VOLUME II. BELOIT, KANSAS, APRIL, Presented With Banners. Oberlin, Kan., Feb. 5.—Vanity Fair Camp, 660, was organized April 27, 1897, with twenty-seven charter mem- bers. We now have a membership of about eighty, the most of whom are beneficiary. We also have seven ap- plicants to initiate at our next meet- ing,. February 8. We meet the second and fourth Friday of each month and have a good attendance at all meetings. At our first meeting in December we were very pleasantly surprised by three of our other Neighbors, Mrs. Maggie Keys, our Recorder, Mrs. Avie Plotts, our Receiver,and Mrs. Annie Stickley, our Chancellor. After the business of the evening was over and our officers el- ected for the ensuing year, Neighbor O. O. Osborn arose,and with a few appro- priate remarks presented in behalf of the above named ladies, a set of five most beautiful banners. The banners were made of satin, representing our characters ; their emblems and mottoes being hand-painted in gold and trim- mings of gold fringe. They were fully worthy of the exclamations of admira- tion that could be heard in all parts of the hall. All that was left for the rest of us to do was to tender them a vote of thanks, which we did with our hearts, but this was not our last sur- prise in the old year. On our next meeting night, December 28, our big brothers, three hundred strong, called ‘*Vanity Camp,’’611, Modern Woodmen of America, was the next to surprise us. We had just finished a very pleas- ant evening, having initiated two can- didates and voted on three more, and had closed for a few minutes social recess, when some of the brothers called for a dance, ‘but before others had time to respond the hall door was thrown open and in marched the Woodmen, eight of the leaders carrying large platters, on each of which rested a fine roasted turkey and they were followed by others carrying well filled baskets of other eatables to make up the banquet. Then came the tables and dishes, and such a feast as those Woodmen spread before us would be hard to describe. After supper was over Dr. W.B. Mead, their master of cer- emonies, called the house to order and in a few well chosen remarks introduced Y. E. Kulp, their retiring venerable consul, who made us a short but much appre- ciated speech. The quartette furnished us with some excellent music. A spicy talk was delivered by C. Borin, their consul-elect. O.O. Osborn and Dr. W. B. Mead also made short addresses, which were much appreciated by all present. To say this surprise was a complete success is putting it mildly. R. ESTHER BECHTOLDT. Working for Success. Eddyville, Neb., Feb. 25.—As I en- joy reading the letters from other camps I thought perhaps the Neighbors would like to hear from us. Pansy Camp, 1,840, was organized August 29, 1899, with thirty-two charter members, four- teen beneficiary and eighteen social. Of course we have lost some and added others. We have not near the mem- bership we should have, as the Wood- men camp here has over one hundred, buat we are all working hard to increase our membership. We meet the first and third Thursdays of each month. At our first meeting in December our oracle and vice oracle’ chose sides to see which side would secure the most members by March 7, the losing side to furnish supper. The result is we have five to initiate at our next meet- ing. February 14, being the fourth anniversary of the Woodman camp of Eddyville and it being customary for them to give an annual ball, they kind- ly offered to delay the dancing for a few hours and. tendered us the use of their hall to present an entertainment. The members then presented the play, ‘‘Wives of the Woodmen, or What In- surance Did for Melvina,’’ and, judg- ing from the praise the members re- ceived, it was enjoyed by all, and benefited our camp to the extent of $32.45. We also served supper after- wards, our brother Woodmen kindly furnishing us the oysters and the Royal Neighbors furnishing the rest of the good things, which netted us $24.30, for which we thank Modern Woodmen Camp, 4,541. I would advise any camp that is not prospering as it should, to try our plan. Mrs. NELLIE KENNICUTT, Recorder. From An Active Camp. Nichols, Ia., Feb.2.—Nichols Camp, 1,211, was organized December 27, 1898, with twenty-eight charter members. Since that time forty others have join- ed our beloved order, seven have with- drawn and joined other Royal Neigh- bor camps and seven have been dropped iM a a > 4 VA 1901. NUMBER 4 Small But Enterprising. Lowell, Ill, Feb. 4.—Having re- ceived each number of THE ROYAL NEIGHBOR as it has been issued and reading with intense interest the many letters and other good articles that have appeared within its columns, I thought I would write a few words in behalf of Laurel Camp, 351, located at Deer Park, Ill., which was organized nearly five years ago with twenty char- ter members. We are not one of the large camps, as we have but thirty members at present, but we hope to achieve better results in the future than we have in the past. A great many of the social members have drop- ped out and several beneficiary ones have moved away. We are glad to welcome the men. Have two who are beneficiaries. Our meetings are held the second and fourth Saturday after- noons of each month. The attendance THE REAPERS,.—8By Julien Dupre. is generally small, especially in the for non-payment of dues, and we have lost one by death, leaving about fifty members in good standing. We have our organ, floor cloth, banners, staffs and dishes and we are now ready to buy our robes. We initiated three at our last meeting and have three for the next. We held joint installation with the Woodmen and served supper to about one hundred guests. At our last meeting we surprised our past oracle and presented her with a lovely chair and head rest. We served ice cream and cake to about seventy-five and all enjoyed the evening very much. On December 15 our camp had a fair ana gave the bloomar drill and a nice sum was realized; we also served dinner and supper on election day and cleared anice sum. We have almost enough to get our robes. We aim to combine pleasure and business and keep things going. We all enjoy reading THE RoyvaL NeiGHBOR. Our camp meets every Wednesday evening and every visiting Neighbor is always welcome. Mrs. DORA FELTON, - Past Oracle. Mrs. MATTIE HANEY, Marshal. winter, as several of the members live quite a distance from the meeting place. Several times we have _ been obliged to adjourn, not enough being present to constitute a quorum. There is a large Modern Woodmen camp in this community, but they meet with discouragements as well as we do. We have given many entertainments and suppers. On the evening of Janu- ary 15, we gave an old-fashioned enter- tainment and supper, which netted us nearly $12. We had enough money in our treasury at the end of the year to pay our rent, which amounts to $50 a year and still have some left. I sent for five copies of the play entitled ‘‘The Wives of Woodmen,’’ and we anticipate rendering it in the near future. We are going to give a literary program on Thursday evening of this week. When we meet with good re- sults we begin to think Laurel Camp is still alive, even if we are not as ac- tive as some others. None of the mem- bers have been removed by the reaper, death, thus far. FRANCES WARRNER, Recorder. ah meester aes coebmemeeeceaat tees t tac a easiness arnt nisin names panacea ema Et a ieee ‘tna ttt ce Lae ett ELLE Why Girls Should Be Thankful. Fifty years ago the life of the aver- age girl was commonplace and dreary to the last degree. She was allowed very little education and was encour- aged to be delicate because it was con- sidered ladylike. Her one aim and ob- ject in life was to get married, and if she failed in that she was deeply dis- graced and marked for shame and con- tempt as an ‘‘old maid.’’ Today she has the high privilege and_ blessed right of earning her own living. This makes her independent, and she can remain single until love prompts her to marry. If she never marries, no one depises her. The ‘‘old maid’’ has dis- appeared completely, and in her place we have the breezy, independent, up- to-date, athletic and well gowned bachelor girl, who is succeeding in business life or a profession and asks neither pity nor favors from her fellow men. Should not girls be thankful? Meet Monthiy With Members. Alexandria, O., Jan. 21.—Camp Holly, located at Alexandria, O., was in- stituted March 6, 1900, by Deputy Letha Perry, of Zanesville, with a charter membership of thirty, fifteen of whom were beneficiaries. During the year four social members dropped out and we adopted five new members, four of whom were beneficiary members. Our camp meets the first and third Monday evenings of each month. We are ina fairly prosperous condition, more inter- est being manifested at each meeting as the members become better ac- quainted with the work and business of the camp. November 12, 1900, the Royal Neighbors gave a supper to the Modern Woodmen and their guests, which netted them a neat little sum. December 18, 1900, Royal Neighbors, assisted by several Woodmen gave an entertainment, which proved a great success financially. We meet the third Saturday afternoon in each month at the home of a Neighbor; take our sew- ing and contribute our mite. The hostess serves a dainty lunch and we have royal times. Our Royal Neigh- bor paper contains many points of inter- eo each and every camp. Success o it. PERSIS M. HAMMOND, Recorder. Remembered Their Oracle. Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 15.—Fern Camp, 1010, is three years old and has a membership of 104. We have lively competition, as there are energetic workers in the six other camps here in Minneapolis, as well as in our own. We enjoy a most beautiful equipment of regalia to work with. Our robes are very artistic and of beautiful material ; our floor cloth was hand painted by a member, Neighbor Cole, an artist whom we take pride in claiming as one be- longing to our camp. We havesent for our banners and expect they will be as handsome as the price, and we have just settled in a new, modern hall in the business center. Our installation of officers, January 14, by Senior Past Oracle, Mrs. B. Hooks, was conducted in a very edifying manner. A _ token of esteem from camp to retiring Oracle, Jennie Haynes, was a beautiful set of solid silver teaspoons, also floral favors to her and installing officers. Light refreshments followed. You will agree we are not entirely attuned to the ‘‘Doric’’ style, but we are conscious of our rays of sunshine and have and en- joy them. By the way, the article in last issue of the Royal Neighbor paper advocating the. possibility of an in- crease of per capita, I think every one who will stop a moment to consider will agree that there is a great expense attached to Supreme Camp, but the working man and his family compose our order and is there not danger in everything that is taxed to its full capacity? JutraA A. RAMSAY, Oracle. |