"We don't seem to be crowded here," remarked Mrs. Stout, after a moment's pause. "Anybody else comin'?" "We hope so, but it is early yet, you know, only half-past ten," explained Mrs. Tweedie. "Early? Good land!" exclaimed Mrs. Stout. "I've been up these five hours and done all my work. Oh, there was somethin' I wanted to ask perticler. Is Lizzie Sawyer goin' to join?" "Yes," replied Mrs. Tweedie, and wondered what was coming next. "Well," said Mrs. Stout, confidentially, "the reason I wanted to know was that she and I don't get along very well together, but there, I guess we can manage somehow to keep from clashin'." Mrs. Tweedie saw rough weather ahead, and proceeded to pour oil upon the waters before the storm broke. "Miss Sawyer was one of the first asked to join," she replied. "She is an exceptionally well-educated woman, and has signified her willingness to read several papers on vital topics before the club when we are ready for such work." "Papers? Newspapers?" Mrs. Stout asked, with a puzzled look. "No, indeed! Papers--essays on--on--" Mrs. Tweedie tried to reduce her language to Mrs. Stout's mental level in vain. "Oh, how stoopid I am!" Mrs. Stout interrupted, thereby unconsciously rescuing Mrs. Tweedie from her difficulty, "I understand now. I s'pose she'll try to tell us a lot about religion, and--" "Pardon me," said Mrs. Tweedie, quickly, "I think not. Would it be wise to discuss religion at our meetings? I am sure that the _other sex_ never tolerate it in their organizations." "I s'pose you mean the men?" queried Mrs. Stout. "I do." "Well, that's true enough, I guess, but it ain't because they don't think it's wise. It's because men don't naturally hanker after religion. There's my husband, a good 'nough man, but I can't get him to go to meetin' to save me, though he will go fishin' spite of all I can say or do." "Really!" gasped Mrs. Flint. "Does he really fish on the Sabbath?" "He certainly does," replied Mrs. Stout, "jest as reg'lar as he eats his vi't'ls." Mrs. Tweedie and Mrs. Flint were horribly shocked, and to their cultured minds perhaps "vi't'ls" was quite as shocking as Sabbath fishing. "And what else are we goin' to do besides havin' papers read?" continued Mrs. Stout. "We hope," replied Mrs. Tweedie, "to spend our time in the study and discussion of subjects which will be uplifting, that will make ourselves, and aid us in helping others, to be stronger, morally and intellectually." "You don't mean it!" said Mrs. Stout, with mock gravity. "And when we ain't doin' that I s'pose we'll be talkin' about other folks and their businesses." "I trust not," replied Mrs. Tweedie, much distressed. "Of course, some people are improperly interested in the affairs of others, but we hope that those so inclined will not become members of our club."