Making People Happy

sperately with her gavel. In va

toutly battling to bring order out of chaos. Usually the creamy pallor of her cheeks was only most daintily touched with rose: at this moment the c

itas Club was in full operation, and would brook no restraint. Each of the twelve women, who were ranged in chairs facing the presiding officer, was talking loudly and swiftly and incessantly. None paid the slightes

lared vehemently, "I'll neve

, and the attention of the garrulous twelve was finally given to the presiding officer. For a moment, silence fell. It was broken by Ruth

me togethe

ance over the tumult, and smiled with the

to lecture you in my own house; but we came together for a serious

g militant suffragette from England. Her aggressive manner and the eager expression of her narrow face with

caustic comment. "We are forgetting our

the speaker; but she inv

"our great work-the

he twenties at least, and still a spinster, prided herself on her powers of conquest, despite the

the subjugation of man," she d

rted; and the accent on the fi

motherless girl in her New York home. Now, on a visit to her niece, the bride of a year, she found herself inevitably involved in the somewhat turbulent session of the Civitas Club, with which as yet she enjoyed

d, and spoke softl

e avowed happily. "You know, she t

in the cause of woman during the dull season, now rose from the chair im

t of those in the company, by a sweeping gesture. "It is our duty to follow firmly on the path which our sister has indicated toward the emancipati

officer hesitated for a moment, fumbling among the papers on the table. "What's the name-? Oh, here it is!" she concluded, lifting a sheet from th

ssive voice, the members of the club straightened in their places with obvious pride

duck of a name! Let's see-the Vivitas

he rescue of the

ng men and women closer togethe

oval with her usual air

Cicily," she urged.

n," a number of enthu

of complying with the demand for a re

d. "Oh, what's the use?" she questioned flippantly. "You'll all get copies of it in full in your mail to-morrow morning." Mig

d the assembly with that dignity befitting one

ature of the voting, if such it could be called, "I think it is now time for us to start the society." Sh

society forthwith. Unhappily, however, there remained an obstacle to the accomplishment of that desirable end-a somewhat general ignorance as to th

she asked, in a ton

y to this pertinent interrogation, the milita

s. Flynn declaimed, "is like unto the start of a gr

t she interrupted the speaker in order to demonstrat

oyously, "that you blow a w

ll-concealed titters; Miss Johnson permitted herself to laugh in a gurgling note that s

not been a member of many

hed painfully. Now, however, she was ready with

I was chief rooter of the Pi Iota Gammas, wh

e with dangerous

igs-pardon my using the English of it, but

est smile. "I remember, Helen, dear: you had no cha

oy all her arts to win away another's lover. That she had failed utterly in her efforts to make an impression on the heart of Charles Hamilton did not mitigate the offense in the estimation of the bride. So strong was Cicily's feeling, indeed, and so impulsive he

s, I believe, usual in clubs to have officers, and, for that reason, it seems to me that it would be well to select officers for this club

n, but now with sincerity. Without a moment of hesitation, she accepted the suggestion, and act

"I accept the suggestion.... Won't

stion. She smiled radiantly, and she fairly preened hers

ve there are certain formalities that are ordinarily observed-I believe that it is a matter of selection by the club as a

another opportunity for the gratification of malice. A glance showed that this detestable young woman was in fact exchangi

d? I beg your pardon! I thought it

ity on Mrs. Carrington's features vanished as if by magic. S

e inflection

the evident confusion of Cicily, now stood u

ho are at the front, fighting gloriously the battle of all women in this great movement.... At least, that is the way in England." She paused and bridled as she su

iguity from the utterance of the militant

er, were you not, Mrs. Fly

he Englishwoman was frankly gratified by the implica

know the inside of almost eve

isplayed their amazement by exclamations and gestures. Mrs. Carrington especially made manifest the

we do not think that getting into jail is necessarily a cause for pride." There were m

," she retorted, briskly.

dent," Miss Johnson cried with sudden en

addressed, save perhaps the Englishwoman, that at the age of forty Mrs. Morton had undergone two divorces, and that she

ted in her own harrowing experience

ined myself to the gallery in the House of Commons, and

y who uttered the exclamation, ha

an Irish policeman, that should be held against one." This was Mrs.

ashion totally unexpected. She cried out in gen

imagine I would ever b

will have very small opportunity in New York

at the conversation between the two older women had reached a point where interruption were the course of prudenc

e to the emergen

business. We haven't been going ahead very fast, it

ertain sentences threw light on individual methods of determining executive merit. A prim spinster shook her head violently over some suggestion from the woman beside her. "No, my dear," she replied aggressively, "I certainly shall not vote for her-vote for a woman who wears a transformation? No, indeed!"... Cicily improved the interval of general bustle to inquire secretly of

etic action toward an election. She sto

d make a splendid officer. I nominate d

cily inquired, with a pleased smile for

uth Howard exclaimed, with

snubbed by Mrs. Carrington. In consequence, now, she showed no sign of sympathy with her companio

ned at a standstill, despite the nomination she had made. She rose to her

e was no audible response to this information, she added with rising indigna

rness to do the right thing for any and all persons, she felt that she herself had been woefully remis

y a stately bow of thanks from Mrs. Morton. Half a dozen others, taking their cue from the presiding officer, noisily cried out in seconding th

election be made unanimous," she demanded, with much unction in her voice. She smiled per

casion with an access

dly, "that Mrs. Carrington be elected preside

proven, the trusted crusader in the cause of women, from England, be elected president, and that her election be made unanimou

h cried, anxiously. "Of

ent were every whit as ignorant of parliamentary law as was she herself. So, in this emer

son, there's already a m

on hastened valiantl

Miss Johnson wished to have an imported English president for our American society, she should have

me to her that did greater credit to her ingenuity than to her executive knowl

affirmed; "I'm sure yo

cated by Cicily's unexpected amiability toward her. "My motion also is befor

peace. The rival candidates sat in rigid erectness, disdainfully aloof while their supporters wrangled. The whisperings of

e faltered. "I'm afraid you

ed a conciliatory hand toward the adversaries, and spoke with an air of f

amendment." At this profound suggestion, the whole company br

frankly, while the others regarded her

terrupt the proceedings, and you'll know all about it in a few minutes." She beamed once again, first

ame her years, was

terial to me, just

er that was not without sig

ry formally to Mrs. Morton, who returned the salute with a fine

of chaos. Her eyes glowed with pride, and the flush in her cheeks deepened.

in favor of Mrs. Motion's morton-I mea

. Morton rose and said: "Thank you, ladies." Next, Mrs. Carrington stood up, placed a hand on her heart, and expressed her appreciation of the honor done her: "I deeply thank you, ladies." The incident w

vote without a dissenting voice. "Amendment carried," the presiding officer announced, gleefully. It was now the turn of Miss Johnson to rise and offer her tha

she led the chorus, and the vote was unopposedly affirmative. "The motion and the amendment are carried un

be," Mrs. Carrington remarked, triumphantly. Mrs. Flynn was even more emphatic. "I've never seen a meeting more gloriously typical of our great cause." The tribute was welcomed with a buzz of assent.

d?" was her s

ther with widened eyes. It was broken very speedily, however, by Mrs. Carrington, who ro

onor," she st

militant suffragette, was

nt with a fierce indignation that was returned in kind. Most of the others were t

nt. Probably, it is. The customs of that country vary widely from ours in many respects. So, they probably do in the matter of elections in clubs. Now, I belo

lenge to Miss Johnson, who promptly

Mrs. Flynn-but, even if someone-" she regarded Mrs. Morton with great significance-"I say, even if someone should wish to take unfair advantage of a technicali

amentary procedure moved

to Madam Chairman." Mrs. Carrington nodded a stately agreement to the proposal, and the company as a whole appeared vastly relieved, wi

he crisis of her own making. She looked from o

of the bride, but it was of no avail. The company asserted with vehemence that she must render the decision in this unfortunate dilemma.... And, aga

lves. Which one wishes to take the office, to force herself forward against the wishes of the other?" She cast a seemingly guileless glance of i

was quick to mak

t the office, in spite of a unanimous vote. If, however-" She broke off to stare acc

e of the opportunity for

rd, even though my record is such that it is hard to see ho

ington is elected," M

Johnson urged aggressiv

she implored. "Reme

ered maliciously, as

"I scarcely feel justified-" Her mock humil

r, I cannot f

is was in truth the psychological mom

comes of putting your hostess in such an unfortunate position as compelling her to force on one of her guests something she doesn't want. Mrs. Carrington and Mrs. Flynn, both, are my friends and my guests as well, and I must certa

imilar emotion of Mrs. Morton and Miss Johnson, was not observed by the others in the general hubbub of enthusiasm aroused by the new Solomon come to

answer-the real cause, I think, of the woman question. These men have gone on inventing vacuum cleaners and gas-stoves and apartment hotels and servants that know more than we do. They haven't treated us fairly. They've taken away all our occupation, and now we've got to retaliate. We can't keep house for them any more, and, if we-if we care anything about them, or want to help them, we've got to go into business, or to help them vote.... Well, they brought it on themselves. They've got too proud. They used to be dependent on us: now, we're dependent

aused the interruption to

ly immoral!" gasped t

he cast a withering look on her enemy, who quailed visibly. "And I think that's all," Cicily added, contented

gorous temperament would permit no longer sulking in silence des

er, had not yet reject

elect a secretar

s persistently moved to discredit the o

y? Any number of young working women would doubtless be glad of the honor." This brought an

trated, with sincere, if vague, adherence to her ideal

ugh, was opposed to the i

professional working woman thinks more of her salar

atter with a blithesome nonchala

tting the Gordian knot. "I'll make my

militant suffragette repeated

al should not outdistance her at the finish

nd the

t epoch-marking organization: The Civitas Society for the Uplift of Wo