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is also remembered with admiration, as a successful and accomplished musical composer. Mrs. Hamerik had consented to add to the programme of this meeting.

The first article of the programme was given by Miss Ellen Duvall, and was on "King Lear." Miss Duvall said that we are now celebrating the birthday of Shakespeare, who "being one of [unsure of word] is this day 343 years of age." She went on to speak of the intense interest aroused by his four tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear, of these she placed King Lear first, as the supreme expression of the greatest emotional experiences of human life. Miss Duvall treated this tragedy from several points of view. "Shakespeare," she said, "did not in his play unlock his heart to us but his mind." Human life is a [unsure]-- though some there are who do not know that its question has been asked, and others who take the answer of their environment or associates. Miss Duvall told of the sources from which Shakespeare drew the incidents of King Lear-- the old Chronicles [unfamiliar symbol] and particularly the poems[?] of Queen Cordelia, published in 1587. She spoke of their differences-- and showed his power of

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selection, development + inspiration. She dwelt on the various characters and their parts in the play. In speaking of the story of Gloster and Edward, the second tale of filial ingratitude, she showed its relation to the whole, saying that without it the story of Goneril and Regan would have been too oppressive and repulsive alone. She showed the wider view and better life idea in this drama-- which is different from Shakespeare's other works.

The next article was given by Miss Lizette Reese and was "Two Poems." The first was "Bible Stories," it was on "the old old stories," as told by the mother to her children that they seemed to bring. The "Blessed Mother" and "Holy Stuff" into the daily life of her little ones. The second poem was on "Hot Weather," and told of the reception by the trees of the first hot days of Spring.

the next article was given by Mrs. Wrenshall Markland and was on "Play and pantomime." Mrs. Markland spoke of having seen in wonder the extremely good representations of both play and pantomime. The play was the "Scarlet Pimpernel,"

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The Pimpernel-- the little flower seen much in the fields of England-- gave its name to the play from having been the [unsure] bestowed by French people on a broad-faced, florid Englishman; In this story of the French revolution-- the [unsure] called "Scarlet Pimpernel" wasted hairbreadth escapes and cheats the guillotine. There is a love-story which ends well-- and there are villains of course, yet the characters are never mere types-- but individuals. Mrs. Markland's description emphasized for us what she told of the finished excellence of English plays in the present day. The pantomime was "Cinderella" -- from an English point of view. Mrs. Markland said that she had supposed children to be the most numerous patrons of the pantomime but the children she saw there were mostly grown up ones. She had thought that signs and gestures would be the chief entertainment and instead there was singing and dancing and even speech in this presentation of the dear old myth. There was the addition of a cat who talks the cat language, when the stepsisters try to

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entertain the Prince and who breaks into the plots of the stepmother. In a crisis, the cat takes off his head and reveals the face of a well-known actor. The transformation of a cinder-child into a princess, of the pumpkin into a coach, the sudden appearance of glass slippers [unsure of symbol] were of marvelous and almost magical swiftness, and satisfactory illusiveness. Mrs. Markland said that Englishmen certainly do understand jokes. She spoke of the good acting, scenery and setting of English plays, and of their good moral influence.

The next article was by Miss Lucy Latané, and was on John B. Tabb-- the poet priest. Miss Latané told of the young individual who was a soldier in the Civil War-- who did not as a comrade was reported as having done go home incapacitated on account of fatigue, but continued to fight, was captured and made a remarkable escape from prison. After the war he entered the priesthood, and has spent much time teaching in Maryland. He is best known

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by his poems, many of them so short as to have been called little tabs of verse. Their chief characteristics are humor and sympathy. He shows great fondness for idealization of the Child in poetry, which may be partly the devotion of the Priest to the Madonna and child. Miss Latané read with full appreciation some of Father Tabb's poems, showing his true humor, unexpectedness and-- occasionally-- illusiveness.

The next article was given by Mrs. Asger Hamerik and was on "The Setting on Hamlet." Mrs. Hamerik was warmly received by the Club. She said she would tell us something about Elsinore-- or rather about its castle-- and Fortress of Kronborg-- the scene of the tragedy of Hamlet. Shakespeare has, she said, made it a port of Mecca for thousands of pilgrims, who come to Elsinore to linger by its waters, its groves to be its villas, but especially to see its fortress and castle, made famous by his rendering of what is often called a myth. When she first saw Kronborg, it was

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strangely familiar, it seemed that she must have seen it before, but she soon recollected having seen Edwin Booth play Hamlet in a good reproduction of the terrace on which the most ghost talked with the Prince of Denmark, and his contemporaries. Mrs. Hamerik described the castle and its environment, and the rooms and other places supposed to be the localities of the drama. She gave us the original legends of Hamlet in which there is evidence of the uncivility and cruel age in which he is supposed to have lived. But Shakespeare-- who [unsure]-- did not reproduce the inhumanities of a by-gone age. Mrs. Hamerik told something of the history of the old fortress, of the dismal underground dungeons and history of such drear stories are related. She told of the legend of Holga Danska [Danske], the old mythical hero of Denmark who is supposed to be still living under the fortress, ready if his country needs him to come forth and lead her armies to victory. She told of the English Princess Queen,   

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Carolina Matilda of Denmark who was a prisoner there and who wrote on a window with a diamond that she was innocent of the charges against her. At length her brother King George III of England claimed her release, and sent her to live in his Hanoverian dominions, for the short remnant of her life. Mrs. Hamerik told of the enthusiasm with which the Danish nation have accepted the Hamlet of Shakespeare as their own, and that his memory and that of his creator is still kept green. She showed pictures of the castle and fortress, showing the Ghost's Terrace [unfamiliar symbol].

Mrs. Jordan Stabler read an apostrophe to Hamlet by George Brandes, the eminent Danish writer and critic. The President said that the book from which Mrs. Stabler read had been given to her while in Europe by the author Brandes with his autograph and the written expression of his pleasure in having met her.

Mrs. Hooper gave the invitation to the Club from the Academy of Sciences to attend the lecture of Dr. Rosalie

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Slaughter Morton on Friday night. The President thanked Miss Cloud and all on the programme for our pleasant afternoon, and declared the meeting adjourned-- to much informally our honorary member Mrs. Hamerik.             

 

587th Meeting [April 30, 1907]

The 587th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, April 30th, 1907 in the assembly room, Academy of Sciences building. This meeting was the April Salon, the programme being under the charge of Miss Annie Hollins, Chairman of the Committee on Music. The President called the meeting to order and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of April 23rd. The President announced the subjects of the meetings for the month of May, calling attention to the fact that there would be three consecutive business meetings, at which members only are to be present. On the 7th there will be given the reports of the

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Standing Committees of the Clubs and other business relating to the coming year. On the 15th will be the annual meeting for the nomination of six officers and three directors. On the 21st is the annual election of officers and directors. On the 28th, which is the May Salon, and the last meeting the season of 1906-1907, there will be a musical programme and some of our friends can be invited. The President announced a benefit entertainment to be given for the Bard Room School of Expression on May 2nd at 8 p.m. She also announced the appointment of Mrs. Thomas as still to represent the Woman's Literary Club on the Board for the Police [unsure] of Baltimore.

The first article of the programme was a piano solo; Chopin-- Liszt, Chaut Polonais-- which was beautifully played by Mr. Walter Charmbury. After bounteous applause, Mrs. Charmbury consented to play again and this was appreciated very much.

The gentleman who was expected to

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give us the vocal part of the programme, not having arrived, Mrs. Bullock rose to express the wish of members near her that Miss Lizette Reese would read or recite some of her own poems for us. Miss Reese said she would willingly comply but had none of her poems at her hand. The President said she had one of Miss Reese's poems with her called "April Weather," which was especially suitable to this, the first day of April. Miss Reese read her very appropriate poem, and also another "At Bedtime" -- being truly appreciated by her fellow members.

The next article of the programme was "French and Italian Songs for Tenor." They were finely sung by Mr. Frederic Raschias-- accompanied by Miss Lena Stiebler.

The next article of the programme was another piano solo by Mr.  Walter Charmbury. It was "Valcek" by J. Mokrejs. Mr. Charmbury again, by request, repeated his much admired performance.

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Mr. Raschias yielded to the general desire to have him sing again and gave us an Italian song by Tosti, and a French song, the words by Victor Hugo, and music by Saint Saens-- again also with Miss Stiebler's accompaniment. 

The President thanks Miss Hollins and the gentlemen who had given us a very much enjoyed programme and declared the meeting adjourned.

 

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585th Meeting, Report of Committees [May 7, 1907]

The 588th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, May 7th, 1907 in the assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. This was a business meeting, devoted to the reception of the annual reports of the standing Committees of the Club. Instead of the usual distribution of special programmes, copies of the Programme of Topics for the current year-- containing the List of Committees, and their Chairmen, -- were given out to the members present. The Present called for the meeting to order; and the Recording Secretary read the minutes of the meeting of April 30th.

The President announced that the report of the Committee on the list-- that on Anthropology-- would be omitted; as the Chairman, Miss Anne Weston Whitney is, and has been for some time, unable to be 

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at our meetings. She has been staying with her invalid sister in New York,-- and has been engaged in literary work there.

Mrs. Uhler spoke of a notice of Miss Whitney's researches into--and writings on-- "Folk Lore," in the latest number of the magazine "Science." It also recorded with praise, her having spoken on special topics at Columbia College. And, though the Club did not have Miss Whitney's report, we could well remember her meeting,-- for which she gave us a flying visit,-- on February 5th, 1907. We were then given articles by Mrs. Fayerweather, and Mrs. S.A. Hill; and also one by our President, Mrs. Wrenshall on "Prehistoric Man in Devonshire, England;" with a description of her visit to "Kent's Tavern,"-- and with illustrations of her life of the "Paleolithic and Neolithic Man."  

The next Committee on the list was that of Archaeology. The President called attention to the numerous duties, well fulfilled, in the last few months, by our Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Uhler; who, in addition to her regular official duties, has been called on to act as Treasurer,-- sometimes as presiding officer,-- and in other capacities, "So we can not ask her for any report on the subject of Archaeology."

The next report was that on Art,-- Mrs. R.M. Wylie Chairman. She reported the meeting of February 26th, 1907,-- when articles were given by Miss Lydia Kirk; Mrs. Sidney Turner; and the closing one on "Art Conditions in Berlin," by Mrs. V.B. Bowie.

The Chairman of the Committee on Colonial and Revolutionary History, Mrs. Thomas Hill was not able to

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be present, on account of illness. Our sympathy had been expressed by a remembrance of growing flowers,-- and a note of thanks had been received for them. Mrs. Hill's meeting was on November 20th, 1906, in which Mrs. Edward Stabler gave us some American Indian History; Miss Crane told of the "Bicentenary Celebration at Jamestown in May, 1807;" and Mrs. Fayerweather, and Mrs. Hill herself gave Revolutionary Annals of much interest.

Miss Virginia W. Cloud, Chairman of the Committee on the Drama, was unable to be present, on account of the illness of her father,-- but her report was read by Miss Latané. Miss Cloud had given two programmes. The first was on January 22nd, 1907, in which a criticism of Recent Poetic Dramas, by the Chairman; and Poems by Miss Lizette W. Reese, were followed by Miss Ellen Duvall's Review of the Plays of Bernard Shaw;-- in which, as the report reminded us, Miss Duvall relieved our minds by saying Bernard Shaw just what we ourselves wanted to have said for us. This programme closed with a one act Play, written by Miss Cloud; and presented to us as a Recital, with much grace and spirit, by Miss Marie Perkins. Miss Cloud's second programme was given on April 23rd, 1907,-- the day kept as Shakespeare's Birthday, when we enjoyed the articles of Miss Duvall, and miss Latané, and Poems by Miss Lizette Reese. Another pleasant paper was by Mrs. Wrenshall Markland, describing ["]Play and Pantomime in London," in which she told of a new version

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of Cinderella, which introduced as cat, who, among the other transformations, takes off its head, in-- as the report said-- "the true spirit of the dear old fairy tales." This programme closed with a charming article by our former resident, and now honorary member, Mrs. Asger Hamerik, of Copenhagen, Denmark, on "The Setting of Hamlet."

Mrs. Turner, Chairman of the Committee on Essays and Essayists, reported her two meetings, those of December 11th, 1906; and March 12th, 1907. At the first one, Miss Nicholas,-- Mrs. McGaw,-- Miss Henderson,-- Miss Cooper,-- and Mrs. Uhler contributed essays and reviews of great interest. In the second, Mrs. Turner herself on "Letters," was followed by Mrs. C.W. Lord on Robert Louis Stevenson, and Mrs. S.A. Hill on Rudyard Kipling,-- both authors being presented to us as "letter writers."       

The report of Miss Ellen Duvall, Chairman of the Committee on Fiction, told of her meetings on October 30th, 1906; and February 19th, 1907,-- when we were entertained with stories by Miss Atwater, Miss Cloud, Miss Duvall, Mrs. Wrenshall, Miss Dorsey, and Mrs. Percy M. Reese; articles by Miss Lizette Reese, and Mrs. A.P. Atwater, and a Poem by Mrs. Turner.

Mrs. William Paret, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Travel, was not present;-- but we have very pleasant recollections of her meeting on November 27th, 1906, when Mrs. Taneyhill, Mrs. A Marshall Elliott, and Miss Bates told us of incidents and interviews occurring in their foreign travels.

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Miss Virginia May Henderson, Chairman of the Committee on the Authors and Artists of Maryland told of the work of her Committee. To the programme of her meeting on March 19th, 1907, Miss Mary Foreman Day, Mrs. Frederic Tyson and the Chairman herself contributed. This meeting was also the seventeenth anniversary of the Club, which began its life on March 19th, 1890.

Mrs. Frederic Tyson, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Languages had given us two programmes; those of December 4th, 1906, and March 5th, 1907, when we were given original translation from the German, French, Italian and Spanish, by Mrs. Boise, Miss Annie Hollins, Miss Perkins, and Miss Bates.

Mrs. S.A. Hill, Chairman of the Committee on Historic Studies, was not present; but her programme given on April 9th was well remembered, with its articles by Miss Mullin, Miss Bates, and the Chairman, on East Indian Topics, illustrated with the fine singing of Mrs. Charles Morton, accompanied by Miss Hollins.

Mrs. C.C. Marden, Chairman of the Committee on Letters and Autographs, was not with us to report on her successful meeting of April 2nd, 1907.

Mrs. Percy M. Reese, Chairman of the Committee on Current Criticism, told of her programmes given on October 16th, 1906, and February 12th, 1907,-- which gave us reviews of much recent literature.

Miss Hollins, Chairman of the Committees on the Literature of Music, and on Music of the Salons, had a very

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short report; which, as our President said, did not by any tell all the good work she has done for us. She has given us good and well executed music on the Salons of October 9th, 1906, and April 30th, 1907; and on her meeting for the Literature of Music, on March 28th 1907, she gave us the history of Polish Music; with fine illustrations, instrumental and vocal.

Miss Lizette Reese, chairman of the Committee on Modern Poetry, reported her two programmes of November 13th, 1906, and April 16th, 1907, at which were articles by Mrs. Wrenshall and Mrs. Jordan Stabler; on the Celtic Muse, by Miss Anne Cullington; and a humorous account of A Universal Poet, which proved to be "Mother Goose" by Miss Reese herself. We also enjoyed poems by Mrs. Lawrence Turbull, Mrs. Wrenshall, Mrs. R.K. Cautley, Miss Reese, Miss Cloud, and Mrs. Turner.

Mrs. Alan P. Smith, Chairman of the Committee on the Literature of the Bible, reported her programme of December 18th, 1906, to which Miss Duvall, Miss Latané, and the Chairman herself contributed interesting results of Biblical research and study.

Mrs. Edward Stabler, Chairman of the Committee on Unfamiliar Records, reported her programme of November 5th, 1906, to which Miss Mary D. Davis contributed an article: "A Contemporary of Jamestown." It told of the landing of Popham and Gilbert in 1607 in what is now the coast of Maine,-- and the founding

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of an English settlement there a younger-- not much younger-- sister of Jamestown. Other articles were given by Mrs. Edward Stabler and Mrs. Tyson; and Mrs. Jordan Stabler told of personal experiences in Denmark, last summer.

Miss Cullington, Chairman of the Committee on Education, reported the meeting of January 15th, 1907, The subject announced on the programme was: The Ideal in Education,-- which was ably discussed by Mrs. Waller R. Bullock, Miss Cullington, and other members.

Miss Frederic Tyson, as Chairman of the Committee on Current Topics, gave two programmes. The first was on October 23rd, 1906, when many subjects of contemporary interest were discussed. At the second meeting on January 8th, 1907, Mrs. C. R. Spilker gave an interesting and well times account of Professor Künnemann;-- and other entertaining "Current Topics" were treated by Mrs. Boise, and other members.

Mrs. Percy M. Reese, Librarian, reported the present state of our Library.

Miss H. Frances Cooper told of the Bulletin Board under her charge,-- for the announcement of interesting new books and magazines.

Mrs. William M. Powell, Chairman of the House Committee, gave her report of the "Club Housekeeping;["] and thanked those who had assisted her in its duties.

The President spoke of the good work done in the past season, and the progress made by the Club. She spoke of much regretted absence of our Treasurer,   

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Miss Mullin, caused by affliction in her family. She also referred to the death of our valued member, Mrs. Spilker. Mrs. Wrenshall went on to speak of the worth of our standing Committees,-- and of the benefits derived from holding firmly to our own methods and purposes. She then made the announcement, from the Board of Management, that the last meeting of the season, that of May 28th, will be held in the afternoon, at the usual house, and that quests can be invited to it. She also announced that the first Tuesday in October being the first day in the month, the opening day of our new season next fall will be Tuesday, the eighth of October. The President then spoke of the growing interest taken in the Club, and outside of it, in the new Edgar Allan Poe Memorial Association. She spoke of the public meetings expected to be held in the fall,-- but announced that the work of the Memorial Association will go on through the summer. There had been a proposal to have a [unsure] meeting of the Club, in the autumn.

The President asked the Chairmen of Committees to come to her desk,-- and declared the meeting adjourned.

 

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589th Meeting of May 14th, 1907. Nominations.

The 589th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, May 14th, 1907, in the assembly room, Academy of Sciences Building. This was an annual Business meeting devoted to the nominations of six officers and three directors of the Club. The President called the meeting to order. While waiting for a quorum to arrive, she asked if

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the members had a notice in the Evening News of the contribution to the Poe Memorial fund by two little children in Elmira, New York, or ten cents a piece. They are not strangers to us, being the children of "Minnie," lately the maid of the Club. "Minnie" has written to Mrs. McGaw of her pleasant memories of this Club; and of her looking in the Baltimore Sun-- which her husband takes every Wednesday for news of us.

Mrs. Uhler read a letter from Mrs. F. P. Stevens, expressing her high appreciation of the sympathy extended to her by the Club, and conveyed to her by Mrs. Uhler's letters, in her deep afflictions, the deaths, closely following each other, of her husband, and her son.

The President said the first business on hand was the announcement of the Election Committee of five members, which according to our Rules, must consist of two members from from [repeated word] the Board of Management, and three from the ranks of the club. She had appointed, from the Board, Mrs. Uhler, and Mrs. Turner; and, from the other members of the Club, Miss Mary D. Davis, Mrs. Edward Stabler, and Mrs. Fayerweather. The first name on the list of the Committee is that of its Chairman, Mrs. Uhler,-- who is also Judge of Election, by then having answered to their names, it was announced that more than the required number were present. Explanations were given that, while the six officers were elected for one year, the directors were elected for two years,-- three of them going out of office every year,-- so that there may be always three members of a former Board serving on a pres-

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-ent one. The directors holding over this time were: Miss Duvall; Mrs. Turner; and Mrs. Powell. Those whose terms are to end, are: Miss L. W. Reese, Miss Cloud, and Mrs. Frederic Tyson. They are eligible for reelection,-- or their places can be filled with others. The ballot sheets, for nominations were then distributed by Mrs. Uhler; and, after a short interval, having been filled filled [repeated word] out by the members, they were collected again. The Election Committee then retired to the Library to count the nominating votes.

The Recording Secretary then read the minutes of the meeting of May 7th, telling of the reports of the Standing Committees, and giving some account of the Year's work of the Club.

Some consultation was held by the President and members with regard to the meetings of the coming year. The President asked if any of our members possessed autographs of distinguished persons that they would be willing to give to our Committee on Autographs and Letters.

Mrs. Alan P. Smith asked if this meant a loan? or a gift? The President said we would be glad to have gifts,-- or loans. Mrs. Smith said she had letters from Charles G. Leland (Hans Breitman[n]),-- especially one she would like to bring and perhaps talk about it,-- and possible one she could give to the Club.

Mrs. Atwater said she had letters from Andrew D. White of Cornell; from Mr. Whymper, the well known Alpine Climber; and, she thought, also one from Joseph Harper,-- the head of the Publishing House.

The Committee on Elections returned and the Chairman, Mrs. Uhler, presented its report. There were twenty

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three votes cast.

For President, Mrs. John C. Wrenshall 22.

First Vice-President, Mrs. Jordan Stabler 22.

Second Vice-President, Miss Louise V. Haughton 21.

Recording Secretary, Miss Lydia Crane 22.

Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. P.R. Uhler 21.

Treasurer, Miss. E.L. Mullin 21.

Directors.

Miss V.W. Cloud, 20

Miss L.W. Reese, 20

Mrs. Frederic Tyson, 21

Mrs. Alan P. Smith, 4

Mrs. Percy M. Reese, 4

There were also single votes for Miss Mary D. Davis; Miss Duvall; Mrs. Thomas Hill; and Miss Nicholas.

Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Reese withdrew their names from the nominating list,-- as did also Miss Davis and Miss Nicholas.

The President spoke of an editorial in the Sunday American on the Poe Memorial Association; which recommended the holding of amateur entertainments at the various summer events, before next autumn, for the benefit of the Memorial Fund.

The meeting adjourned,-- and was followed by refreshments and general conversation.

 

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590th Meeting, Election. [May 21, 1907]

The 590th meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, May 21st, 1907, in the assembly room Academy of Sciences Building. This being the third Tuesday in May, the meeting was devoted to the usual election of six officers and three directors of the

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Club. After calling the meeting to order, the President announced that our next meeting, on May 28th, would be a Salon, and the closing meeting of the season of 1906 and 1907. All members wishing to ask their friends to this meeting were requested to send their applications for invitations to Mrs. Uhler, Corresponding Secretary, as soon as possible.

The members present were requested to sign their names in the Club book; and, as each member signed, she was given her election ballot to fill up. Mrs. Uhler, Chairman of the Election Committee, and Judge of Election explained that the ballots were so arranged that those names which had been received the highest number of votes at the nominating meeting on the receding Tuesday, were placed in the first column; those which had received the next highest number belonged to the second column; while the third column was left blank, for individual choice, if that would be preferred.

It was announced that more than a quorum was present,-- and the 22 ballots were collected. The Chairman then called the Election Committee into the library to count the votes.

The Treasurer's annual Report was next in order. The President appointed as Auditors, Mrs. C.C. Marden, and Mrs. W.M. Powell, the report of the Treasurer, Miss E.L. Mullin, was, in her absence, read for her by Mrs. Marden, Miss Mullin reported having begun on May 23rd, 1906, with money in bank $241.90. She had received up to May 21st, 1907, $635.60. Expenditures had been $562.29.

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This leaves in Bank $306.21/100; and in the Treasurer's hands $9.00/00,-- a balance remaining of three hundred and fifteen dollars and twenty one cents. There are some items including the annual house cleaning to be paid,-- but also some money to come in. Miss Mullin says:

"I wish to express my indebtedness to Mrs. Philip Uhler, who, from October 9th to November 28th, 1906, took upon her ever willing shoulders the entire burden of my office." -- "Although she then nominally ceased to sign herself Acting Secretary," she has continued her good services, and I take the present opportunity to make my very grateful acknowledgements."

The President spoke of Miss Mullin's good work as our Treasurer,-- and of her hope to be with us again, in the future, as in the past, Mrs. Wrenshall then said we know the work done inside of our Club; but we do not perhaps realize the work done by us outside of it. The work we have undertaken in the Poe Memorial Association is the fifth with which we have taken our part in imagination and continuance. The first was the Quadriga Club, which was proposed and began by members of this Club. The second was the Folk Lore Society, in whose commencement and progress, our members have been actively engaged. The Audubon Society was another organization, whose branch in this city found the support of our members. The fourth was L'Aliance Française, in which we have been deeply interested. For the fifth on the list, the Edgar Allan Poe Memorial Association, she had to tell us that she had

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to tell us that a letter had been received from Professor William Lyon Phelps of Yale college, New Haven, telling an association had been formed there; and that he hoped to send a modest contribution from that seat of learning.

The Election Committee now returned, and the Chairman, Mrs. Uhler, announced the result of our voting. There were twenty two votes cast,-- without opposition:

For President, Mrs. John G. Wrenshall.

For First Vice President, Mrs. Jordan Stabler.

For Second Vice President, Miss Louise V. Haughton.

For Recording Secretary, Miss Lydia Crane.

For Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Philip R. Uhler.

For Treasurer, Miss Elizabeth L. Mullin.

For Directors:

Miss Virginia W. Cloud

Miss Lizette W. Reese

Mrs. Frederic Tyson

The Directors holding over their places from last year's election were Miss Ellen Duvall; Mrs. Sidney Turner; and Mrs. William M. Powell,-- completing the twelve members of the Executive Board for 1907-1908. The tally sheet was posted for inspection.

The President for the Board just elected thanked their fellow members for the confidence shown in them. She said we had been a happy Club working together. She thanked the Committee and Judge of Election for their good work. She announced a meeting of the Board of Management to be held at her own home on Monday, May 27th. The meeting was adjourned. 

[END OF SEASON—see Board of Management meeting minutes for May 27 meeting]