Some extracts from my minutes as recording secretary are given below, to
show as far as may be the spirit of our meetings. Their object was to
amuse the company rather than to preserve a strictly veracious record of
our doings.
We had no regular fees and dues in the Papeterie, save occasional fines
of five cents for some offense, real or imaginary, and assessments for
postage or for a new record-book. Hence jests about our treasurer were
among our stock jokes. She was christened “butterfly,” owing to her
supposed fondness for society.
The first meeting of the renowned Papeterie Club for the season
of 1910 was held August 9th, at the house of our President, who
occupied the chair, as usual. She has wielded the gavel, OUR
gavel, with her accustomed dexterity and grace, rebuking
frivolous members with august raps on the table.
The annual report of the Rec. Sec. was read. The Chair suggested
in a voice of authority that the proper thing be done by this
report, and all voted to do the proper thing. What this was no
one mentioned.
The Treasurer’s report was a revelation in High Finance, as
follows:
Oct. 19th, 1908. There were five cents—these five cents to be
known hereafter as the Lost Chord.
In July, 1909, we began with this Lost Chord—which vanished,
leaving in its place $5.61 in October of that year.
There were no expenses except $1.20 for postal cards. Apparently
there were no receipts, but somehow the $5.61 has now become
$7.36. The third degree was here mercilessly applied to our
Butterfly Treasurer, also to the minutes, with the result that
it was found $2.75 had been received for special fines. The
Papeterie therefore voted NOT to burn the treasurer at the stake
as a witch. We should have been under this sad necessity had not
this increase in our Treasure been satisfactorily accounted for.
The election passed off with its accustomed serenity. The Club
understands so well how to re-elect the old officers, we could
really do this in our sleep. The old Board is unanimously
murmured into the offices which they will never leave, no never,
while life lasts. The only new feature of the election was that
our Treasurer, Mrs. Lyman Josephs, nobly consented to act as
Cor. Sec. _pro tem._ (in the absence of Mrs. Manson Smith), as
well as our eternal and brilliant Treasurer. And yet she has
been called a Butterfly.
FLORENCE H. HALL,
_Rec. Sec._
In addition to the usual officers of a club, the Papeterie had a
“troubadour” (our musical member), an “archiviste” in charge of the
archives, and a “penologist.” Our penal code was in the custody of the
latter. We had a great deal of fun over the code—but I do not remember
the actual infliction of any punishment, except fines of five cents.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account