yager living, President Johnston of Tulane University,
and Mrs. Townsend, a poet of no mean merit, who had had the honor of
being chosen as the laureate of the opening exposition.

When my duties as president were at an end, I parted from my late
associates with sincere regret, and turned my face northward, with
grateful affection for the friends left behind me.

CHAPTER XVIII

CERTAIN CLUBS

At a tea-party which took place quite early in my club career, Dr.
Holmes expatiated at some length upon his own unfitness for club
association of any kind. He then turned to me and said, "Mrs. Howe, I
consider you eminently _clubable_." The hostess of the occasion was Mrs.
Josiah Quincy, Jr., a lady of much mark in her day, interested in all
matters of public importance, and much given to hospitality.

I shall make the doctor's remark the text for a chapter giving some
account of various clubs in which I have had membership and office.

The first of these was formed in the early days of my residence in
Boston. It was purely social in design, and I mention it here only
because it possessed one feature which I have never seen repeated. It
consisted of ten or more young women, mostly married, and all well
acquainted with one another. Our meetings took place fortnightly, and on
the following plan. Each of us was allowed to invite one or two
gentlemen friends. The noble pursuit of crochet was then in great favor,
and the ladies agreed to meet at eight o'clock, to work upon a crochet
quilt which was to be made in strips and afterwards joined. At nine
o'clock the gentlemen were admitted. Prior invitations had been given
simply in the name of the club, and their names were not disclosed until
they made their appearance. The element of comic mystery thus introduced
gave some piquancy to our informal gathering. Some light refreshments
were then served, and the company separated in great good humor. This
little club was much enjoyed, but it lasted only through one season, and
the crochet quilt never even approached completion.

My next club experience was much later in date and in quite another
locality. The summers which I passed in my lovely Newport valley brought
me many pleasant acquaintances. Though at a considerable distance from
the town of Newport, I managed to keep up a friendly intercourse with
those who took the trouble to seek me out in my retirement.

The historian Bancroft and his wife were at this time prominen