The Columbus journal., 1881-03-23


should be crushed. felt the young
mans arm tremble, and | thought
that il would give way in a minute
and so it did, and | sped down the
aisle and planted myself by marble
pillar determined to stand there
throughout the evening. just then
Colonel *** and lady spoke pleas
antly to me; they were both seated
on the steps of the aisle and thank
ful for the seat. | had not stood
there long before q gentleman came
to me, he had recognized me. He
said, 81 have a reserved seat for
you," and he led me to his wife
where / had one of the finest seats
near the front and in the center OF
the hall. cannot express my graf
itude for the respectful manner in
which | am treated whenever | go
to the city, and for the friends who
continually spring up around my
path. settled contentedly into
my chair glad enough to enjoy from
the audience the grand spectacle
which was soon to open before US.
The heavy crimson curtains were
drawn up. In the center of the
stage aud about ten feet back the
oil painting was firmly fixed about
four feet from the floor it was COW
cred by green rep curtains. From
its base to the floor was q bank of
flowers and large pots of dwarf
palms and other foliage were set all
over the stage. Among these sat
the ladies, lovely and richly dressed I;
they had no hats on. On one side
was a grand piano, Prof. Bishoff, the
blind orgsnist and all his trained
vocalists, and on the other no less
than nine ministers Of the gospel,
several of them being ID. DIS. Miss
Willard presided and she also made
the principal speech. The meeting
was opened by the singing of "Cor-
onation" by all that vast concourse.
Then DIR. Lanahsn, Mrs. Hsyes's pas
tor, prayed. Miss Willard made a
most sparkling and eloquent speech !;
addresses were made by Miss Esther
Pugh, of New York, and Mrs. Fam
ME Barns, sweet young Quakeress
of New York. Also by Mrs. j. f..
Foster, of Clinton, Iowa, and Miss
Alvord read kilograms Of congratu-
lation without number. The music
was grand. A collection was taken
up aud the ladies came down from
the platform and they made their
way with their baskets to the re-
motest corners. At this point the
vast meeting took on the form of q
sociable, gentlemen from different
parts of the house reported the state
they hailed from amid keen remarks
until We became aware that we had
Representatives from nearly every
state in the Union. Mrs. Garfield
sent large basket of flowers which
was presented to Miss Willard at
the close of the meeting.
The painting was unveiled in a
magically queer way by the pulling
of cord and Mrs. Hayes seemed to
fairly burst upon us. 1t was paint
ed by the artist Huntingdon and is
full length life-size portrait, grace
ful and queenly. II is an excellent
likeness; she is represented as walk
ing in the garden of the White
House upon a marble pavement, and
she is dressed in a trained velvet
dress, garnet colored, with falling
lace sleeves, and it is cut square at
the neck and filled in with lace; she
carries bunch of roses and has no
ornaments whatever.
Towards the close of the meeting
my friend assisted me to the plat
form and enjoyed a pleasant chat
with many of thezcompsny.
Mrs. Senator Blaine came on the
platform to be introduced to Miss
Willard.
Falls Church, Va.