The Redmantle Club was more advanced than Charles, and he knew it. And
when he told his relative that he was going to it for stimulus, he must
have been secretly well aware that it was but a treacherous stimulus he
was likely to get.
The Club had been founded by Mrs. Frederick B. Seaman, who had once had
a novel published, long ago, at a nominal expense of two hundred and
fifty dollars. The name Redmantle had some significance which eludes
memory, but there seems to be no doubt that the founder's original idea
had been merely to gather together a few congenial persons to abuse the
publishers to. The times, however, chanced to be ripe for a broader
forum, one where the most advanced women of both sexes could meet and
freely speak out the New Mind. The Redmantle had seemed to fill the
long-felt want, from the start. Now its meetings began with a Programme,
and you may be sure nobody bothered with such small fry as a publisher.
The Redmantle speakers won salvos only by completely exterminating the
Family and the Home, or proving beyond successful contradiction that
Love Is Going Out.
By arriving late on purpose, Charles Garrott missed a speech by Mary
Wing on the New Education, for which he was rather sorry. For a year or
more he had regarded Miss Wing as one of his best friends, and he always
liked to hear her demolish, in characteristically forceful sentences,
the surviving tradition that the true object of education is to
ornament gentility. He liked to see Mary Wing lay her hand upon her
breast, her Self, and cry out: "So long as I live, whatever I do or
think or am, the center of the world for me is _here_. I will not
conjugate dead languages or recite the imports of Uruguay, before I
learn the first fact about my Self--my body and my mind, my background
and my opportunity!" On the other hand, by his late arrival, Charles
missed Miss Frothingham's advanced harp-solo, and Professor Clarence
Pollock's tribute to a celebrated lady anarchist. As to the elder Miss
Hodger's address on the New Ego, he was not much less opportune. Miss
Hodger was nearing her peroration as the writing tutor appeared at the
door.
He took up a position just inside, and looked through the parlor smoke.
The smoke emanated principally from the ladies, who were, however, as
five to one. Miss Hodger towered by a baby-grand piano, one hand upon an
album, and clamored for her Rights. She demanded these Rights of hers,
whatever they were, with such iteration and passion that a kindly,
simple person, had there been any such present, must needs have cried
out, "Give that lady her Rights there!--and quick about it!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account