1914-1915 Meeting Minutes

[MS 988 BOX 5, BOOK 3]

 

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The Season of 1914-1915.

The 804th Meeting. [October 20, 1914]

The Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore held its 804th regular meeting, the opening meeting for the season of 1914-15, Tuesday, October 20th, 1914, Mrs. Alan P. Smith presiding. The minutes of the May Salon were

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read and approved, after which the Secretary read a cablegramme from the President, Mrs. John C. Wrenshall, assuring the Club members that she was with them in spirit, if not in fact.

Mrs. Alan Smith then presented to the Club a copy of her book "The Life and Letters of Nathan Smith[,"] the reading from the advance sheets of which the Club members recall so pleasantly. A note of thanks was extended to Mrs. Smith on the motion of Mrs. Hall.

The programme for the afternoon was a "Book Talk," arranged by Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith, and was opened with a discussion of Mr. Winston Churchill’s novel "A Far Country," by Mrs. William S. Bartlett. Mr. Churchill portrays his hero as subjected to the temptations due to temperament and later the more subtle temptations of environment with sufficient

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resistance to give hope for his ultimate conquest. [illegible symbol?]

Mrs. Thomas L. Berry discussed "A Romance of Arlington House," by Sarah A. Reed. This is a series of letters supposedly written by a young girl visiting at Arlington House in the year 1824, in which a graceful love-story blends with an entertaining picture of the life of the times.

"The Devil’s Garden" by W.B. Maxwell, was reviewed by Mrs. Vinton D. Cockey, who said that the author had chosen a big theme and treated it artistically, but criticized him in failing in one-half the purpose of all literature, to give inspiration.

Mrs. J. I. Copeland explained that the book "Beauty for Ashes" by Albion Fellows Bacon is in reality, a history of the housing law of Indiana, admittedly the best in the country. Mrs. Copeland said that the book was as many sided as a woman’s nature, and, like it, appealing in its inconsistencies

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as well as in its consistencies.

Miss Frances H. Cooper pronounced "Longfellow’s Country" [by Helen Archibald Clarke] a charming book to read aloud in connection with the poems of Longfellow, as it describes the localities in New England and Nova Scotia, which are the scenes of his poems.

Mrs. Virginia B. Bowie reviewed "The World Set Free" by H.G. Wells, and though she did not consider that it ranked with most of his later books, the fact that in so many respects it prophesies accurately the development of this present war renders it of especial interest, although it is supposed to be a history of the world’s last war in 1999.

Mrs. James C. Fenhagen thought the reading of "Penrod" by Booth Tarkington would help many a mother to become acquainted with her own son, and, perhaps, give her the comforting assurance that her particular hopeful is

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a better boy than Mr. Tarkington’s hero.

Miss Victoria Gitting’s review of "Unto Caesar" by the Baroness Orezy [Orczy], was read by Mrs. Fayerweather. The scene is laid in ancient Rome in the rein of Caligula. Miss Gittings declared it should rank next to "Darkness and Dawn" [by George Allan England] and "Quo Vadis." [by Henryk Sienkiewicz]

Mrs. S.A. Hill reviewed "Thinking Black" by Dan Crawford, written as she said, by the flare of an African campfire. Mr. Crawford lived in Central Africa twenty-two years without a break, and as a record of achievement, as well as for its literary quality, his book is worth reading.

Mrs. Don Hoffman explained that the "Unknown Isle" in the volume of that name, by Pierre de Coulevain, is England and she gave in some detail the author’s comments on the differences between the countries of England and France. One interesting bit of her philosophy was

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the distinction of countries as masculine and feminine, England belonging to the first named sex and France to the latter. Miss Lucy Latané, discussing Sir Edward Cook’s "Life of Florence Nightingale," said that the work, in two large volumes, was really too long, although always interesting. While Miss Nightingale’s work in the Crimaea [Crimea] is familiar to everyone, the book gives a very interesting picture of her girlhood life, and astonishes the reader by disclosing the marvelous work accomplished by Miss Nightingale in her years of invalidism.

Mrs. Charles W. Lord, reviewing "On the Branch" by Pierre de Coulevain, said that in the story of a woman’s experiences, a deep and beautiful philosophy of life is embodied.

Mrs. Frank A. Manny said that some books have a most pervasive atmosphere, and pronounced "Ayburn" [Auburn] by Theodore Watts Duncan one

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of the sort it is hard to get away from. Though sensational and even fantastic, the sensation is not cheap.

Mrs. William E. Moore explained that William de Morgan’s "Ghosts" described two aged sisters meeting after a separation of sixty years, when they had long mourned each other as dead. Mrs. Moore outlined briefly the intricate history of their reunion in their old age.

"Her Ladyship’s Conscience" by Ellen Thornycraft [Thorneycraft] Fowler was reviewed by Mrs. Alan P. Smith. The heroine, a woman of fine characteristics, but plain of feature, is twelve years older than the man who wishes to marry her, and for some time this fact is an obstacle in the way of their happiness. The book is brightly written, and without any objectionable features.

This is more than can be said of Owen Johnson’s "The

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Salamander," reviewed by Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith, in which a young girl, led on by a love of excitement, and love of power, plays with the manifold temptations of a great city.

"The Idiot," translated from the Russian of Fyodor Dostoeysky [Dostoyevsky], was reviewed by Mrs. Walter W. Thomas, the paper being read by Mrs. Moore. Mrs. Moore complained that the constant action of the book fairly made one’s head swim, and as the chief character in the story is an epileptic, much of the action is very unpleasant, including among other things a detailed description of an epileptic fit.

On the conclusion of the programme, Mrs. Sydney [Sidney] Turner, who had not taken part, rose to express her gratification in the excellence of the general discussion.

A pleasant surprise, not on the programme, was the presentation to the Club of

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"Side[-]Lights on Maryland History" by the author, Mrs. Hester Dorsey Richardson. At the motion of Mrs. Turner, the Club extended to Mrs. Richardson a note of thanks.

At the conclusion of the programme, refreshments were served.

 

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The 805th Meeting. [October 27, 1914]

The 805th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, October 27th, 1914, the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Mrs. Smith announced that Mrs. Bowie would meet the Committee for Decorating the Graves of the Authors and Artists of Maryland at the Clubs rooms at 2 o’clock on Monday, November 2nd. The announcements of the programmes for November were, also made.

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The programme was in charge of the Committee on Poetry, Miss Lizette Woodworth Reese, Chairman, and was opened with a paper for Miss Reese entitled "Ghosts." Life is as full of mystery and Romance, and the poet is especially susceptible to its lure. The old balladists filled their rude songs with apparitions. Miss Reese quoted from several of these old ballads and outlined the story of others. The belief that the Jews sacrificed a Christian child in their rites was a theme of many ballads, as was the return of a slain lover to mar the triumph of his successful rival. The cruel step-mother was also a favorite theme, the real mother returning from the grave to care for her neglected off-spring, and to awe her successor into good behavior.

The sea is a haunted place for the poet. Every sea port town has its ghost story.

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In the "Phantom Ship," Longfellow retold a tale vouched for by Cotton Mather the celebrated divine and others of his time believing that the apparition of the ship was sent to set at rest the uncertainty as to its fate. Miss Reese spoke of the superstitions attaching to various holidays of the year, and, also, referred to the Oxford Ghost, and Oxford student who later joined a band of gypsies and appears in that guise.

Every house where men live and die is haunted. The house not made with hands is the one we really live in. This is the modern touch, taking the place of cruder apparitions of earlier times. Our ghosts have been turned inward.

Mrs. Charles W. Lord, who followed Mrs. Reese on the programme read two poems. In "Our Veiled Sight" Mrs. Lord expressed the idea that it is strange we should feel so

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settled and at home in a world so full of changes, but that God mercifully veils our sight that we may make the most of to-day. The "Dirge of the Refugees" gave a pathetic picture of the misery brought on the helpless by war, whose sufferings made even God seem very far away.

Miss Latané closed the programme by reading some selected magazine verse with appropriate comments. As Mrs. Lord had struck the war note in her closing poem, Miss Latané read Gilbert Chesterton’s "Wife of Flounders [Flanders]," and Richard le Gallienne’s "The Illusions of War." Miss Latané commented on the fact that though the last named poem is appearing frequently as if called out by the present conflict, it was written some years ago. She suggested that it was a relief to turn from these painful pictures to two charming little poems on spring, one by Frederick [Frederic] Lawrence Knowles, and

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another, an anonymous contribution from "Punch," "The Sweet of the Year," both poets finding something fresh to say on a subject popularly supposed to be exhausted. "The Click of the Latch," by Nancy Bird Turner, gave an attractive domestic picture.

At the conclusion of the programme, those present prolonged the pleasant hour by a chat over a cup of tea.

 

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The 806th Meeting. [Nov. 3, 1914]

The 806th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, November 3rd, 1914, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, First Vice-President, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. In the absence of Mrs. Robert Bowie, chairman of the committee for decorating the graves of the authors and artists of Maryland, the report of the committee was deferred till [until] a later date.

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The programme was in charge of the Fiction Committee, Mrs. Percy M. Reece chairman, and, departing from the printed programme was opened with a story by Mrs. Walter W. Thomas, "The Woman in Her." Mrs. Thomas entertainingly described the evolution of a young woman who had grown up so absorbed in her duty to her father and her motherless brothers and sisters, as to give little thought to the opposite sex. Waking up at last to the possibilities of the situation, she develops a fondness for dress, and also for admiration, very disconcerting to her father[,] who nearly wears himself out escorting Corinne about and holding undesirable suitors at bay. When the minister finally proposes, the father is astonished to find that though Corinne has no intention of accepting him, she takes solid satisfaction in this tribute to her femininity. While the father frankly ac-

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-knowleged this attitude too much for him, Mrs. Thomas intimated that the explanation was the fact of the woman in her.

Mrs. Clinton DeWitt Redgrave followed on the programme with a story "A Piece of Cloisonne and Chiffon." A young wife approaching the first anniversary of her marriage, visits with her husband, the New York establishment from which her trouseau was selected, and is very much attracted by a chiffon dress marked down to one hundred dollars. As her husband fails to be impressed by the influence of the bargain she leaves the shop without the costume, though not without regrets. Her husband reminds her the same day of the approaching marriage of an old flame of his, and asks suggestions for a wedding present. The wife suggests a cloisonné vase. But when, some time later on her wedding anniversary, she comes

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across a receipt for one hundred dollars for a cloisonné vase, among the litter on her husband’s desk, the situation appears sinister. That her husband should have spent on a gift to a former love the exact sum he refused her, impresses her most unpleasantly, and causes her to believe that his absence on this particular day is not due to business exigencies, but from a wish to hide him pain from her observant eyes. She orders the dress by telegraph, arrays herself in it for the evening, and when a former love appears allows herself to be a trifle indiscreet until an ungarded [unguarded] word of his recalls her to her better self. The return of the husband complicates matters unpleasantly, and double misunderstanding might have been serious had not Jack discovered the crumpled bit of paper which had caused all the trouble. The cloisonné vase for which her husband had paid one hundred dollars

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proved to be an anniversary present for his wife, and when it was placed in the cabinet it was decked with a piece of chiffon torn from the dress on the first evening’s wear as a warning against further misunderstandings.

Miss Lizette Woodworth Reese closed the programme with the story, "The Flight," which begins dramatically with a pallid woman fleeing from the home of her drunken husband at the dawn of an April day. She reaches the home of her cousins, a brother and a sister, and tells the latter she has left her husband. The big-hearted country woman puts her to bed, where she sleeps the sleep of exhaustion till late afternoon.

In the quiet home with the slum trees blossoming outside her window and the fragrant herbs in the garden perfuming every breeze, she is not at peace. She is haunted by the face of her husband as she has seen it lash, white, shaken, terrified, and in her dreams a voice shrieks a name from which she shrinks away. But on the second night she realizes that something is drawing her back, and she rises from beside her sleeping cousin and makes her way back to the home she has quitted. She sees a light in the window and then the appearance of her husband at the door terrifies her until her explained that the knife thrust which she thought had killed him in reality had injured him but little, and promised things will be different in the future.

At the conclusion of the programme those present were invited to remain for a cup of tea.

 

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The 804th Meeting. [November 10, 1914]

The 804th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore

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was held Tuesday, November 10th, 1914, the First Vice-President Mrs. Alan P. Smith presiding. The Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Mrs. Fayerweather read a letter from her son, Dr. Fayerweather, with the American Red Cross in France, which told many interesting facts regarding his surroundings, though he complained of lack of work.

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Letters and Autographs, Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith Chairman. Mrs. Smith opened the programme with a paper, "The Mystery of an Autograph." One of the favorite diversions of humanity is eavesdropping at the door of destiny, and perhaps the most reasonable of the efforts to find some back door entrance to self-knowledge is the analysis of the hand-writing. Mrs. Smith briefly outlined the various characteristics of penman-

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ship held to indicate intellectual and moral qualities, and said that while few of us would admit that an autograph is an infallible guide to character, we all tacitly recognize certain autographs as indicating strength and power. But the real mystery of the autograph is in the fact that though a man write his name a million times, and never twice alike, it is unmistakably his. Something of his personality has passed into the drop of ink.

"Two is company[,]", a paper written by Mrs. Charles E. Sadler, was read by Miss H. Frances Cooper. Mrs. Sadler held that collecting autographs was too dignified an interest to be called a hobby, though she acknowledged herself a prejudiced judge because of her own fondness for the pastime. In an amusing account of a call from a youthful friend, a boy of fourteen, and, likewise interested in autographs. Mrs. Sadler was enabled to mention a number

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of the noted names in her own personal collection among them Bryce Choate Wier Mitchell, Sir William Osler, Robert E. Lee, Dewey, Thomas-Seton, Riley, and Kipling. Among the presidential autographs in her collection Mrs. Sadler named Monroe, Cleveland, Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson.

Mrs. E. Don Hoffman discussed Joel Chandler Harris to whom she declared she owed a debt because through him her children had been enabled to understand her own childhood, when the broad bosom of an old colored cook book had been her refuge from all woes. Mr. Harris’s stories belong strictly speaking to the department of folk lore. Many of them come from banks of the Congo and are hundreds of years old, and similar stories are found among many primitive peoples.

Personally Mr. Harris was modest, unassuming, and unattractive

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in appearance. His estate has been purchased to use as a children’s playground.

Under the title "Whatever Things Are of Good Report" Mrs. Frank Manny discussed James Oppenheimer. Her opportunities for speaking with authority have been unusual as Mr. Oppenheimer was, for some time Mr. Manny’s secretary. He is a Hebrew, and was born in St. Paul. At his father’s death his mother took her family to New York where he graduated from the public schools. At the time of Mrs. Manny’s first acquaintance with him, he was ambitious for a literary career, an ambition discouraged by everyone of his acquaintances until he met Mr. Manny. Personally he made a most favorable impression on his new friends, his fatherly attitude toward the younger children being very pronounced.

After occupying several positions

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and discharging their duties satisfactorily Mr. Oppenheimer had gained enough of a standing to devote himself to literature. He married and two children were born. The marriage was extremely happy till the wife became possessed with the idea that her need of self-expression demanded that she study medicine, a decision which met no decided opposition from her husband, as he seemed anxious that she should do what was best for herself. The resulting separation resulted finally in a legal separation. In referring to the statements of the newspapers regarding Mr. Oppenheimer, Mrs. Manny called on her audience to judge him according to the Biblical standard. "Whatever things are of good report, think on these things." Several volumes of Mr. Oppenhiemer’s verse with a grateful inscription addressed to Mr.

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Manny in Mr. Oppenhiemer’s hand, were exhibited. Mr. Harris’s autograph was also shown.                                 

At the conclusion of the programme those present gathered about the tea table for a further discussion of the topics suggested.

 

[MS 988 BOX 5, BOOK 4]

 

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Minutes

Of

The Woman’s Literary Club of

Baltimore

November 14th-

 

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Beginning November 14th, 1914, and going on to

 

The 808[th] Meeting. [November 14th 1914]

The 808th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, November 14th, [1914,] the First-Vice President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, and the usual announcements made.

The programme for the afternoon was a miscellaneous one arranged by Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith, and was opened with a paper "New Demands in Education," written by Miss Nellie C. Williams and read by Mrs. Smith.

Miss William’s paper was a

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discussion of the book of the above name written by James Phinney Monroe. The author began by tracing the development of our present public school system from Colonial times, and then criticizes that system, and shows how it can be bettered, Miss Williams thought the severity of the author’s strictures should be forgiven him in view of the value of the constructive criticism of the latter part of the book. Among the principal recommendations made may be named the following:

Larger appropriations and letter business management.

Much smaller classes.

Higher salaries for teachers.

Sanitary but inexpensive school buildings.

Physical training.

The development of man-

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-ual and industrial training,and the education of each child as an individual, with due regard to his present attitude and future prospects.

The second number on the programme was a poem "Chopin’s ‘Ballade in F’" by Miss Virginia Berkley Bowie. Miss Bowie explained that from her childhood certain musical selections with which she was familiar had told a certain story to her, and that the story connected with this particular composition she had told in poetic form. The music changes five times, and the poem also, is divided into five parts. Part First gives a picture of a little lad in his ancestral home in Poland, listening to the stories of old Michael, and dreaming

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of days to come when he, too, will fight for his native country. In Part Two the clouds are black over Poland. The youth grows up tortured by the humiliation of his country, and with growing ardor, consecrated himself to the service of his native land. In Part Three the love element is introduced. The joys of young and innocent love blend with the ardor of patriotism. Part Four, the hour has struck. The lovers say farewell, he for the man’s part of battle while hers is the woman’s part to pray. In Part Five the battle is on. The Polish forces weaken and the youth who so lately has bidden his love goodbye, is sent to lead a charge as a forlorn hope. The intrepid riders are cut to pieces and the poem ends

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abruptly in the somber note of death and destruction.

The programme closed with a story "The Conquest of the Cloud’s," by Mrs. Vinton DuVall Cockey. The story opens with an aviation meet, where the lover of Charlotte Carter a young aviatress is pleading with her to forego her flight for that day because of the inclement weather. The girl, however, believes that through aerial navigation will come the end of war, and proud to have a share in banishing that curse from the world, she steels her heart against her lover’s appeal.

The flight is cleverly described. Above the low lying clouds the aviatress came out into a region of serene sunshine. As she ascends, her machine strikes one of the

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dreaded "holes" in the air. Prudence urges an immediate descent, but, unwilling to yield, she fights to force her way to a higher altitude. The fight presently becomes a flight for life, as the frail craft is tossed about on the air billows, but at length the girl loses, and the terrible drop to the earth begins. The girl loses consciousness and does not know when the machine, striking another stratum of air at a lucky angle, rights itself and planes its way to the earth. Though the biplane is demolished on striking the ground, and the aviatress severely cut and with broken bones, the physicians assure her distracted lover that she will make a good recovery, though she will never be able to fly again. And though the story ends in the hospital there is a pleas-

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ant anticipation of happiness soon to be realized.

Tea was served at the conclusion of the programme.

 

The 809th Meeting. [November 24, 1914]

The 809th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held on November 24th, 1914, the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. The programme for the afternoon was a reading by Miss Harriet P. Marine entitled "The Seven Sleepers," the selection being arranged by Miss Marine, and told in six parts. In opening, Miss Marine introduced Father Pettibore, a country clergyman disturbed by the fact that in his congregation there were seven who regularly slept through his discourses. He

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determined to appeal to each one personally but found unexpected obstacles placed in his way, though the gift of a five pound note from one of his parishioners causes him to turn home feeling that his time has not been altogether wasted.

The problem continues to trouble him, however, and he consults seven of his elders designated as the seven wise men. From these he receives varied advice, to speak more loudly, not to preach over the heads of his congregation, to take lessons in voice culture, to omit doctrinal matter, and similar counsel. He resolves to try the various suggestions on the seven successive Sundays. In putting this idea into practice it is necessary to take lessons in voice culture, a scene Miss Marine made very amusing. Unluckily his practice of his

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voice exercises in the open air awakened doubts of his sanity, so that he underwent a short period of incarceration before the testimony of his instructor secured his freedom. This experience was followed by a period of deep depression on the clergyman’s part when he was on the point of concluding that in spite of all his sacrifices, nothing but Gabriel’s trump could awake his seven sleepers.

Miss Marine then described a meeting of the Ladies’ Missionary Society when the mite boxes had been collected preparatory to sending them to the parent society. In spite of the semi-religious character of the gathering, gossip run high, and Father Pettiborn is the chief target much to the annoyance of some of his admirers. While the excitement is at its height,

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the clergyman suddenly makes his appearance. Seeing the mite boxes, and misunderstanding the purpose of their collection, he announces his need of a new sounding board and appropriates the offering to that use. In the excitement that follows his departure, the missionary society disbands.

Things go from bad to worse. The old minister falls into a morbid mood, and is urged by some of his prominent church officials to take a six-months leave of absence. He refuses to consider this, but resolves to take the advice of the seventh wise man, and pray over the situation. When his wife comes to call him to his meal she is unable to arouse him. The problem has been solved.

At the conclusion of the programme, Mrs. Smith spoke of the Twelfth Night

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Festival to which each member to which each member [repeated?] is entitled to two invitations and urged that they be sent early. She asked the guests present to linger with the Club members for a cup of tea.

 

The 810th Meeting. [December 1, 1914]

The 810th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, December 1st, 1914, the First-Vice-President Mrs. Alan P. Smith presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Mrs. Smith read a letter from Mrs. Hester Dorsey Richardson who has charge of the historical exhibit of the Maryland Building at the Panama Exposition, and who asked that any member of the Club willing to loan articles

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of interest for such a purpose should communicate with her. The commission is responsible for all articles loaned, and every care will be taken of them.

The programme was in charge of the Committee on Current Criticism, and was opened by the Chairman, Miss Lucy Latané, who, without using notes, discussed three recent biographies. In opening Miss Latané spoke of the frequent appearance of biographies on this programme, and suggested that there is no way in which we can study human nature, and human achievements as attractively as in biography.

Some biographies are written so soon after the death of the subject that that thought completely overshadows them. "The Life of Lord Lytton" by his grandson [E.B. Hamely],

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the first of the three biographies Miss Latané discussed does not have that handicap. Bulwer’s son, Owen Meredith, attempted to write his father’s life, but only completed one volume. The grandson gives much space to the tragic marriage which alienated Bulwer from his family, threw him on his own resources, and, finally, made his life miserable, the wife having an unreasonable jealousy of his work.

Though they were separated, she never ceased her efforts to torment him. In his old age his son’s companionship gave him great happiness. The biographer counts his political career as important as his literary one.

"The Life of Sir Joseph Lister" by G.V. Wrench [Guy Theodore Wrench], was next discussed. Sir Joseph Lister was one of the pioneers

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in the modern altruistic movement. He was born and bred in London, but after graduating, went to Edinborough to take a course in surgery, and remained for some years. When he was put in charge of one half of the great infirmary at Glasgow, hospital conditions were very bad, sometimes seventy-five percent of the patients dying of gangrene. Lister became convinced that gangrene was due to a microbe, and experimented with germicides, finally falling back om carbolic acid. So successful were his experiments, that he freed the Glasgow hospital from gangrene, and, later, when placed in charge of Edinborough, secured the same results. His theories met with much opposition, and not till the last year of his life was

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the greatness of his work recognized.

The third biography discussed by Miss Latané was "The Life of Jean Henri Fabre," by C.V. Legros. This French observer gave a long life to the study of insects and recorded the results of his observations in very charming little essays. For many years a village school master, he made many attempts to secure an income which would free him from the drudgery of school teaching, and, at length was successful. He is still living, an old man of ninety, not ten miles from where he was born.

Under the title "Fiction for the Serious Minded" Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith discussed some of the recent fiction Mrs. Humphrey [Humphry] Ward’s "Delia Blanchflower" records the experiences of a young

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woman who has espoused the cause of the militant suffragist and is left by the terms of her father’s will to the guardianship of a conservative bachelor in the forties. The aim of the book is not to discredit the extension of the suffrage, but to show the futility of the militant movement. For all the humorous possibilities in the situation, it is developed along the most somber lines, and though following the great catastrophe, Delia marries her guardian, she turns to marriage as a refuge from life’s ills rather than as to life’s crown.

"The Witch" by Mary Johnston is an even gloomier volume. Beginning in the last days of Queen Elizabeth and continuing into the reign of James, it gives a most unpleasant picture of hate, suspicion,

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and rancor. The pair who divide the reader’s interest, and who are hurried from one catastrophe to another till at length the prison doors receive them, with the scaffold awaiting, are the only redeeming features of the book, and their sameness and sweetness seem but poorly recompensed in their continued persecution. The soberest records of the witchcraft delirium seem like flights of a disordered fancy and fiction, however closely it conforms to facts, must seem exaggerated and unreal.

Mrs. Frank A. Manny closed the programme by discussing some of the less familiar periodicals. Mrs. Manny said in opening that as sometimes we find in some quaint little shop some article we have searched for vainly in the larger places, so the

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less familiar periodicals may fill a place which the larger magazines fail to fill. Among the periodicals Mrs. Manny mentioned were the "Town Crier of Baltimore," "The Cornhill Booklet," "The Unpopular Review," "The Story Teller’s Magazine," "Something to Do," "The Book Review of the New York Times," "The Dial," "The Survey," "The New Republic," "The Independent," and "The Editor." Mrs. Manny gave her audience a little insight into the nature of each of these magazines, some of which were almost unknown names to the majority.

After thanking Miss Latané and her committee, Mrs. Smith invited the guests of the Club to remain for a cup of tea.

 

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The 811th Meeting [December 8, 1914]

The 811th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, December 8th, 1914, the First-Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Mrs. Smith gave notice of an exhibition of old paintings at the Belvedere Hotel, for the benefit of the Belgian Relief Fund.

The programme of the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Essays and Essayists. It was opened with a paper by Mrs. Charles W. Lord on "Individuality." Mrs. Lord spoke in opening of the racial differences which result in clearly definite types, less marked in the case of Americans than in any other nation,

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because of our cosmopolitan ancestry. Yet, with all this similarity, no two faces are alike. Family traits crop out, but the individuality remains. Among our friends we find distinguishing traits. We go to one in times when we crave sympathy, while another of whom we are equally fond, we shun at such times. Mrs. Lord [amentined] several familiar types, the persons who are always in a hurry, the gossip, the lore, the croaker. Books, as well as persons, have their individuality, some radiating inspiration, others sodden with the commonplace. It is impossible to define individuality. Mrs. Lord suggested that perhaps it was a glimpse of the soul behind the flesh.

Mrs. William E. Moore came next on the programme

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discussing the “Fascination of Places and People”. In illustration of the first half of her general thought, Mrs. Moore took the city of Washington in the spring, enumerating the various objects of interest and dwelling especially on the Congressional Liberty with its beautiful woods and marbles and wonderful mural paintings.

Passing to the second half of her topic, Mrs. Moore said that character abides while dynasties pass. The patriarchs St. Paul, St. Francis of Assisi are loved and remembered while those who sat on thrones pass by as gorgeous spectacles, not as individuals. Mrs. Moore also cited Marie Antoinette and Charles Lamb as further illustrating personalities. Places and people both come at the call of memory and cluster

[22]

about us. Life is more worthwhile because we have met them.

Mrs. E. E. Fayerweather closed the programme with a paper on “Opportunity”. The ancients thought that opportunity came but once never to return, and so represented it as flying, with a lock of hair in front, but balt behind, so that it could not be seized when once it had passed. This would be disheartening if true. On the contrary, when one opportunity passes, another takes its place. Though we lose the land, we have the landscape.

Never was a time of greater opportunity. The wise of the world are meeting and organizing to find ways of helpfulness. In missions all doors are open. All life indeed is opportunity, old age as well as youth. Mrs. Fayerweather

[23]

closed her papers by recounting the unusual opportunities in Baltimore of an educational and cultured sort.

At the close of the programme Mrs. Smith invited those present to remain for the weekly cup of tea.

 

The 812th Meeting [Dec. 15, 1914]

The 812th meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, December 15th, 1914. This was the holiday recess. The First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith presided. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and accepted, and the usual announcements made.

The programme of the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on the

[24]

Literature of the Bible, Mrs. Alan P. Smith Chairman, and was opened by Mrs. Frank A. Manny who cited the myth of Antaeus as an illustration that we must never wander too far from the origins, and made this the preface to telling the story of David. Mrs. Manny spoke of his normal life, his sheep-tending his practise with the shing, his love of music, and skill on the harp which led to his being summoned to play before Saul in hopes of reliving the being’s growing melancholy. Later came the outbreak of war when the gigantic Philistine champion terrorized the host, it being a rule of warfare in those days that there could be no general engagement while a champion offered himself for single combat. Mrs. Manny carried David’s story no further than his first dramatic victory.

[25]

Mrs. Manny also related effectively one of Tolstoi’s allegories. An old cobbler whose family has died in an epidemic is unhappy and embittered until he comes into possession of a Bible. He becomes so facinated[fascinated] that he reads all his leisure time, and sometimes fancies what he would do if Christ were to come to him. And then he hears a voice saying “Martin, tomorrow I come”. All through the morrow Martin watches an in the meantime finds a chance to do many little kindnesses, and when he is almost beginning to fear that the promise is not to be realized, each visitor of the day reappears and a voice says “It is I. ‘Inasmuch as ape did it unto one of the least of these, ye did it unto me’”.

Mrs. Alan P. Smith closed the programme with a paper

[26]

on Esdralon [Esdraelon] and Armageddon. Commenting on the absorption of our thoughts with the present great conflict, Mrs. Smith read the impressive dialogue the prophet asks Jehovah wy the righteous must suffer with the wicked. The answer is so satisfying that though the captivity is imminent, the book ends with an outbreak of praise. St. Paul found in Habakkuk the text for one of his epistles.

Mrs. Smith spoke briefly of military development among the Jews. Every man above twenty was a soldier, each tribe a regiment. A complete armor was worn and various offensive weapons used, including such engines of war as the catapult, the battering ram, and the like.

Esdralon’s [Esdraelon] plain was a great battle field. Here Borak and

[27] Deborah won their victory. It was here that Gideon put the Midianites to flight, and that Josiah died. Mrs. Smith spoke the great suffering of the Israelites in their various wars culminating in the horrors of the destruction of Jerusalem.

Some interesting scripture references which seemed prophetic of modern warfare, as to the use of the air ship and the automobile were quoted. Mrs. Smith said many believed the present war to be a direct fulfilment of prophecy, the destruction of the fixed and the dawn of a new hope.

 

The 813th Meeting. [Jan. 5, 1915]

Twelfth Night Festival

The annual Twelfth Night Festival of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held

[28]

Tuesday, January 5th, 1915, at 8:15. Under the direction of Miss Lena Steibler, Chairman of the Committee on Music, a number of musicians contributed to the pleasure of the audience. The sopranos were the Misses Emily Diver, Aurelia Behm, Theophile Svinki, and Edna Carey; the contraltos were: the Misses Elizabeth Robb and Katherine Haebbel; the tenors were: Misses John L. Wilburn and Marshall Forsythe; the barritones(baritones) and basses were: Misses Richard Bond, Daniel Hall, and Leroy Thompson. Miss Helen Wieshampel was the violinist of the occasion, and Miss Mary Virginia Ware was the pianist.

After the carol “Adeste Fideles”, the Twelfth Night greeting were given by the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, who, in addition to greeting the audience,

[29]

recounted some of the quaint customs associated with Twelfth Night, and the Twelfth Night, and the Twelfth Night cake. Under the charge of Miss Louise C. O. Haughton, a series of illustrated songs were given, the song being first rendered, and then illustrated by tableaux. The songs thus illustrated were; “The Land of the Sky Blue Water”, sung by Miss Emily Diver; “Phillis Has Such Charming Graces”; sung by Mr. John L. Wilburn; “Who’ll Buy My Lavender”, sung by Miss Edna Carey; “Le Nil”, sung by Miss Emily Diver. The two concluding tableaux of the Nativity and the Magi both were given in connection with “Holy Night”, sung by a chorus. Music, both vocal and instrumental was rendered between the tableaus and Miss Harriet P. Marine read a poem appropriate to the oc-

[30]

casion “The Song of Songs”.

Refreshments were served at the conclusion of the programme. The Twelfth Night cake was in charge of Miss Virginia Berkeley Bowie, the ladies in the procession representing The Christmas Star, The Mistletoe, and The Holly. Miss Bowie was assisted by Miss Bansemer and Mrs. Fenhagen. In the absence of the President Mrs. John C. Wrenshall, Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith acted as chairman of the Twelfth Night Festival.

 

The 814th Meeting. [Jan. 12, 1915]

The Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore held its 814 regular meeting, - the first for the new year, - on January 12th, 1915, the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, presiding. The programme was in the

[31]

hands of the Committee on Fiction, Mrs. Reese, Chairman.

The first item on the programme was a story entitled “Kate”, by Miss Emily Paret Atwater, but Miss Atwater, in reading it, took and author’s privilege, and changed the title to “The Summons”. The story was of a sweet, eldery[elderly] lady who gently submitted to neglect on the part of her scattered children. The unmarried daughter of remained with her, stongminded Kate, would not make quite the same excuses for them, and determined to frighten them into gratifying the mother’s cherished desire to have them come and spend her seventy-fifth birthday in the old home with her. A vaguely worded telegram from her, the purport being that they must come at once, brought

[32]

the son and daughter on the next train. The sight of their mother’s pleasure made them forgive the ruse. Another telegram a few days later told of the sudden death of the mother, and we were left to picture for ourselves the feelings and the regret of the other son who had been too clever to be taken in by Kate’s summons.

“A Sorrento Episode”, by Mrs. Percy M. Reese, was of quite a different character. She represented two American women as returning to their hotel in Sorrento after a trying experience. They had thought Marco, their chauffeur, a brigand in disguise, an that their purses were irretrievably gone and though fears had proved groundless, they were suffering from the strain of a bad half hour. In the hotel Claire, the younger of the

[33]

two, was excitedly greeted by an Englishman as his lost sister - in - law, and she had difficulty in convincing him of his mistake. An amazing resemblance was the only excuse he could offer. Later he explained that the brother who was in the hotel dying, was broken hearted over the absence of his wife, who had left him some months before after a petty misunderstanding, and had never been traced. This story haunted Claire, and, later, she volunteered to help if she could, and was taken to the bedside of the ill man. In an interval of consciousness he saw her, thought her the lost Louise, and was comforted. He died peacefully in the night.

There was a suggestion that the gratitude of the surviving brother might be

[34]

the beginning of a romance, but no. Claire shortly afterward married the man to whom she had been engaged all along.

Mrs. W. W. Thomas in “The Answer” told of a lonely woman, a window, who, feeling there was no work for her, in a restless mood, was about to break up her home when a stepdaughter with two little children appeared on the scene. She had been deserted by her husband, and in a spiritless, aimless ay, had “come home” to be taken care of. Becky Pruen was dismayed, but soon the two boys with their reckless fun and their never satisfied appetites, won her heart, and showed her that she was needed in the world. Mrs. Thomas gave a very vivid word picture of the little boys and their taking ways.

[35]

After the programme, the usual notices were given. Mrs. Smith congratulated the Club upon the success of the Twelfth Night Festival. She expressed the thanks of the Club to Miss Haughton; and the Secretary was requested to send letters of thanks to Mrs. W. M. Smith, Miss Steibler, Mrs. Banlett, and Mrs. Corner whose work had given such happy results.

(Signed) Lucy T. Latane.

Sec. pro tem.

 

The 815th Meeting.

The 815 regular meeting of the Woman's Literary Club Of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, January 19th, 1915, and was presided over by Mrs. Alan P. Smith the First Vice-President.

After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read

 

[36]

and approved, and the usual notices given, the programme prepared by the Committee on Foreign Travel, under Mrs. Charles W. Lord, was given.

The first paper, by Mrs. Lord, was entitled "The Belgium I Knew And Loved." She took her listeners with her as, in memory, she visited again the places seen in a happy tour of Belgium five years ago. Her niece, who was a schoolgirl at a convent in Liege, had permission to spend her holiday this way if the and would not take her out of the kingdom. So the two went back and forth according to the whim of the day. Mrs. Lord spoke with admiration of Brussels and Ghent and Bruges; of Antwerp with its chimes and its spires of Mechlin lace and of the glorious art galleries. The convent taught maiden in-

 

[37]

 

terpreted many paintings that represented scenes in the lives of the saints. Mrs. Laurent was equally interested in the scientific farming and the horticulture for which Belgium was famous – alas, that we must say was! Mrs. Lord concluded her paper with the reading of her poem to the "Belgium Women," which all were glad to hear again.

The second paper was by Mrs. William C. Moore, and was called "With Mrs. Cross in Edinburgh." A charming trip through Loch Sormond [?] And they Trossachs [?] Was recalled for our pleasure and the joys of sight seeing in Edinburgh. It was on the coach from Inverness, in the Scotch mist, that the land piercing voice of "Mrs. Cross of Nebraska" was first heard asking questions and quoting "The Lady

 

[38]

of the Late" for the benefit of the public. Fate kept the parties together so the scenes of the Canongate, the pathos of Holywood, the lights of the New Town at night – all were accompanied by the questions and the remarks of the very literal Mrs. Cross, who, for instance, did not believe it possible that seven people could have had supper in as small a room as the famous supper room of Queen Mary. But Mrs. Moore said that as they went toward the castle, and she passed the places associated with Burras and Scott and Boswell and Stevenson "the way was peopled with the shadowy shapes who shut out the people of the present" and even Mrs. Cross was forgotten. She described very vividly the beauty of the Castle and the gardens and

 

[39]

the changes of weather as sudden and as effective as the dropping of the curtain upon an opera scene.

Mrs. Smith thanked the Committee for the pleasure the programme had given, and the meeting adjourned to discuss the papers further over the teacups.

 

The 816th Meeting.

The 816th regular meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, January 26th, 1915, the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read by Miss Lucy Latané, who, in the absence of the Recording Secretary, had filled the position, and were accepted.

 

[40]

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Foreign Languages, and several translations, made by the Chairman, Miss Nellie C. Williams, were offered. The programme was opened with a translation from the French of Gerard d’Howville, read by Mrs. V. D. Cockey. The fantastic story related to the experiences of a butterfly collector who, in his early youth had been sent by his sweetheart to search for a bright red butterfly, the color of blood. Though he had traveled extensively, and his collection had grown to enormous size, he had never found the object of his search.

Finally his unnatural life culminated in an outburst of insanity. Enraged at his failure to find the red butterfly of his dreams, he went

 

[41]

to his collection and began breaking the cases. Then to his disordered brain it seemed that all the butterflies had become alive. They pressed about him a suffocating velvet cloud. He opened the window, but in vain. Closer the soft bodies pressed, stifling him, and in the morning he was found, in the disordered room, dead. The story ends with the statement that an autopsy revealed what the learned surgeons who performed it would never admit they had seen, a huge red  butterfly extended over the heart of the old collector.

"Pierre and Marie" from the French of Andre Lichtenberger, read  by Mrs. Percy M. Reese, was a brief and simple little story illustrating a very common weak-

 

 

[42]

ness. While Master Pierre talks importantly of the magnificent things he will do for grandma a few years later, the little sister Marie hustles about and makes the old lady comfortable.

"In the Easter Night" was a story by a Russian author W. Korolenko, translated from the German. This was read by Mrs. Thomas Berry. The author lays the scene of his tail in a prison on an Easter night. A useful century, a new recruit, keeps watch outside, while in the chapel of the prison, the convicts changed together, take part in the service. A man detailed to guard a sick prisoner is attracted by the music to the chapel, and the sick man discovering his door ajar, attempts to escape. The

 

[43]

sentry sees the figure, challenges him, and then, as a last resort, fires. The sound of the shot and the piercing cry of pain mingled with the triumphant strains from the chapel, telling that Christ has risen.

The concluding number of the programme was a humorous story entitled, "The First Confession" from the German of Karl Schönherr. This was read by Mrs. George Morrow. Hansel who is a very naïve boy, is to make his first confession, and at his mother's suggestion, he sits down and writes out a full list of his misdeeds. At the confessional the priest tells the youthful penitence to keep back nothing, and describes the feeling of satisfaction that will

 

[44]

follow. When Hansel’s turn comes, he is somewhat discomfited at finding that he has lost his list, but finally he is able to give a full account of his wrongdoings.

After leaving the church Hansel falls in with the priest's housekeeper whose cat he has killed, and who, in some mysterious way, has become aware of his misdeed. The good woman takes ample revenge. He reaches home and his mother is waiting for him armed with the switch. His trick of drinking the milk through a straw so as not to disturb the cream, has become known to her, and a second punishment follows. Later in the day he has an encounter with the farmer who's whip-stock he has broken. He finally

 

[45]

learns that the lost list of his sins is responsible for his misfortunes. A small neighbor has carried it from house to house acquainting the occupants with the transgressions which especially concerning them.

Tea was served at the conclusion of the programme.

 

The 817th Meeting 

The 817 regular meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held on Tuesday, February 2nd, 1915, Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith, Reporting Secretary, presiding in the absence of Mrs. Alan P. Smith. The minutes of the previous meeting were read by Mrs. Walter Thomas, and were accepted.

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Fiction,

 

[46]

Mrs. Percy M. Reese, Chairman, and consisted of two short stories written and read by their authors, Mrs. Harriet Lummis  Smith and Miss Caroline Bausemer.

The programme was opened by Mrs. Smith, who gave us one of her usually good pieces of work. In "Destiny and Co." we had a story into parts pertaining to cause and effect. In the first part a young reporter down on his luck in obtaining the usual amount of news necessary on his part resorts to a novel scheme of killing two birds with one stone. Using his wits for a fowling piece, he draws on his imagination for the items needed, and gives to the press news concerning some well-known persons of the town, finishing off with

 

[47]

a little personal puff for himself.

Handing this in, he borrows a few dollars with which to pay railroad expenses, and the camps, leaving results to take care of themselves.

The first item concerning a citizen of miserly temperament, written with nicely adjusted intention, strike straight; while the second, dealing with a well-known young bachelor, who had never made up his mind as to any particular woman, announces the engagement of the young man to one of his many lady friends.

The young bachelor is, naturally enraged. The old people with whom he boards, and who take a parents interest in him, are still more enraged to think he has done this thing right under their noses and their

 

[48]

not knowing about it. This is nothing to the encounter with a young lady herself. She is indignant, proud. The young bachelor's point of view shifts. The reporter has helped him to decision. The girl, who really likes him, relaxes, and everything is all right. He leaves her muttering that he wished the paper had given the date of marriage May rather than later.

Miss Bausemer’s story, "To Sunday Afternoons," also dealt with love.

The first Sunday afternoon a young man belonging to a certain club, makes for his particular spot, which, to his annoyance, he finds occupied by a young woman. Taking the next best place, every once in a while his gaze wanders in the direction of his accustomed seat and its new occupant. Presently

 

[49]

some friends come along.

They are looking for the girl, and, seeing him, the two are introduced. The girl is young, attractive, and has traveled extensively.

A few days after this, this same man passing a department store, is lured inside by a sale of waste paper baskets. He wanders into this unknown region, and here, is struck by a young girl who is acting saleslady for some marked down lingerie. She is exactly like the girl he met at the club last Sunday. Not knowing what to make of it, he hangs around a while, to return Saturday night to which the exodus of employees from Field & Myers’.

He sees this same girl come out and join a small man who is evidently waiting for her.

 

[50]

Sunday he goes by special invitation to the Smileys, the friends who had introduced the girl. There he meets her again, and presently explained. She is a social worker and had gone to Field & Myers’ for experience; an uncle is the man she met.

Tea was served at the conclusion of the programme.

 

The 818th Meeting. 

The 818th regular meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, February 9th, 1915, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, First Vice-President, presiding. The minutes of the meeting of February 2nd, 1915 taken by Mrs. Thomas, were read by the Secretary and accepted.

The programme was in charge of the Committee on

 

[51]

art, of which Mrs. Wrenshall-Markland is the chairman, and after the usual announcements, was opened by a paper, "The Power of the Canvas of Historic Interest," written by Mrs. Wrenshall-Markland, and red by Mrs. Percy M. Reese. Mrs. Marland’s paper was suggested by her impressions of the Bristol Art Gallery, which confirmed her in her belief that British artists excel in painting historic scenes. In support of her claim, Mrs. Merkel and cited Sir John Gilbert's "The Morning of Battle of Agincourt." After mentioning several canvasses in the gallery representing ruined castles in which the human appeal is strongest in its withdrawal, Mrs. Markland  described with some detail the picture of a very different sort, the burial of Charles Stewart painted by Ernest Crofts.

 

[52]

A picture of the boy Chatterton by Henrietta Ward was also described in detail. Of especial interest was the description of the departure of the Cabots. The painting by Ernest Board characterised by such dignity and power that the actors in the old-time drama seemed to live befor [before] our very eyes.

Mrs. B. Howard Haman gave her second annual sketch of continental art galleries, discussing the Louvre, whose many stages of growth few realize. It was built by Philip Agustus [Philip Augustus II] as a feudal Castle, and later Charles V added rooms, towers and a garden. Then, for 150 years it was deserted, Francis I pulling down much of the original building, erected a new building which forms the nucleus of the present Louvre. It was completed by Henry IV. Richelieu, however decided that

 

[53]

it was too small for a royal palace, and set out to make it four times as large. The work was carried on for a number of years, and then, again was neglected. Under Louis XIV the Louvre was the great hotel for all the Court followers, but public opinion was against such an abuse of the building and the tenants were finally dislodged. It is this old Louvre which is now used as an art gallery. the newLouvre  built under Napoleon III is occupied by the offices of the Republic.

In 1571 Francis I began the first art collection in France, his collection including the "Mona Lisa." Louis XIII increased the pictures in the Royal collection from 100 to 2,000, but the public had no access to them. After the Revolution, however, pictures and other art objects

 

[54]

were collected, and put on exhibition for the benefit of the people. The conquests of Napoleon vastly increased the art wealth of France, but after Waterloo, many of the most valuable paintings were returned to their former owners.

The programme closed with Mrs. Markland’s sixth successive annual review of Art in America. The paper was read by Mrs. Uhler. Mrs. Wrenshall-Markland opened her paper with some poignant comments on the post-Impressionists whom she criticized for placing before the public their crude experiments, before reaching a conclusion. Mrs. Wrenshall-Markland awakened the apprehension of some of her audience by the information that the Vorticists were now to be reckoned with in

 

[55]

addition to the cubists, the futurists, and other so-called modernists.

Mrs. Markland’s first art note of interest four 1914 concerns the work of a new man, Paul Manship, a Fellow of the American Academy, Rome, of whose statue "Silences," she spoke in the highest terms.

The portrait of Mrs. William Morris in pastel exhibited at the McClees galleries, is of special interest as the face of this once splendid beauty is familiar through her portraits by [Dante Gabriel] Rossetti and Burn-Jones [Edward Burne-Jones]. The artist to represent her in her decline is Nevill Lytton [Neville Bulwer-Lytton],  the son of “Owen Meredith." [Owen Meredith was a pen name of Robert Bulwer-Lytton.]

Mrs. Markland rated Fred J. Waugh as the first of American Marine painters. She drew attention to the fact that Pittsburgh seems the only American

 

[56]

city thoroughly awake to the advantage of the study of the craftsmanship of the British painters.

Mrs. Wrenshall-Markland discussed the effect of the war on artistic work, mentioning in this connection the interesting fact that the foreign pictures shown at the eighteenth annual International Exhibition at Pittsburgh were returned to the Carnegie for safe keeping.

The artistic phases of the Panama-Pacific Exposition were briefly discussed by Mrs. Markland at the close of her paper. The art director of the Exposition is Mr. Trask, formally the Managing Director of the Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia. in conclusion she stated that if not a brilliant year for American srt, 1914 had certainly been one of progress.

at the conclusion of the programme, it was moved that

 

[57]

the Corresponding Secretary convey to Mrs. Wrenshall-Markland the thanks of the Club for the delightful afternoon. The motion was carried unanimously.

 

The 819th Meeting 

The 819th regular meeting of the Women's Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, February 16th, 1915, the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and accepted.

The programme of the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on the Drama, of which Miss Virginia Woodward cloud is Chairman, and opened with a paper by Miss Lucy Latané, on Gilbert Murray's Interpretation of Euripides.

Miss Latané introduced her

 

[58]

paper with a quite unnecessary apology for what she thought might seem presumption in undertaking such a subject, and explained that she had been interested to what the reader unfamiliar with Greek might get from these translations into English verse. Miss Latané mentioned particularly the songs which, after their transition from one language to another, remained light, tripping and musical.

In the study of the Greek tragedy, it is difficult to understand why the Greek is regarded as typifying the joy of life. The dramas of Euripides deal with the things of life and destiny. To his own generation Euripides stood for a sceptic, yet prophecy is always fulfilled. He was charged with misrepresenting women, who are

 

[59]

the chief characters in the most of his plays, but while he represents tragic and often fierce women, is ideal is high. Murray suggests that he was the first to depict mixed characters, neither wholly good nor entirely bad. As a poet he is seen at his best in the chorus through which was obtained and affect difficult to secure in the modern drama. While the action of the play is purely dramatic, philosophic comment is possible through the chorus. It also served as a relief from the strain of tragedy. Miss Latané quoted frequently and effectively from a number of the dramas, commenting on their modern ring.

At the conclusion of Miss Latané’s  paper, Miss Lizette  Woodworth Reese read

 

[60]

two poems, the first "To the Memory of an Old House," beautifully expressing the sentiment which attaches to the very building where the human drama has been enacted. "Hanging up the Clothes" showed how closely the simple, homely activities are connected with the spirit of poetry. “A Spring Song” was sad despite its title, for the speaker was a dead lover calling to the living left alone with memories. At Mrs. Smith's request, the poems were read for the second time.

Miss Ellen Duvall  closed the programme with a discussion of Bernard Shaw as a dramatist, but as Shaw writes his dramas to illustrate his theories, this involved a discussion of the latter, and to some extent, of the personality of the dramatist. The

 

[61]

only certain thing about Shaw, said Miss Duvall, is his self-confidence. He doubts everything but his own opinion. The reader doubts his sincerity, and often he is patently insincere, ready to exchange his soul for an epigram.

When Shaw talks of an ideal, he means an illusion, not an unseen pattern to work by. The ideal of duty is especially obnoxious to him, and he declares that every step of progress means a duty repudiated. Miss Duvall pointed out that even taking his own illustrations, it is plain that men never wholly repudiate the general idea of duty, but put the higher before the lower.

Shaw's theology, if such it can be called, is a reversal of the general belief. God did not create man, but man is in the process

 

[62]

of creating God, the super-man.

In analyzing Ibsen, Shaw reveals himself, for the two have much in common. Both hold the idealist up to scorn, and claim that happiness should be the sole test of conduct. But no one can doubt Ibsen's sincerity and he does not attempt to hold the mirror up to nature. In her analysis of “Candida," Miss Duvall showed the unreality of the work of this master of cleverness.

For all his contempt of the ideal, Shaw is himself an idealist of a fantastic type, his theories combining absolute individualism together with a strongly curbed socialism, two things difficult to harmonize. In her summing up, Miss Duvall declared that

 

[63]

Shaw gave us nothing new, but represented of reaction. She also commented on Shaw's subconscious jealousy which shows itself in a certain malignity toward any established reputation.

Refreshments were served at the close of the programme.

 

The 820th Meeting. 

The 820th regular meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, February 23rd, 1915, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, the First Vice-President, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and accepted, and the usual announcements were made.

The programme was in charge of the Committee on Colonial and Revolutionary History, of which Miss Harriet P. Marine is Chair-

 

[64]

man, and was opened with a paper by Miss Marine, "The Poet’s Monument to Washington."  In discussing the poetical tributes to our first President, Miss Marine confined herself to the Maryland poets. Among others she quoted from Prof. John H. Hewitt, sometimes referred to as the "father of the American Ballad," giving a portion of his long poem "Triumph of Liberty," first read publicly in Baltimore in 1838, and quoting from other poems. Nathaniel O. Brooks, Amelia Welby, Dr. John Williamson Palmer in his poem "The Maryland Italian," were also quoted at length. Among some of the later poets she mentioned Folger McKinsey, and Louise Malloy. Miss Marine’s paper closed with a selection from the

 

[65]

poem "The Union," written by Gen. William H. Hayward.

Miss Marian V. Dorsey gave an account of the origin of the National Flag Resolution of the D.A.R. which the personal element rendered especially interesting. On her way to a meeting of the chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on 22 February, 1910, Miss Dorsey was impressed by the fact that while the flag was displayed on public buildings, clubs, stores, and the like, it was seen on very few private residences. At the meeting of the chapter she presented a resolution to the effect that the organization should use its influence to have the national flag displayed on national holidays. In 1911 the resolution was presented under Miss Dorsey's name

 

[66]

at the national D.A.R. Congress, and was unanimously adopted. Realizing the influence of the Star-Spangled Banner Centennial in arousing general interest in displaying the national emblem, Miss Dorsey brought the matter before the proper committee, and the success of the movement is appreciated by every Baltimorean. In recognition of her services, Ms. Dorsey was presented with a medal by the Mayor.

Mrs. Frances P. Stevens spoke on "Some Unfamiliar Views And Records of Old Baltimore," using as a text for her remarks a number of small steel engravings representing the City's early churches, fountains and other noted buildings. Of the 18 churches mentioned, the Roman Catholic Cathedral, built in 1821, was the

 

[67]

most recent. Mrs. Stevens's unusual knowledge of the early history of Baltimore enables her to give items of peculiar interest concerning nearly all these historic buildings. From an old and rare hymnal Mrs. Stevens read and almost unknown hymn by Francis Scott Key. While his hymn "Lord with Glowing Heart I Praise Thee" is found in the hymn books of nearly all denominations, the hymn that Mrs. Stevens read appears in few if in any of them. Mrs. Stevens commented, also, on the singular fact, that, as far as she was aware, Key’s familiar hymn was sung in none of the churches during the recent Centennial.

The programme closed with Miss Virginia Woodward Cloud's steering poem, "The Ballad of Sweet P.,” recited

 

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by Miss Harriet P. Marine. The theme is the ever popular one in which the useful patriot of 1776 matches her wits against those of her country's foes, and proves more than their equal.

Refreshments were served at the conclusion of the programme.

 

The 821st Meeting.

 

The 821st regular meeting of the Woman's Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, March 2nd, 1915, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, the First Vice-President, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, and the regular announcements were made.

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Foreign

 

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Languages, of which Miss Nellie C. Williams is Chairman. In her absence, her translation of "Life Passeth" from the French of Paul Bourget was read by Mrs. E. Don Hoffman. The scene of the story opens in the studio of a priest, who is also a sculptor, and who is working at a group designed to represent the entombment. His labors are interrupted by the advent of a parishioner who has come to tell him of assistance which has come to her almost miraculously, as she makes. In her desire to help a rascally husband, she has signed a note for 300 francs, and as the time for payment draws near, finds herself unable to pay it. She was describing her distress to a humble acquaintance

 

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in a railway station when a woman, a stranger who had evidently heard the conversation, drew near and placed a bracelet in her hand, telling her to sell it and use the money in payment of her obligation, and then hurrying to catch her train had made it impossible for the other even to thank her. Madam Requier added that her benefactress did not look virtuous, but that only enhanced the miracle. The priest took the bracelet to a wealthy man of the city to see if he would loan money with the jewel as a security, but the old man recognized it as one worn by his actress daughter-in-law who had ruined his son's career, and who had just visited him to ask him to take his grandson from her care, and bring him up a good man. Colonel Burdin

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had refused her request as he did that of the priest.

Three weeks later the sculptured group was placed in the chapel ready for the Christmas festival. Madam Requier who had received further unexpected assistance had expressed her gratitude by redeeming the bracelet and giving it to the priest, with the intention that it should be placed upon the statue of the Virgin. The priest, however, had placed it upon the rest of the Magdalen, and there it caught the eye of the stern old officer. As he realized the significance he realized two, his own harshness, and at the conclusion of the service he approached the priest and agreed to take his grandson to bring up, adding that occasionally the

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mother could visit him.

Miss Virginia Berkeley Bowie read a translation from the Italian, collecting a portion of the first act of Gabriele d’Annunzio’s “Dead City." The scene is laid at the site of an ancient buried city. The two women are respectively the wife and sister of two men engaged in the excavations, and as the scene opens, they are talking of the strange facination [fascination] – his work exerts over Leonardo, the brother of Bianca Maria. Both realize that the work itself, or the excitement, is wearing upon him.

The entry of Allesandro, the husband of Anna, interrupts the conversation and soon after his arrival they hear the shouting which indicates that there has been a discovery of some im-

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portance. The shouts die away and then are repeated. Then Leonardo comes running, and enters so breathless that he can hardly tell his story area but at length he is able to describe what he has seen. In the excavations they have come upon the tombs of the ancient Argive  princes lying upon beds of gold, and covered with gold and jewels. From the description in Homer, Leonardo recognizes Agamemnon, Cassandra, and others, but the bodies exposed to the atmosphere, have at once disintegrated. When he has told of his discoveries, he is impatient to return to the scene, but his sister calls his attention to his bleeding hands, his blood-shot eyes, and his skin covered with dust, and persuades him to rest. 

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The programme closed with the translation of two songs, “The White Rose” from the French of Hélene Swart and “In memoriam” from the German of Irene Forbes Mosse, translated by Miss Louise C. O. Haughton. In her translation Miss Haughton pressured the rhythm of the originals so that they could be sung to the same music. In her absence the songs were read by Mrs. Harriet Summis Smith. Tea was served at the conclusion of the programme.

 

The 822nd Meeting [Mar. 9, 1915]

The 822nd regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday March 9th, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, the First Vice-President, presiding. The

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minutes of the previous meeting were read and accepted, and the regular announcements were made.

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Essays and Essayists, Mrs. Sidney Turner, Chairman, and was opened with a paper by Mrs. James C. Fenhagen on “Mistakes.” Few mistakes are vital, said Mrs. Fenhagen. In learning to walk, a child falls often, and life is a succession of similar tumbles. We learn from our mistakes if we are willing to face them. Often we are blind to our own mistakes, while seeing those of others clearly. One serious mistake of the present day is waste of energy in activity. The desire to do over balances the desire to be. We plan

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for each hour and leave no time for living. Another mistake is to impose on our friends. Mrs. Fenhagen illustrated this tendency by citing the abuses of the telephone and the abuse of our friends’ generosity in the matter of loaning books.

Mrs. Walter W. Thomas discussed “Idiosyncrasies”. Idiosyncrasy belongs to individuality. Circumstances modify, never create. God never creates the common place. The seal of individuality is in all divine work. We cannot get away from ourselves. Whatever we do reveals what we are. The door we think we have closed to the world, we, ourselves, open. The neighbor may know us better than we know ourselves. A biography gives a broader view of a man than an

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autobiography. As illustrations of idiosyncrasies, Mrs. Thomas mentioned abnormal antipathies, or strong predispositions to certain activities. The eternal stamp of individuality is illustrated in Mary’s recognition of Christ when he spoke her name.

Miss Elizabeth Carey Nicholas discussed the “Duty of Expression”. We find satisfaction in a smile of welcome. We feel its beauty without realizing its duty. Since each of us is different from every other it must be our duty to express that difference. We must evolve along our own times. The omission of courtesy or kindliness on the plea of shyness is not valid Miss Nicholas said. Many people experiencing a difficulty

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in expressing compliments, dot not find it embarrassing to criticize. Miss Nicholas regretted the decline of polished manners. She discussed the art of conversation in which both the speaker and the listener have a chance to express individuality. Procrastination in expression is one of the tragedies of life.

Mrs. J. I. Copeland closed the programme discussing “American Women in Literature”. While there have been many women writers who have kept the lower lights burning, there have been few great are lights along the way. Reader and reveiwer[reviewer] should learn discrimination, and not be led by friendly feelings to place mediocrity among the celestials. Women

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have not lacked either opportunity or encouragement to express themselves in literature, but Mrs. Copeland did not think their failure to do so to a greater extent an occasion for regret, since the world needs more home lights than are lights.

Mrs. Copeland named Mrs. Stowe, Helen Hunt Jackson, Julia Ward Howe, and others who had exerted powerful influences. In poetry she named Lizette Woodworth Reese as the one American woman to feel the needs of the human soul. Of the modern feminine fiction writers, Mrs. Deland, Mrs. Wharton, Mary Johnson, and Charles Egbert Craddock were briefly considered. As far as women writers are concerned, Mrs. Copland

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said in closing, the tower room in our hall of fame is sparsely occupied. The ante rooms are well filled.

 

The 823rd Meeting. [Mar. 16, 1915]

The 823rd regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, March 16th, 1915, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, First Vice-President presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, and the regular announcements were made.

The programme was in charge of the committee on Unfamiliar Records, and was arranged by Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith. It was opened with a paper by Mrs. William Butler, a member of the Club residing in Norfolk, Virginia, entitled “Old Williamsburg and the

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God Daughter of the House of Burgesses”. Mrs. P. D. Uhler read the paper.

At the beginning of the state house at Jamestown in 1698, the seat of government in Virginia was transferred to WIlliamsburg. Here was erected the first capitol building so-called in the United States. The governor’s house was called “The Palace”, and both it and the capitol building were beautiful examples of architecture. The town which numbered about 1800 ordinarily increased materially when the House of Burgesses met, and was very gay, with a theatre and a fine tavern. Williamsburg was at its zenith in 1771 when James Murray, Earl of Dunmore was made governor of the Virginia Colony. In 1774 a daughter

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was born to Lord and Lady Dunmore and the House of Burgesses offered to make her its god-daughter and provide for her life support if she were named Virginia. The offer was accepted. But troubled times were soon to follow and in 1775 Lord Dunmore and his family took refuge by night on an English warship. After the Earl’s death in 1809, his daughter appealed to her collective god-fathers to redeem the almost forgotten promise. But though she pleaded her cause eloquently, the pledges her god-fathers had made were never fulfilled.

Changing from the order of the programme, Miss Mary Forman Day read a paper on “Three Maryland Stories”. The most romantic figure of the trio

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Miss Day discussed was one when Paul, the son of a Quaker family which removed from Pennsylvania to Maryland after the tragic death of one son who was imprisoned by the Continental forces forgiving aid to a wounded Hessian. This event made another son, John, the uncompromising foe of the Revolutionists. When captured by Lafayette’s forces, after selling grist from his mill to the British, Paul escaped, and this was one of a succession of dramatic adventures hardly to be equaled outside the pages of fiction. But despite a succession of desperate adventures and hair-breadth escapes, he died a natural death, while others of Miss Day’s heroes were less fortunate.

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Under the title “Happy Recollections of a Friend”, Mrs. Alan P. Smith gave most intimate and interesting reminiscences of Mr. William T. Walter’s. Her acquaintance with Mr. Walters began in connection with the founding of the Decorative Art Society. Mr. Walters was much interested in the project and subscribed to it liberally. Mrs. Smith and her associates in that organization were frequently entertained at Mr. Walters’ home on Mr. Vernon Place of which she said the whole house was a museum, filled not only with pictures but innumerable curios. One of the pleasant visits Mrs. Smith recalled was when she introduced Mr. Charles Leland (Hans Breitman) to the gallery.

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One of the interesting features of Mrs. Smith’s paper was the introduction of a number of Mr. Walter’s letters in which he gave his opinion of various pictures just added to the collection at the time of writing, but familiar to most Baltimoreans.

The programme closed with a paper by Mrs. George Morrow, “Stories of Early Places in Baltimore”. Baltimore, Mrs. Morrow said, is rich in history and romantic interest. She spoke of some of the early settlers, including David Jones. THe first umbrella brought to the United States was brought to Baltimore, a fact of especial interest as Baltimore is now noted for its manufacture of umbrellas. She spoke of the

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marine observatory built in 1797, and illustrating the difference between the old days and the present, cited the fact that the death of Washington was not known in Baltimore till the next day. She spoke of the interest attaching to old cemeteries and especially to Greenmount cemetery, giving the dramatic story of the way it came to be devoted to its present purpose. She also mentioned the sculptor Reinhardt’s beautiful memorial to his benefactress, Mrs. Walters. Mrs. Morrow called attention to the fact that the cornerstone of the Washington monument was laid on July 4th, 1815, one hundred years ago next July.

At the conclusion of the programme, Mrs. Dorsey

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said that she had been informed by the son of an intimate friend of the former owner of Greenmount cemetery that there was no foundation for the story of the accidental shooting of Miss Oliver.

 

The 824th Meeting. [Mar. 23, 1915]

The 824th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, March 23rd, 1915, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, the First Vice-President, presiding. Owning to the length of the programme, the minutes of the previous meeting were omitted.

As the date almost coincided with the twenty - fifth anniversary of the founding of the Club, the exercises were

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largely of an anniversary character. Mrs. Lawrence Turnbull, the first President of the Club, opened the programme by repeating the first annual address, given before the Club members twenty-five years earlier and as applicable to the problems of the Club to-day as when it was written. There must be no vagueness, Mrs. Turnbull said, in the aims of this Club. Better a small member united in this one pursuit, than a large body with divided interests. The busier the life, the more necessary to create a quiet spot where one can think, and the results will be beneficial even though there is no tangible outgrowth, in the form of civic or philanthropic achievement. There is danger in free discussion, unless

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we use it in friendly spirit. Indiscriminate praise is less helpful than criticism. Our ideals may be higher than our attainments, but it is not what man does that exalts him so much as what he attempts to do. The gift of expression is the gift we should hold sacred. The highest revelation is given through words. It is more indestructible than marble, more potent than any other form of art. Mrs. Turnbull referred to the harmful fiction defended on the ground of its realism, and urged that the Club should use its influence in creating a taste for the pure and wholesome. Quoting from the Constitution, Mrs. Turnbull showed the wide scope of the Club’s work.

Mrs. Hester Dorsey Richardson told of the founding of the

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Club, and expressed her natural pride in the result of her efforts. THe club movement had not developed twenty five years ago, and Mrs. Richardson worked without precedent to guide her. She wrote to such women as “Jennie June” (Mrs. Croley) [Croly], founder of the Sorosis Club, and Ella Wheeler Wilcox for counsel. Mrs. Richardson read their letters in response, but, though interesting, they gave her little assistance. Mrs. Richardson paid a graceful tribute to Mrs. Turnbull who had stamped upon the Club her own high ideals.

Miss Louise C. O. Haughton, who cooperated with Mrs. Richardson in founding the CLub, was not able to be present on account of illness, though on the programme.

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Miss Virginia Woodward Cloud read a sketch in the form of a dialogue between the Spirit of English Letters and a certain young person whom the audience recognized in spite of the disguise in which Miss Cloud’s modesty had clothed her. In the imaginary dialogue Miss Cloud brought in various women who have reflected honor on the Club by their literary achievements, and each was recognized in turn, though no names were mentioned. Miss Coud again emphasized the singleness of the Club’s aim. She prophesied a revival of the higher ideals in literary work, quoting an authority who has recently declared that Lincoln’s style will not be dethroned by Jack London’s.

Miss Cloud’s paper concluded

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the anniversary exersises[exercises] proper.

Mrs. Turnbull read a poem, “A Sad Sunset”, suggested by a picture by an Italian artist, Marcotti, in which a bowed old woman carries home her load of fagots at the close of day. Mrs. Turnbull had brought a framed photograph of the picture which the artist had photographed for her, to show his appreciation of the poem.

Mrs. Charles W. Lord, Chairman of the afternoon, read a paper on “Sunny Italy”. The mere mention of Italy, she said, brings to mind the thought of beauty and picturesqueness. She spoke of the mountains, lakes, and gardens, the women washing in streams, the bedocked dockeys. After a day or two,

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she said, they forgot their dread of Vesuvius, despite the warning of Pompeii. Mrs. Lord described the street life of Naples. Milan with its cathedral second only to Pisa’s Venice, Florence, and Rome. Mrs. Lord deplored the possibility that war might devastate this garden spot of the world.

Miss Virginia B. Bowie closed the programme, repeating by request, her poem suggested by Chopin’s “Ballade in F”, describing the development of a young Polish patriot and his tragic death.

At the conclusion of the programme, Mrs. Turnbull suggested sending a greeting to the absent President of the Club, a suggestion adopted by a rising vote.

Mrs. Lord announced the presentation to the Club’s [94] Collection of autographs an autograph letter of Father Tabb, presented by a former member.

 

The 825th Meeting. [Mar. 30, 1915]

The 825th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, March 30th, 1915, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, First Vice-President, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Mrs. Smith announced the programmes for April.

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Current Criticism of which Miss Lucy T. Latane is chairman. It has opened with a review of Dr. Huckel’s book “Richard Wagner, the Man and His Work”, discussed by Mrs. Thomas L. Berry. Dr. Huckel

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calls for his handbook for the benefit of the reader who has no time for more voluminous works of reference. He discusses Wagner’s life, his characteristics, and the great music dramas. Wagner’s early life was passed in an atmosphere favorable to awakening the thought of dramatic representation. He embarked on his career by conducting choruses, and soon showed himself a rebel against the accepted traditions of his art. Indeed, he was in sympathy with more far-reaching forms of revolt, for participation in a revolutionary movement, was exiled to Switzerland for twelve years, a period of incalculable benefit to him. After his return to Germany, the favor of the beng Ludwig of Bavaria was of great service to him.

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He married twice, his second wife being a daughter of Listz, and the divorced wife of Von Bulow. In politics he was a visionary, in philosophy a sympathizer with Schopenhauer. With Wagner, religion and art went hand in hand.

Mrs. E Don Hoffman reviewed Samuel McClure’s Autobiography [written with Willa Cather]. This prominent American was born in Ireland, and his early life, as described by Mrs. Hoffman, gives a charming picture of cheerful, self-respecting poverty. After his father’s death, his mother decided to take her little family to America, but even in this land of promise the woman with her little children had a hard, unequal fight to wage, and underwent many privations. Young McClure’s

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struggles to get through college, and his unique, but successful love affair were sympathetically related. Mr. McClure’s early hunger for books was largely responsible for the development of the syndicate idea, still associated with his name, and from this developed McClure’s Magazine. One of the interesting features of Mr. McClure’s book are is reminiscences of famous authors, and the story of the writing of some of the famous series of articles notably Ida Tarbell’s Standard Oil series, and Lincoln Steffens series, “The Shame of the Cities”, was also extremely interesting.

Mrs. Andrew Lang’s book “Men, Women, and Minxes”, was reviewed by Mrs. William E. Moor. Owing to the diversified nature of the various chapters making up the volume, Mrs. Moore

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compared it to an art gallery where we may examine now a portrait, now a landscape, and, again, a bit of still life. One of the amusing chapters under the title “Pitfalls for Collectors” describes the devices by which unwary collectors are induced to invest in imaginary heirlooms. “Art in English Country Inns and Lodging Houses” also gives opportunity for some amusing comment. The author takes some pains to define a minx, and even goes so far as to distinguish carefully French minxes and their English sisters.

Tea was served at the conclusion of the programme.

 

The 826th Meeting [Apr. 6, 1915]

The 826th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary

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Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, April 6th, 1915, the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Mrs. Smith announced the Percy Turnbull Memorial Lectures, always of peculiar interest to the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore. She also announced that Miss Alice Fletcher, an honorary member of the Club living in Washington, would bill the programme for the afternoon of April 20th.

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Fiction, Mrs. Percy M. Reese, Chairman, and was opened with a with a story “Green Gravel” by Miss Caroline Bansemer.

Two young people out on a horseback ride miss their

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way, and while seeking for the road, come upon a driveway, almost overgrown, leading to a deserted house. They go through the deserted rooms, and later, in their explorations, come upon a prostrate[prostate] iron gate, into which is wrought the name of the estate, “Green Gravel”.

Their curiosity is aroused, and when they come across a little negro boy they follow him to a white-washed cabin where they find an aged negress who tells them the story of the place. THe builder of the house, Mr. Watkins, finds that the cabin of an old negress named Lucy cuts of his view, and tries to persuade her to accept another location. Failing in this he tells her she must go, but Lucy thwarts him by setting fire to her cabin, and burning it and

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herself together. From this time disaster follows disaster, and the tragedy reaches its culmination where the oldest daughter, on the eve of her marriage with the man to whom she has given her heart, receives word that he has been forced to marry a girl he has wronged. The girl’s brooding culminates in insanity. After the father’s death, the younger sister crosses the sea and remains there till her death, one of the provisions of her will being that no one shall occupy the house of ill omen.

Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith followed on the programme with a story “Anne the Incorrigible”. A twelve year of age Anne, a plain and disagreeable child, loses her

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temper with her Aunt Julia, a girl of nineteen, and takes her revenge by meeting Aunt Julia’s lover as he comes to call, and telling him that the object of his quest has gone driving with another young man, adding several convincing details. Young Merritt goes away and Anne does not see him for eight years. When next they meet she has become a beauty, and Merritt does not in the least connect her with the child he has known. At length Anne identifies him with the Mr. Merritt who was her Aunt’s friend, and then, for the first time she discovers that the two young people were engaged. Her falsehood broke up the affair and each has believed the other faithless.

Anne and Merritt had

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been improving their second acquaintance by falling in love, but realizing her culpability in the matter of Aunt Julia, Anne sends him back to the latter with a letter which explains all. Aunt Julia has not married but she is on the point of engaging herself to a neighbor, Joe Alexander, when Merritt reappears. Knowing nothing of his altered sentiments, Julia feels herself under obligation to keep her old promise and dismiss her later lover. Anne is coming on for the wedding, when her train is wrecked just outside the village and young Alexander, who is helping, finds her, and drives her to her grandfather’s home. The pair enter the house where Julia and Merritt are

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Discussing plans for their wedding trip, and an immediate readjustment takes place with the seult, as Anne foretells, of a double wedding.

Owing to the lateness of the hour, a story to be read by Mrs. Walter W. Thomas was deferred to another occasion. Mrs. Smith made an announcement which caused regret to every member present, that owing to ill health, Mrs. Wrenshall had sent her resignation as President to the Board some weeks before. THe resignation was not presented to the Club as the Board had urgently requested Mrs. Wrenshall to reconsider her action.

Mrs. Smith read a letter from Mrs. Wrenshall received in January, in which she expressed her in-

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tention to resign, and also her deep appreciation of Mrs. Smith’s loyal support and assistance. The form letter of resignation as President of the Club was read to the Club by Mrs. Percy M. Reese. Mrs. Wrenshall’s second letter, reiterating her decision, was read by the Corresponding Secretary, Miss Lucy T. Latane, to whom it was addressed.

At the conclusion of the reading, Miss Cloud made a motion expressing the Club’s deep regret and appreciation of the invaluable services rendered by Mrs. Wrenshall in the seventeen years she has held the office of President. The notion was seconded by Miss Haughton, and adopted by a rising vote.

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The 827th Meeting. [Apr. 13, 1915]

The 827th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, April 13th 1915. Mrs. Alan P. Smith, First Vice-President, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, and the regular announcements were made.

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of the Committee on Poetry, Miss Lizette Woodworth Reese, Chairman, and was opened with a paper by Miss Reese on Matthew Arnold’s poetry. Miss Reese spoke of Arnold’s love for Oxford, which she called the most haunted town in Christendom. There are two Arnolds she said, one a critical and controversial writer, the other a more sensitive soul with an instinct for beauty. His weakness

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is that he lacks the sense of your point of view. His controversial books no longer have the reputation former by theirs. Arnold lived in a time of turmoil, and his work shows it. In his cause doubt was not a lever to uplift him as was the case with Tennyson. Often we find in his work good poetry which is unsound philosophy. Miss Reese made special mention of the poems “Sohrab and Rustum”, “Forsaken Merman”, and the poems written on the death of a beloved pet dog. “Geist’s Grave” and “Kaiser Dead”. Among the three great elegiac poems of the world Miss Reese included Arnold’s “Thyrsis”, which has been called a model for style. Miss Reese quoted from this poem at some length,

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pronouncing it Arnold at his best.

At the conclusion of Miss Reese’s paper, Mrs. Alan P. Smith mentioned that Arnold lectured here early in the seventeens, and commented on the fact that the lack of humor which Miss Reese had mentioned was noticable(noticeable) on that occasion.

Miss Virginia Woodward Cloud followed on the programme with three poems. “For Victory” gave the viewpoint of the bereaved mother whose son’s life is part of the sacrifice which victory demands. In “A Petition” the singer prays love the sting for the sight to keep her songs, while surrendering all else. “A Southern Garden” describes in negro dialect and art’s inimitable charm

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the various familiar figures in the garden, - hollyhocks, honey-sickle, the holly tree, hearts-ease, mignonette, morning glories, daffodils, and sweet-brier.

Miss Virginia Berkeley Bowie closed the programme with a discussion of the “Fridthjof Saga”. As a background for her story, Miss Bowie spoke of Norway and its singular lack of monuments of its great poet. She described in some detail the little town of Balholm where the surroundings make it easy to picture the Viking age.

The Sage of Fridthjof is one of the oldest of the semi-mythical tales taken by the northmen to Iceland.

When King Bele ruled in the [Sogn] district, his principal friend was his henchman, the

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Father of Fridthjof. The king had three children, two sons had a daughter, Ingeborg, the latter of whom had won the heart of Fridthjof. After the death of the king, and of his own father, Fridthjof asked Ingeborg in marriage from her two brothers who harshly refused him. But some King Ring, a neighboring monarch made war on the two brothers and in their absence Fridthjof visited Ingeborg daily, and betrothed her with the great gold ring won by his ancestors from the goblin.

Ingeborg’s brothers were worsted in the battle with King Ring, and one of the old king’s conditions of peace was that he should be given the hand of their sister in marriage. The

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two brothers returned to their kingdom and at once dispatched Fridthjof on a long and dangerous journey, after which they married their sister forcibly to King Ring. Fridthjof, on his return sought the two kings at the temple of Balder, where all violence was forbidden, and expressed his resentment in such a manner as to bring [whon] him the wrath of the gods. After years, the desire to see Ingeborg carried him to seek her in her husband’s kingdom in the disguise of an old man. King Ring recognized him and admitted him into his intimacy that he might test him. Both he and Ingeborg stood the test, and they king before his death expressed his confidence in the

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younger man, and bequeathed to him his wife. After Ring’s death Fridthjof conquered Ingeborg’s brothers in battle, rebuilt the shrine of Balder as a propitiation ot the offended gods, and finally married Ingeborg.

Tea was served at the conclusion of the programme.

 

The 828th Meeting. [Apr. 20, 1915]

The 828th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, April 20th, 1915, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, the First Vice-President, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, and the regular announcements made.

Owing to a professional engagement of miss Stabler, the order of the printed

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programme was departed from, and the programme was opened with a song, “The Land of the Sky Blue Water,” sung by Miss Mary Glendyne. This was sung in complement to Miss Fletcher, the air being an Omaha melody, and one of the hundreds she collected during her study of the Indians.

The remainder of the afternoon was occupied by Miss Alice C. Fletcher of Washington with a paper “Sir Hubert von Herkomer’s House - A Realized Dream”. Miss Fletcher visited the artist at his house in Bushey in 1913, and heard from his own lips much of the story she related.

The dream realized in the building of the magnificent residence she visited was the idelal of three generations, beginning with Sir Hubert’s grandfather. He was an

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expert worker in plaster, and artistic, yet he was thirty years old before he learned to read and to write. He originated the family idea of building a house which should realize the ideal of beauty. One of his sons, Sir Hubert’s father, was apprenticed to a woodcarver in Munich. He became a master workman, and at his father’s death took the place as head of the family owing to his elder brother’s reluctance to assume the post with the attendant duties. He was prosperous till the revolution in 1848 which led to the exodus of so many strong characters from Germany to America. Sir Hubert’s father brought his family to a small town in the middle west, but the crudity of artistic ideals at that time made it a poor place for one whose calling was purely

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artistic. The wife supported the family by giving music lessons. At last they decided to leave America for England, and here, too, difficulty and privation attended them, and the family dream seemed far from realization.

The son Hubert was educated for an artist, rather against his mother’s approval, and was successful from the start. By the time he was twenty-four he was able to assume all care of his parents. He bought a little cottage in Bushey, which they occupied, and they continued to buy adjourning land until he owned thirty-two acres. By this time he was ready to start to put into execution the long-cherished dream.

The house, as Miss Fletcher saw it in 1913, had no high walls or hedges about the grounds, its owner wishing to

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share with every passer-by his realized dream of beauty. Miss Fletcher described in detail the sumptuous drawing room and halls, the wonderful carvings and tapestries being made by Sir Hubert himself, his father and his uncle. Though she pronounced it the most ornate room she had ever seen, so perfectly did it blend that the effect was that of rich simplicity. The rest room was almost startlingly plain after the magnificence of the larger room, the few pieces of furniture it contained being made by members of the family. The studio, too was somewhat plain, without the ornamentation of armor, common to such rooms. The dining room was unique. It was so arranged as always to be lighted by electricity, and,

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upon the walls against a red background were about thirty life sized female figures in relief. These, Sir Hubert had made in about seven weeks, though he said he had been some ten years evoking the scheme of decoration. These figures, clasping hands, were intended to symbolize hospitality. The carved sideboard was the work of Sir Hubert’s father. The extraordinary persistence which enabled the artist to realize so sumptuously the dream of three generations had a sad sequel, for, six months after Miss Fletcher’s visit, Sir Hubert died.

After concluding her paper, at the request of the Chairman, Miss Fletcher spoke briefly of Indian music, much of which, she said, is beautiful, though not all, by any means. \

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At the conclusion of the programme, tea was served, and most of those present greeted Miss Fletcher, and expressed their appreciation for the pleasure of the afternoon.

 

The 829th Meeting. [Apr. 27, 1915]

The 829th regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, April 27th, 1915, the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, and the regular announcements made.

The programme for the afternoon was in charge of Miss Lina Stiebler, Chairman of the Committee of Music, and the selections were rendered by Miss Olive Prosser, soprano; Miss Louisa

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C. O. Haughton, alto; Mr. Daniel Hall, baritone; and Miss Norma Bossom, violinist. Owing to the professional engagements of some of the singers, the order of the programme was slightly changed, the concluding duet by Mr. Hall and Miss Haughton being given second. Miss Prosser changed her selections, Miss Stiebler promising the Spanish song by Chaminade for the May programme. Mr. Hall’s solo “At Dawn” pleased the audience, and Miss Bossom’s violin solos were well received.

The greater part of the programme was rendered by Miss Louisa C. O. Haughton whose appearance was of especial[special] interest to the Club members as she was one of the Club’s founders, and has long been identified with its activities, both as

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an officer and as a committee chairman. Miss Haughton was in excellent voice and her charming rendition of her numerous and varied selections gave great pleasure to all present.

 

The 830th Meeting. [May 4, 1915]

The 830th regular meeting, the annual business meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore was held Tuesday, May 4th, 1915, the First Vice-President, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, and the regular announcements were made.

The first part of the afternoon was given to the reports of the standing committees which was of interest in spite of the absence of many of the chairmen.

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Miss Latane gave the report of her own committee, Current Criticism, and read the report of the Committee on the Drama, Miss Cloud Chairman. Miss Bowie reported for the day set apart for the Committee on Education. Miss Cooper gave the report for the Committee on Essays and Essayists, Mrs. Sidney Turner Chairman. Mrs. Thomas gave the report for the Committee on Fiction, Mrs. Percy M. Reese Chairman. Mrs. Lord reported for her own committee, the Committee on Foreign Travel. Mrs. Alan P. Smith for the Committee on the Literature of the Bible, Miss Reese for the Committee on Modern Poetry. Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith reported for the Committee on Unfamiliar Records, Letters,

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and Autographs, and gave a report of the afternoon filled by Miss Alice Fletcher, the afternoon assigned to the Committee on Authors and Artists of Maryland, Mrs. John C. Wrenshall Chairman. She also read a report for the Committees on Art, Mrs. Marleland Chairman; and Foreign Languages, Miss Nellie Williams Chairman.

At the conclusion of the reports, Mrs. Smith announced the Committee on Elections, Mrs. Robert Bowie Chairman, Mrs. Fayerweather and Mrs. Fenhagen representing the Board, and Mrs. Moore and Miss Bansemer the Club. The roll was called, and the ballots distributed. Those receiving the highest number of votes were as follows, For President Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith. Vice-President Mrs. Alan P. Smith 2nd “ “ Miss L. C. O. Haughton

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for Recording Secretary Mrs. W. W. Thomas

Corresponding “ Miss Lucy T. Lantane

Treasurer “ Mrs. J C Fenhagen

For members of the Board of management to serve two years, the following were named: -

Miss Virginia Cloud,

Mrs. P. D. Uhler

Mrs. Wrenshall - Marleland.

A member of scattering notes were cast, the ladies mentioned withdrawing their names.

 

The 831st Meeting [May 11, 1915]

The 831st regular meeting of the Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore, the second annual business meeting of 1915, was held Tuesday, May 11th 1915, Mrs. Alan P. Smith, First Vice President presiding. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved, and the regular announcements made. Mrs. Alan

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P. Smith mentioned having received a letter from Mrs. John C. Wrenshall, in which the kindliest greetings were conveyed to the Club.

The Committee appointed to audit the Treasurer’s report announced that Mrs. Fenhagen’s books were correct.

Mrs. Fenhagen read her report. At a corresponding date in 1914 our treasury showed a balance of $299.78. At date of report the balance was $282.20, the income of the Club just about equalling the expenditure.

Owing to the absence of Mrs. Bowie, judge of the elections, the distribution of ballots proceeded without her, Mrs. V. D. Cocky being appointed to act. Mrs. Bowie came in later, and reserved her dates Mrs. Cockey being appointed to act upon the committee in the place of Miss Bansemer,

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who was unavoidably detained. The balloting resulted in the election of the following Board:

President - Mrs. Harriet Lummis Smith,

First Vice -President- Mrs. Alan P. Smith,

Second Vice-President- Miss L. C. O. Haughton,

Corresponding Secretary- Miss Lucy T. Latane,

Recording Secretary - Mrs. W. W. Thomas,

Treasurer - Mrs. James C. Fenhagen.

As members of the Board of Management to serve two years -

Miss Virginia Woodward Cloud,

Miss Wrenshall-Markland,

Mrs. P. D. Uhler.

The incoming President

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spoke briefly, making some suggestions as to the line of work to be emphasized in the coming year. The Club then adjourned.

[END OF SEASON? A heading for "The 832nd Meeting" is included but no text follows.]