The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-03-12
IS Florida Women

FLORIDA w Omem."
Under the above caption the New
Orleans Picay4ne makes the following
report of the department presided over
by Mrs. Ellen Call Long, Lady Commits
sioner for Florida, by appointment of
Governor Perry:
In the Woman's Department, in all proper
feminine defiance of geographical position, Flori
ia touches shoulders with Tennessee and there
fore, like Tennessee, has the honor of being the
temple of art just in front of the now superb
literary and scientific department.
The moment one enters this charming little
Flordan department one seems to hear the beat
of the blue Gulf waters on the sand drives, the
wind whispering over the tangled golden beds Of
marsh or salt water oats or the song of birds in
the yellow orange orchards.
Everywhere there are decorations that fill the
Imagination with fances of the flower land. A
stately column rising just in the centre of the
space is messed over with marsh grasses, sea
oats, and studded with punches of that mysteri-
Gus thing, the air plant, with its pale green
waxen spears ready for battle if one ,lares close
inspection and where the column branches out
and spreads its arches to support the roof the
delft decorator has en'wined it with pampas
plumes and golden oats. Over the arched gate
ways. of which there are four, are swung great
curling shells.
In fact the visitor Struggling unawares into
this pretty place would know instinctively that
this was Florida.
Here are soft, plant, ivory-white hats of pal
metto braided by the delt dark fingers of the
Spanish girls at Key West and San Augustine
Here are dainty slippers Of the nut-brown pal
metto bark, and here also are strange, quaint
looking mats, pretty enough for mural decora-
tons made of palmetto bark with pictures of
Florida scenery painted upon them. A beautiful
basket woven of this wonderful palmetto is piled
high with pyramid Of oranges mandarns and
other varieties of the fruits, all raised by women
orange growers.
The Lady Commissioner for Florida is Mrs
Ellen Call Long, Of Tallahassee and one of the
foremost women of the State, wealthy cotton
planter herself and woman of great culture.
In the person OF Mrs Long the women of Florida
are noby represented and most of them who
may not come themselves to see how she has
used their talents, may rest contented in the as
surance that the display of their work has been
arranged with artistic taste
The most precious thing in the Florida collec-
tion-precious not only for its value and beauty
but for the fact that 1t attests the development in
the State of grand industry for women-is the
beautiful American flag placed in a lace-hung
niche in the middle OF the gallery. This flag
was made entirely OF silk raised by Florida wo-
men; it was woven under The auspices of the Wo-
mans Silk Culture Association at Philadelphia,
and is a beautiful piece of fine American silk,
such rs Columbia should be proud to own or see
her daughters draped in. The flag was the gift
of Florida women to their Governor, Hon E. A.
Perry.
Under this flag, in little case is contained a
lot OF samples OF spun silk OF excellent quality
A card is on the case which reads: Silk from
the Spring & lrden Silk farm OF Kitty Norris &
Co., Florida" and whoever Kitty Norris & Co.
may be, all who look at this evidence of their
pluck aud industry will surely say, Hurrah for
thcm!" On either side OF the flag case are
ranged glass showcases filled with fine speci-
mems Of the handiwork of the women of 81. Au-
gustine. Key West, Palatka and Jacksonville
Many of these things are made by the Spanish
girls OF those sunny towns. and tell to the sran-
ger how women earn living In Florida. One
should particularly note the use that has been
made of the downy milk weed There are huge
bouquets OF feaihery pOmpons of all coors made
from the milk weed and which are exceedingly
pretty. In these cases are also fans made of the
palmetto and flowers Tor use on the hats One
lady sends box of very fine looking native tea,
raised and cured by herself, and another has TAX
en- limp OF coquina,, painted a picture of the
famous "ghost-hOuse" at Fort George on it, and
sends that rs an exhibit. Coquina is formed
of mass offine shells, is dull gray and white in
color, aud many of the st. Augustine old houses
were built OF this picturesque looking material
A handsome panel painted on pale blue satin rep
resents IL group OF gaily colored Pompadouristc
looking ladies' This panel was made by Miss
Magyar, of Jacksonville. curious drinking
cup, with a lid 10 it, is carved from cocoanut
shell, and has rude knObby rustic handles of
Florida grapevine A young lady has taken a
gourd, graceful in shape Etruscan vase
and painted a charming landscape upon it,
A very wonderful piece Of work is crochet
ted bed spread. The design is most Intricate
and ii is almost impossible to realize that the
huge spread was done with that harmless, insg-
nificant looking thing-a bit of steel crochet
needle. The quilt was made by Mrs. M. b.
Loud, OF Pensacola. She was twelve years in
making it, used nearly 800 spools of cotton, or
$1,000 yards Of thread Another most effective
piece OF crochetted work. initiating closely the
antique lace, is a spread made by Miss Mary
Ann Wade, of Key West. Mrs. Jennie Berroto
sends rose design crocheted spread done in
cream colored materials, and handsome terra
Gotta cOlOred piano cover, embroidered heavily
In roses, wheat and forget-me-nots, is the work
of Miss Emma Buckle, of Falatka. Mrs. Mitchell,
OF New Smyrna, sends handsome quilt. A
group OF paintings are arranged upon large
latelc easel. These include game picture BY
Mrs. Sebring, wife of General Sebring, Of Levy
county, and who is State Commissioner The
first picture is OF dead game number of
ducks hung on stall, with feather-ruffled pile
OF snipe, etc, on the marble shelf underneath
Mrs. Sebring also sends cluster of oranges
painted from nature A branch of big tree
full OF green leaves and ripe fruit is the subject
of picture from the easel of Miss B. Morgan.
It was study from the 1o0,year old fig trees at
St. Augustine.
Miss Jamie Clark, OF Tallahassee, sends col
lection ofpictures that give great promise of what
the little girl may do when she begins In all the
earnest OF maturer years her woman's work In |
the world.
Handsomely framed and standing upon an
easel is lovely picture of flowers II represents
. blue Jug tucked full Of " December roses" and
g from the artistic brush of Mrs. Leonardy, of
Tampa.