MORAL:  Of all Sad Words of Tongue or Pen, the Saddest are these, “It
Might Have Been."

THE FABLE OF WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT THE MEN CAME TO THE WOMEN’S CLUB

In a Progressive Little City claiming about twice the Population that the Census Enumerators could uncover, there was a Literary Club.  It was one of these Clubs guaranteed to fix you out with Culture while you wait.  Two or three Matrons, who were too Heavy for Light Amusements, but not old enough to remain at Home and Knit, organized the Club.  Nearly every Woman in town rushed to get in, for fear somebody would say she hadn’t been Asked.

The Club used to Round Up once a week at the Homes of Members.  There would be a Paper, followed by a Discussion, after which somebody would Pour.

The Organization seemed to be a Winner.  One Thing the Lady Clubbers were Dead Set On.  They were going to have Harmony with an Upper Case H. They were out to cut a seven-foot Swath through English Literature from Beowulf to Bangs, inclusive, and no petty Jealousies or Bickerings would stand in the Way.

So while they were at the Club they would pull Kittenish Smiles at each other, and Applaud so as not to split the Gloves.  Some times they would Kiss, too, but they always kept their Fingers crossed.

Of course, when they got off in Twos and Threes they would pull the little Meat-Axes out of the Reticules and hack a few Monograms, but that was to have been expected.

[Illustration:  WYCLIF]

Everything considered, the Club was a Tremendous Go.  At each Session the Lady President would announce the Subject for the next Meeting.  For instance, she would say that Next Week they would take up Wyclif.  Then every one would romp home to look in the Encyclopedia of Authors and find out who in the world Wyclif was.  On the following Thursday they would have Wyclif down Pat, and be primed for a Discussion.  They would talk about Wyclif as if he had been down to the House for Tea every evening that Week.

After the Club had been running for Six Months it was beginning to be Strong on Quotations and Dates.  The Members knew that Mrs. Browning was the wife of Mr. Browning, that Milton had Trouble with his Eyes, and that Lord Byron wasn’t all that he should have been, to say the Least.  They began to feel their Intellectual Oats.  In the meantime the Jeweler’s Wife had designed a Club Badge.

The Club was doing such Notable Work that some of the Members thought they ought to have a Special Meeting and invite the Men.  They wanted to put the Cap-Sheaf on a Profitable Season, and at the same time hand the Merited Rebuke to some of the Husbands and Brothers who had been making Funny Cracks.

It was decided to give the Star Programme at the Beadle Home, and after the Papers had been read then all the Men and Five Women who did not hold Office could file through the Front Room and shake Hands with the President, the Vice-President, the Recording Secretary, the Corresponding Secretary, the Treasurer, and the members of the various Committees, all of whom were to line up and Receive.