ELINOR'S. CLUB.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 92, 11 January 1908, Page 15

ELINOR'S. CLUB.

-• i "Why sHouId.WG liavo men in our clubs'?" gaid Elinor j ' "'we don't want 'thorn, they don't,'-;want us, h'ave 'their, j.nwn clubsj>'&nd— they're only a nuisanco in ours.". , "They're rather fun," I said tentatively. "Funl—wo don't belong to clubs for fun, at least I don't—l como hero for quiet and peace,,and—ajid when I'm untidy and want to' tidy up and havo . not got time to go homo, aijd that is why I have chosen tho Persiplioiie." rv 'i • ■' I sighed. "Well, my dear Elinor,-, you must go your, bftfC.'way; 1 am onlj yory sorry you wjll not join my club, ■ because it's such a jolly one; all, if you^please • yourself, you aro suro of being satisfied.'!• ■ *' ' - ~ ' i;*' • ■ , ;Elinor was having luncheon with,us.v, ''■"I-am onjy up for a few days," .she said. "Papa asked me to come up about somo seivants; what a fearful boro servants, aro !' - ; .'.'Where aro':you staying?" "At the club," she replied. "Do como . in to tea—rother late; dearest, if, yofi don't miud, as I shall 'have' domestics ; :pouring in on mo botffccn three and four—anil niore probably on until nearly live." - "Very wpll," I said, "I will como about five," and; I accordingly drove down to the .Persiphone at quarter - "Is your. • business 'over?" I'^fisked,as • I • was* shown int'6 ;a ''delightfur'-feftting-rooni that adj6iiM)d" Elinor ,; s'.''bedroohr. •' " •"'• . "I nover : "heard' anything';-' so ; absolutely • idiotic and .disgraceful,", she said, jumping 'up to meet me, iivl pouring.'out her anger and troubles with d.-ime^iiicoftcr&ice.''-'What do you think,' Alico, ,1. havo' been ;wa.iting here for 'to . hours;' yoff; know, ; I; : advertised : in tho Vv -ling Post/., and for.-over two hours I've wait " to'see ,butlcrs' y and first . footmen— Martfti is_' being married, and Jonea won'tf-tav on without, him—and they'vo actually them all away."; "Who has eeiii, sr Jjdt ! in much bowilderme.iv. -. /■■■•.. / < "Why, tho hall maid. •.• replied Elinor; "you know we havo only hall maids hero I They're so nice and clean, and she said sho asked' the secretary, who said she couldn't allow any,nieh.'ih'tlie^club;" ■; •"-."l;laughed, and- 1 theii : apologised'..;- ( "I'm so sorry, dear, 'but how' stupid of thopi; did they really, refuse?" .: f-v "Yes," said Elinor,- "and when I ' went do.wn. arid complained,'the secretary said" sho was'.very hadj even sug-. gestod their-cbriuhg liereTT-as. though'.-it were a nunnery, or as though one looked on footmen as men..-' ZiV; "What will you do?'' I asked, i ..,"' - "I- don't. know," she replied. "There were about fifteen altogether, theshall maid: said,- and now I supposo papa will havo to. coine up and see them at his club, but,.ho; always .Tikes'mo to see them ' i-"And, of course,'•you wouldn't bo allowed in his club," I said; "Pbor'-you," I added synapathetically; " but you must con solo yourself with thought that every draw-,, back has.its compensation, arid, at least, you will get your - ineals in peaco." It was tho following day, and I had finished .my breakfast, and was settling down to.-vwrit^-Myfetters, when a tologram camofrom' EhriorftYory uiiwell; cain you' call in-to-day?—Elinor." ,1 ordered the brougham, arid .went at once. She was? evidently ing from a chill, for her face was flushed afid hor voice rather hoarse. "I, say, dearest, I feel so very seedy,"' she said' fteintivcly; "isn't it a boro. when I have so" much. to,do. ' I' thought perhaps you would bo an angeliv-arid-see'.tp .ono'.or two things for mo." "Of course,", I said,. "I have nothino; to do.'-to-day, and ,the is horb; ; f but, . Elinor, l.'get you !'a,.-'doctor . 1 ' "I.have,?told'thcm-.tq;fotch,.pno,'';sho said, "and ■! shall tell ..himilKp inus.t some-, thing to buck me up; I do so want to go to thb''slarchmonts' to-morrpiv, night. I expcct' he'll bo here in about a quarter of ani'hour." Cari'you wait, like a dear, and send off somd wires'/fbr nio?'''-.SWfW'WW! ««* i " ,"Of Sftiaj- lio' still, and I'll., lower this blind." • l :.;lt' , 'was scarcely .tenhmimites.-' before .the maid knocked at-.th«<-dbor.'•» • ■ „>"The doctor, Miss," she whispered to mo. "Ask him to como up," I said, and turned away'to'tell Elinor. . A few moments later there; came a sharp rap. at'the door. Tho noisy kind of cheery man, I said to myself (with a little grimaco, as*l thought of Elinor's'"'fads"for' absoluto quiet. ! '■ , "Come in," I criedj.-. : atfd,-as the ; door opened, with somo 'abruptness,. involuntarily .'drew back -iri-dismay, for a tail, .'gaunt woman' stalked firmly ;,'into; the - room,, and, going over to the wimlow,'drew the blind ,up hurriedly, showing us as she turned a sharp, 'rather]', hard face, shorty and- sensiblo. skirts, and very useful gloves, and boots., ' "How do you do?" she said curtly, taking off the.useful gloves as'she spoke, and look- - irig keenly at. the, astonished face ,of Elinor, who , was almSst 'biirifed'"iii 'exceedingly fluffy garments. "What is it," added the doctor, "a headache, eh?" : But Elitior'Was apparently' suffering from partial, .if not dtttire; paralysis,''.and"she only recedcd;'further into the'fluffy garments. . ;,,Tho'gaunt lady strode _over,to the .bed, and felt horjpiulsej''lind "tried" : libr,,chisst; arid' generally : tj)r.pugh' tho ncc.essary .inedi-. cal pantomime,'' arid then she turned again to me;. ''< "A v Eliglit'bhill," : she said .cheerfully. . "A day "in'"'bcd—riiilk and 'soda 'and 1 light food. I'll eivc.,hcr .something that will soon set, right," : and'she sat down'arid drew out an' s exceedingly largo and ''■unpleasantlooking notebook, 'then sho' ' jumped up'. "Good day,"-she bowed coldly to' Elinor and turned, to !nio/,'4"Are':you- c'oihing down ?' ■ I; meeldy followed her. "Thero's., nothing -to be alarmed about,"-, 'she .sa id ■-r ssn I ill gly— "your, sister? No,-'I thought'not,-she's ex-- • cecdingly norvous. Most of you society wo- ■ men are neurotic nowadays. Don't let her get up, to-day; but cheer her up, -and don't let her talk about her ailmcjits, cli ?.' ' day," and a lrioment later she had vaulted athlotically into a hansom, and was whirling ■ away down Dover Street. I ran back to.-Elinor;.• ''Isn't it: funny?" ; I'laughed. "Oh, Elinor, wasn't it really lovely; did you ever see such an awful femalo?" I added almost hystericblly, but Elinor's hysterics were the other kind. "Give me my blotter," she, cried angrily, '.'quick, Alico—yes, that, one—and ■ ring for Mario at oiico. I am going to get iip." "Get up," I said, "but you're ill!" v , • "Yes, 'perhaps I am,v but I'm not mad," she rejoined, "and if I am ill I'll have a man to ,get mo well;, but givo mo my blotter, doarost, while Marie gets my water, and let - me forget that creature who treated, me as though-I were a baby or a lunatic." "Whom are you writing ..t0.?".. I asked-. "I am suro you re too ill to write any letters." Elinor paused laid her pen down on ■ tho-blotter: i,'!:-" -~1 "I'm writing to the secretary of,.the club," sho said, "to tender' ri'iy resignation, and to toll her what' I think of her beastly club,". and she added dramatically: "And then I'm going to a decent hotel; I'm much-too ill to stay hero, my dear; Alico,"—Rosalie Neish, in "M.A.P."