Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1880-01-08
FANNIE PALMER'S LETTER.
Gossip About the r---Poesy After Pima
fore---Many who were Multced Of their
Money---Anecdotes in Polite So
ciety---Operatic and Dramatic
Season.
New YORK, December 18th, 1879.

New YORK, December 18th, 1879
The social campfire has at last been light
ed and will probably be kept blazing for the
remainder of the season. The first faggo
which took fire and set the whole social struc
ture afame, was the Seventh Regiment Fair
which lasted three weeks, and has but jus
closed. 1t has proved to be the greatest sue
cess of any affair OF the kind which has beer
gotten up in this city since the great Sanitary
Fair held here during the war. The amoun
realized at this recent fair is variously esti
mated at from 100000 to $150,000, which
handsome sum is to be devoted to the furnish
ing of the new armory which has recently
been built up town, and which will be, when
completed, one of the finest structures of the
kind in this country. The gallant 7th is New
York's pet regiment, and the one in which
most of our fashionable ladies are interested,
as so many of our society beaux belong to
it's rank and file, and when it was proposed
| last Spring that fair should be held in the
armory this fall, in order to raise funds to fit
up and furnish the different company rooms,
the women of New York rose in their might
and worked as many of them had never
worked before, and the result of their labors
when displayed in the various company
booths was something astonishing. Pin
cushions enough to supply an army; pen
wipers enough to soak up a sea of ink; tides
enough to cover all the chairs in the state
bric-a-brac; works of art; silver ware; con-
fections; diamonds; wedding cakes smiles
I mean lady's smiles-and, in short, almost
everything one could dream of was dealt out
to confdng and affectionate public, and
money flowed into the Golfers of the regi-
ment like-like, we'll, l am at loss for a
comparison, for havn't seen it flow at such
rate for these many days. The booths
were presided over by young maids and mat
rons who displayed some superb costumes,
and, if may be allowed to use some of your
western slang, went for the gentlemens pock-
et-books in way that meant business, and
the smiles above referred to, at once so art
less and so artful, drew the "bottom dollar y
from many poor fellows purse, and drew
his heart right out of his waistcoat. Perhaps
about as dangerous thing as susceptible
young man would care to meet is a beautiful
woman at fair. A paper called the KNAPP
sack was issued daily during the fair, and
contained some very bright articles and par
agraphs, and among the squibs may be quoted
the following as illustrating how the women
beguiled the so-called sterner sex into part
ing with their trade dollars in the cause of
patriotism.
GLOW doth the little busy girl
Improve each shining minute,
And take around little book
With fifty chances in 1t.
How doth she try her ev'ry vile,
And say, Your bound to win
And oh, how sweetly doth she smile
When she has 'roped you in,"
/ see by the HERALD that you have been
enjoying "Pinafore'' in Helena, so will sp-
preciate the following potent appeal of the
Butter Cups of Company Is booth:
"Then buy of II Company,
Good old Ninth Company,
Ladies should never be shy;
So give us your company,
Prices won't jump any,
Come, take look, and then buy.
We've shawls and we've laces,
Most beautiful vases,
And Afghans to catch every eye;
Rare easels and boxes,
And pretty knick-knoxes,
So buy of i COmpany-buy."
On brokers' day some one nailed up in
conspicuous place a placard bearing these
pathetic lines:
s''Tis the voice of the broker,
q hear him complain,)
I've been to the Fair,
And Pm busted again."
In fact men spent money with a reckless
ness that reminded one of the 'ante-bellum"
times, as our Southern friends would say, and
many left the armOry at night with just five
cents left in their pockets for Car fare. The
result has been, as above stated, that the
armory fund is enriched to the amount of
many thousands, and for this the gallant crew
may thank their lady friends in great meas
ure. In return for the services of the ladies
the regiment proposes to give grand ball in
their honor as soon as the armOrY is entirely
finished and the company rooms furnished.
The fair became such a pleasant resort for
the fashionable world for three weeks that
every one regretted to see it close, and it was
generally remarked that permanent institu-
ton of the kind would be boon to the city.
1t certainly was delightful place at which to
while away an evening, and society has rather
felt at loss for trysting place since its
close, and I doubt if any other social event
this season will equal in brilliancy the great
Seventh Regiment Fair.
Apropos of fashionable society notes, l
must quote the following interesting item
from last Sundays issue of Nodhs Times, "a
society paper,) regarding certain society