I was honored by an invitation one day to dine at the Bottas' and there met for the first time several distinguished people, among them one who became my lifelong friend and wise counselor, Andrew D.White, then president of Cornell University, afterwards Ambassador to Russia and Germany, and our chief delegate to the Hague Conference.
Here in the Nineteenth Century Club was an arena, indeed.

Able men and women discussed the leading topics of the day in due form, addressing the audience one after another.

The gatherings soon became too large for a private room.

The monthly meetings were then held in the American Art Galleries.

I remember the first evening I took part as one of the speakers the subject was "The Aristocracy of the Dollar." Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson was the first speaker.