Wisconsin.—Two more Wisconsin circles from whom we have heard before in these columns have recently sent us notices of interesting sessions. At Markesan the circle commemorated Garfield’s death by an afternoon session, at which an able program was carried out.
From Rusk a lady writes: “We are only a small circle of six members living in the country, but try to be very zealous Chautauquans. To say that we are thankful for the institution of the C. L. S. C. would but feebly express our feelings, for we truly feel that it brightens our homes and helps us enjoy life. We are all housekeepers, and have all its attending cares, yet we feel that the pleasure we get from these readings more than compensates us for the little additional labor in the direction of the C. L. S. C. We are doing the work much more thorough this year than our first year, and find the better we do our work the more pleasure, as well as profit, we derive from it.”
Minnesota.—The “Flour City” circle of Minneapolis writes that “as we could not expect to visit Chautauqua this summer we decided to celebrate the closing of our first year at our own lovely Minnetonka. In answer to an invitation from a lady member of our circle we went to the lake to spend the day with her; and a wonderful day we had, going by sail twenty miles to the cottage, where we were met by words and faces full of welcome.” At the gay banquet, which was one of the features of the day, they found a unique device: “As we sat down to the sumptuously loaded and elegantly decorated table, some curiosity was aroused at the sight of a small sack by the side of each plate, filled with something, and tied with bright ribbon and labeled ‘F. C. C., 1887.’ Presently, as one noticed that the sacks were of fine bolting cloth, through which the flour began to sift, the riddle was solved. The badge of the ‘Flour City’ circle is a sack of flour, and we wore them proudly home. Next dinner was discussed, and everything proved to be of the best—appetites and all. Then came the feast of reason, and so pleasant did we find it that we lingered quite as long as over that of strawberries and cream.” Fishing, boating and gathering lilies finished their happy day. The “Flour City” circle certainly could not have had a more delightful time—even at Chautauqua.
Missouri.—The third annual meeting of the literary societies of Carthage took place in June. A C. L. S. C. class is one of the prominent members of the association, and on this occasion, as its part of the entertainment, took the audience on an imaginary tour. The Carthage Press thus speaks of the conductors of the tour: “Mrs. Ross was a bright companion in the trip from Carthage to New York; the pictures of the ocean voyage and a visit to Scotland were given by Mrs. Nailon; Miss Belle Ross escorted the party to England in so charming a manner that all hated to give her up, but Mrs. Clarkson proved a worthy successor as she guided them through France; Germany received so original and philosophical a treatment from Mrs. Rombauer that we would fain have lingered longer in the Fatherland; Mrs. Miller took us to Greece and explained entertainingly all the wonders to be seen there; Miss Hayne showed ancient Rome; Miss Devore’s description of the Rome of to-day was so well written and so vivid that we felt as if we had really stood in old Rome in the rooms of new Rome; Mrs. Heywood gave the trip from Italy home to America; and Mrs. Case closed with an entertaining account of a visit to Lake Chautauqua.” A capital idea for some of our friends who are longing for “something new.” At about the same time of this celebration the St. Louis circles, “Vincent” and “Round Table,” held their third annual meeting. These two circles number jointly about seventy members, and they prepared for this entertainment an exceedingly fine program. One attractive feature of the entertainment was the “Tangent,” a monthly paper made up of original articles contributed by the members of the circles, and read by an editor. The idea is to develop and strengthen any latent literary talent possessed by the members, and to furnish an audience for their productions without the embarrassment of making known the authorship.
Kansas.—From Emporia we had the pleasure of receiving in June a pleasant letter from a faithful C. L. S. C. worker in that town. The circle was organized only a year ago, but soon became so large that it had to be divided. Our correspondent thinks it would be hard to find more enthusiastic workers. She says: “We have resolved to be ever true and faithful in the grand work. It is generally understood that nothing but sickness—not even Kansas mud—will keep us at home Chautauqua evenings. We have imitated Cæsar in his plan of a speedy construction of bridges—ours, not across the Rhine, but across the muddy street, for some of us live off the sidewalk.”