Show A C CLUB axi FOR IM MOTHERS OTHERS E housekeepers KC F pr RS organization OF COCOANUT GROVE W lauve te an interest tt of from in I 1 way itle bonte S and tir home ome ets or r the society beets bj away down own on oil the east coast of flor aw lenilts mil south of st augustine la Is ida pretty litt little 1 0 settlement of cocoanut Coco anut tile it it is situated on the banks of drove baa one of the loveliest sheets winter inter cruising and fishing of f water fo for 01 that jt it is possible ble to conceive ve of for those who are not afraid to go beyond the u daily ani and telegraph wires for present there are no railroads or at botts ts not even a wagon road con ns with tho the outside world sa sail tin adata only but plenty of those and good ones too which is very necessary na no tha the nearest market or source of supply fa 13 key rey west vea t to the esth of course there is a hotel post postoffice office tore etore and sunday school building which bih with the biscayne Bia cayne bay Y yacht acht clubhouse the various winter residences residence a of the northern yachtsmen and the pretty little he houses of tile pineapple growers and cocoa planters of the keys each built according to its owners fancy or means and set let in the midst of Coco cocoanut anut lime orange banana and guava trees tm form a most attractive picture to which may wy be added the ever clia changing nging life of the bay the coming and going of tha yachts th the arrival and departure of tho and freight schooners ners but if the place is attractive very much more note are aro the people who have helped make nake it and this is u especially so of tho the women vo ulen whose lins husbands bands and sons are the spongers wreckers carpenters and boatmen of the reef when not engaged tn in truck farming or pineapple raising jt it is to these women and their club a housekeepers club that I 1 wish to introduce my readers A womans comans working club in every sense of the word with an attending membership of twenty and a correspondence membership of ten the latter residents of new york boston san francisco brooklyn staten island and key west to most of tho the women born an and d brought up on the keys of the reef or in koy west and of english parentage for the majority ct of the settlers camo came originally from tho the bahamas the experience 1 peri ence of belonging to a society however simple for women only was a novelty Altho although our club is now a frequent and proud expression among them and member in talking it over with her husband assured him that tit bylaws of her club wore were as well made mado and just as binding as those concoct eH cA in the capitol at tallahassee and so they are to the faithful al band of women romen who gather every thursday afternoon in the little sunday school building and join heart and hand in ili helping each other to enjoy and improve the two hours a week rescued from their household cares for nearly every member is a mother not of one but in several of eight and ten tell children with no ono one to assist in this tho daily and hourly work attending such a household eo so that the first rule made mid ani rigidly enforced no babies allowed at tho tile meetings is 13 a genuine relief and gives tima time and freedom for mud that would bo be otherwise impossible somo sometimes times the children are taken to ft A neighboring honse house ten or twelve little tota from one to three yeara years old and a husband or eldest son volt volunteers inteer to over hee twe those alio w that bra are able to walk in which taso ewe as a it draws near closing time tinie ono little bead head after another will bo be been melt coul coming ilig indian fila file along the narrow path all of them bareheaded or nearly BO so in search of mamma and generally in great gleo glee at having bating escaped aped of course there folio follows s a grand baby show tho the originator of ot the club is its pre si f dent miss flora mcfarlane of f new jersey a woman who has proved hersell in every way capable for tho the lifo life sho ohe intends leadin leading haying having homesteader ed a h hundred u adred and fifty acres of government lands which oho she liaa has gone bravely to vork work to clear and improve the officers of tho club are tho the president secretary assistant sect secretary e tary treasurer and caretaker who haa las entire enire chargo charge of the cluba clubs workbasket giving givin out UK the work and collecting materials mate nali duel such as thimbles needle books patterns and button box after each Ine meeting eting these meetings occur every thursday day afternoon from 3 to 6 5 at the organizing of the clab it wa as voted eliat the time bo be spent in making useful artic lesof clothing from material either given to tho the club thereupon tho president presented a dozen kitchen aprons or bought with the clubs funds the funds being derived from mern membership berth due dues a which were promptly paid so that tho the treasurer found herself busy at once or gifts that such articles should be sold at each nich meeting and to members at coet cost price that the money received for tho the first year be spent in the tile purchase of materials and also in suitable and useful articles for a bazaar to bo be held at the annual meeting for the tile benefit of tho the church building that resident mem bers be elect elected ml by means of a vote cast with black aud and white beans di distant stant or correspondence members on the good faith of the housekeeper proposing them bright newsy letters are received froin tig the nonresident members and all corts ts of gift I in tho the way of household articles from half a dozen cup towels to a harpers Ilar pees dazar bazar |