"Talking of clubs, it is the ladies who run clubs nowadays, Miss Van Hoosen. Has Rose told you how many she belongs to? Most of the married men I know have had to resign their memberships; the candle cannot be burned at both ends, and, of course, the ladies' end must not be put out." "Clubs are a new-fangled notion to women yet, Harry. They will soon tire of their own company. You may be sure of that," said Mrs. Filmer. "Not so very 'new-fangled,' mother," continued Harry. "Women's clubs have existed for centuries in Persia and Turkey. They call them 'The Bath,' but the 'bath' is only an excuse for getting together to talk gossip, and eat sweetmeats, and drink coffee. And if you like, I will lend you Aristophanes, mother, and you may read what came of women imitating such masculine ideas among those clever old Greeks." "I have no time to read such ancient books. And they would have to be very clever Greeks indeed to write anything the New York women of to-day would care to read. My dear Harry, they are a few thousand years behind the time." "Harry forgets," said Rose, softly, "that if one of a family have to retire from Club pleasures, justice decides against the man. It is not a matter of courtesy at all; men have had their day. I assure you, Woman is the Coming Man." "Oh! I think we may claim club privileges on much higher grounds," said Adriana. "Every woman's club has before it the realization of some high purpose, or the redressing of some wrong. I never heard of a woman's club in New York on the oriental plan of tattle and gossip and eating sweetmeats." "Two of the clubs to which I belong," continued Rose, "have very important subjects under discussion. One is the _Domestic Symposium_, and we consider topics relating to Household Economy. At present, we are trying to solve the Servant Girl Question." "Oh!" cried Harry, with a hearty laugh, "if you indeed solve that problem, Rose, men will give you the suffrage, and leave the currency, and the tariff, and all such small financial and political questions to you." "Thanks, Harry! It is likely we may voluntarily take them into consideration. This is an age of majorities. If we accomplish the suffrage, women will have a majority on all questions; and the reduction of man becomes a mere matter of time. I was going to remark, that another of my clubs occupies itself with the criticism of the highest poets of the age." "Who are they?" asked Adriana. "That is the point we have been arguing all last winter. We have had difficulties. Mrs. Johnstone Miller raised objections to the consideration of any but American poets; and it took two months' sittings to settle that question. You would be astonished at the strength of some people's prejudices!" ejaculated Rose, holding up her pretty hands to emphasize her own astonishment. "Not at all," answered Harry. "They call their prejudices 'principles,' and then, of course, they cannot be decently relinquished."