The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-20
The FAN SALE.
vide AWdke

NlI55 tlnlOu . pullOL was hOhA1y AAON
with the members of the band. 1t was
an important meeting. They were plan
mug for their midsummer reception"
as Fannie Mile insisted upon calling the
monthly social to which they were accus-
toned to invite their friends.
"Wbat can we have for entertainment
this time?" asked one. cit seems as
though we have had everything that could
be thought OFF,
1--WE must try and get up something suit
able for the seasoD," remarked Fannie.
"a fan is the only thing I know of
suited to this weather" said Myra Smith,
tanning herself vigorously.
"There you have 1t! Thank you for
the suggestionp' exclaimed Lima Burns.
awe will have fan sale! not fan drill,
but genuine sale conducted upon
strict business principles. We will tell
our friends TO wait for our sale before
they buy their fans, and besides having
good time, we will make nice thing out
of It'll everybody wants fan?'
Amid much chatter some one appealed
to Miss Vintop. "Yes, think it worth
considering"
every we'll, we will fall to considering
as soon as possible!" said one merry girl,
and the end OF their talk and chatter was
the decision to have q fan sale in Miss
Vinton'e parlor on the first OF August.
They we're to have only fans and ices for
sale. "You must set your wits and fancy
at work to get up new and original de-
signs for FANS" said Miss Vinton.
The girls took hold OF the work with
will, and as the idea grew and developed
they found helpers. Fannie Mills wrote
to her brother in New York, asking him
to keep on the Lookout for curiosities in
the line of fans, and few days before the
sale, a box came by express addressed to
"Fau Fancier, Fancy Fan Dealer, Presi-
dent of the Fan Co., Fan Row; care of
Miss Fannie Mills" When the box was
opened many we're the ordinations OF
surprise and delight. Here we're Japan
ese fans of all sorts and sizes; enough the
girls said, to stock wholesale fan store.
There were large ones, so large that Fan
ME suggested they would be obliged to
spread them out-of-doors. There were
small fans and disable palm-leaf fans; all
these added to their previous collection,
made quite display Stella Smith had con-
tributed several dainty fans upon which
she had painted sprays of apple blossoms,
clusters of daisies and scarlet peoples.
Some ingenious fingers had fashioned
fans of tissue paper that were marvels OF
taste. Others were trimmed with thistle
down, and others still covered with the
soft creamy colored silky pappus of the
milk-weed. There we're fans for use, and
fans for ornament, and fans that we're
simply curiositiee. Susie Hart found in
the accumulations of years, stored in
chest in the attic, au old fan which had
been her grandmother's. 1t was white
satin, yellow now, but with its deliberately
carved handle was quite acurio sity. Mrs.
Hart drove out to the farm one day and
came back with bundle of turkey quilts
and another of goose quilts, which, with
the aid of pieces of wire, and bits of silk,
or velvet, she fashioned into fans of the
sort with which our grandmothers stirred
the sleepy air of the old-time country
churches. One of the pute white quilts
she coaxed Stella Smith to ornament with
her ever-ready brush. Two fans of pea
cock feathers with their countless shades
of color, we're much admired. The invi-
tations to this unique display and sale
we're printed upon tiny paper fans. And
when the day came, the Vinton mansion
was filled to OVERLOOKING with curious
and interested crowd of people. At the
opening of the exercises, little Mabel
Frost stepped upon an improvised plat
form and recited bit of poem:
Here are fans.
Fans of curly ostrich feathers,
Fans to fan you in all weathers,
Dainty fans with swans down edges,
Where dancing. prancing midges
Wreathe their roses. Here's a fan
Queer and gay, from far Japan;
Here's another-see these eyes!
How they stare in wide surprised
Peacocks eyes-my little maid,
Take your choice, be not afraid.
Fans of pansies and of feathers,
Fans to fan you in all weathers."
During the afternoon and evening
cream and ices we're served in fan-shaped
dishes. The floral decorations we're ar
ranged in the form of fans, and Mr.. Vim
ton said if it had been possible they
would have made the house over into
fan.
Their stock met with ready sale. By
ten o'clock the walls and tables were de-
spoiled Of their beauty; all had gone to
decorate other homes, or to serve the pur-
pose for which fans were originally made.
Faye Huntington in Pansy.
m II 81 h.rs la1