Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1875 — How the Women Organized. [ARTICLE]

How the Women Organized.

It is a sad thing to see ten or twelve women get together and attempt to orfanize a “ Society to Aid the Deserving oor.” They tried in Ninth avenue the other afternoon, after having talked up the matter for three or four weeks. Thirteen or fourteen of them met by appointment, and after some skirmishing one of the number called theine&tmg to order and said that the first duty‘would be to elect a President. A sharp-faced woman got up and said that she didn’t want the position, but if it was the wish of the meeting that she should take it, why, she would. There was a painful pause, and a fat woman arose and said that she had had considerable experience with such societies, and that she thought she could render greater personal aid if made President. There was another painful pause, and a little woman rose up and squeaked: “ I move to lay the subject on the table!” The other women looked at her im a freezing way, and it was suggested that a ballot be taken. All readily agreed to this, and ballots were prepared and a bonnet passed around. When the votes were counted it was found that each woman had put in at least one for herself and three of them had put in two or three. The President pro fern, looked very grave as she stood up and remarked : “ Ladies, I trust that this error may not occur again.” It did, however, or at least each one cast a vote for herself, but on the third ballot a choice was made and the lucky woman took her seat, smoothed out the folds of her dress and remarked:

“ The next thing in,prder is the—the next thing!" A woman with a wart on her nose then made a speech, saying that she had been Treasurer of several similar associations, and that if it was the wish of the convention she would accept the office. Ij, didn’t seem to be the wish, however. “I move to adjourn;” solemnly exclaimed a woman with a large back-comb, “ The motion is not in order,” replied a woman across the room. “Amlin the chair or are you?”demanded the President. “ I move to reconsider the motion!” squeaked the little woman. “Isupport the question!” put in the fat woman. The President wiped her spectacles, rapped on the stove-pipe and replied: “Ladies and gentlemen, there is no motion before the house and the question to adjourn is out of order.” “Not much!” exclaimed a woman nearly six feet high, drawing herself up. “ I’ve seen more meetings of this kind than the President ever heard of, and I know that an order to adjourn is always in motion!” “ So is your tongue!” said some one on the lounge, and the President knocked on the stove-pipe and said: “The Chair believes she knows her business as well as any woman wearing plated jewelry, or as well as if she had a wart on her nose! We will now proceed to elect a Secretary and Treasurer. How shall they be elected?” 'fV “ Viver voioer!” cried one. “ I motion by ballot!” added a second. By exclamation!” shouted a third. “You nran acclamation. explained the PresyUfit, looking at the last speaker. “ Ladfert wear an Alaska diamond,” was the reply, “ but I know as much as some folks that do!” “Less Journ!” shouted a female who was born in 1810.

“ I move the previous motion,” pot in the fat woman. “Will some one nominate a candidate?” asked the President. A painful silence ensued. The fall of a hair-pin would have sounded like a crow-bar falling over onto a stove-boiler. Each hoped to have some one else nominate her, and all, therefore, breathed hard and kept silence. “ I nominate Mrs.—+,” finally said the President, seeing there was a dfWPWtk. “ You can’t nominate and put the motion too!” squeaked an old lady with beau-catchers. “ I order the previous motion,” said a woman with a red shawl. “And I’m going hum!” added the fat woman. “Soam I!” “Soam I!” “Soam I!” And they stalked out, leaving the President tying up her left shoe and her eyes flashing wild-cats. And all this is why Detroit hasn’t another “ Society to Aid v , the Deserving Poor.” —Detroit Free Press.