s sort of thing, and bad girls--well,
unfortunately, the world has always had bad girls and always will have!
We would merely turn our lovely clubhouse over to a lot of little
romping hoydens."

"But--" began Mrs. Burgoyne eagerly.

"Just ONE moment," said the President, sweetly, and Mrs. Burgoyne sat
down with blazing cheeks. "I only want to say that I think this is
outside the purpose for which the club was formed," added Mrs. White.
"If the club would care to vote on this, it seems to me that would be
the wisest way of settling the matter; but perhaps we could hear from a
few more members first?"

There was a little rustle of applause at this, and Sidney felt her
heart give a sick plunge, and raged within herself because her own act
had placed her at so great a disadvantage. In another moment, however,
general attention was directed to a tall, plainly dressed, gentle
woman, who rose and said rather shyly:

"Since you suggested our discussing this a little, Mrs. President, I
would like to say that I like this idea very much myself. I've often
felt that we weren't doing very much good, just uplifting ourselves, as
it were, and I hope Mrs. Burgoyne will let me help her in any way I
can, whether the club votes for or against this plan. I--I have four
girls and boys of my own at home, as you know, and I find that even
with plenty of music, and all the library books and company they want,
it's hard enough to keep those children happy at night. And, ladies,
there must be plenty of mothers over there in Old Paloma who worry
about it as we do, and yet have no way of helping themselves. It seems
to me we couldn't put our clubhouse to better use, or our time either,
for that matter. I would vote decidedly 'yes' to such a plan. I've
often felt that we--well, that we rather wasted some of our time here,"
she ended mildly.

"Thank you, Mrs. Moore," said Mrs. White politely.

"I hope it is part of your idea to let our own children have a part in
the entertainments you propose," briskly added another woman, a
clergyman's wife, rising immediately. "I think Doctor Babcock would
thoroughly approve of the plan, and I am sure I do. Every little
while," she went on smilingly, "my husband asks me what GOOD the club
is doing, and I never can answer--"

"Men's clubs do so much good!" said some loud, cheerful voice at the
back of the hall, and there was laughter.

"A great many of them do good and have side issues, like this one, th