St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-11
THE wAsHRURN BENEFIT.
An Entertainment for the News
boys at Fair Oaks.

The entertainment rendered by Mrs.
w. ID. WaShburn for the benefit of the
newsboys' home, took place last night
at her magnificent residence, Fair
Oaks, and was in all respects a COM
plete success, and an affair that will
lnger pleasantly and long in the minds
OF all those fortunate enough to be pres
ent. There was no stiffness or form
ailty observed. The host and hostess by
their cordial welcome, and evident
desire to please all, friends and Strang
erS alike, put everybody at their ease,
and delight and surprise beamed from
every face. The comment has often
been made by strangers and residents,
who have only seen the exterior of Fair
Oaks, that such an imposing pile of
buildings looked more like an inStitu-
tion than private home, but this is a
great mistake, as all who were within
the hoSpitable mansion last night can
testify. The rooms and halls are lofty and
majestic looking, aud yet have COM
pact, snug, hOme-like appearance
that seemed to surprise most people.
All the chambers, including the bed
rooms and bOudOirS, were thrown open,
while polite and pretty attendants
waited on the visitors and explained
everything. The room of Miss Mary
WaShburn was universally admired.
The wood work of the furniture is all of
a light color. On every available bracket
and shelf and on the mantel piece bric-
a-brac and dainty little knick knackS
were scattered, giving to the room a
pleasant, social, womanly air that
was very pleasant to see. On the
ground floor the place that attracted the
most attention was the library. Large
and imposing in dimensions, filled on
all three sides with volumes rich and
rare, the classics of England and the
ancient books of historic lore, the mas
terpieceS of all the poets of the world in
elegant tasteful binding, and in old but
rare calfskinS, the books offset by marble
StatuetteS set here and there, all this
combined with the glow of ruddy fire
burning in an enormous old English
CRATE and casting its varied lights on
the canvaSeS around to give one sense
of serenity standing in that apartment
and amid such a wealth of culture and
refinement that was pleasant and sweet
and tender to feel in world where now
adayS commOnplaces are too common
by far. Throng after thrOng stood in
front of the Statuette of Lincoln aud paid
their reverence to this masterpiece.
1t came from the studio of Meade, an
American sculptor residing in Rome,
and there is but one duplicate in eX-
iStence, the one owned by Robert Lin
coin. the son of the martyred president.
To add to the charm of this unique
affair the excellent DanZ orchestra were
stationed in the drawing room and dis
cOursed musical programme that was
sweet and attractive in every piece
rendered. Passing out OF the
generals private study on the
second floor and lingering
for minute on the spacious stairway
the scene below presented beautiful
sight. The mellow lights, the soft and
tender music, the costumes of the ladies,
the rich and rare curtains and tapestries
and lounges, the pretty girls selling
flowers-all combined to make scene
that was rich without being garish, and
that really possessed elements of SIM
plicity in it, and from which fact
mainly sprung its perfect charm. In
all the arrangements of the evening
the host and hostess were ably assisted
by Mrs. DOriluS Morrison, Mr.. and Mrs.
and Mrs. G. s. Rust, Capt. S. 2. Snyder,
Mother Van Cleve, Mr.. and Mrs. Sey-
mOur Van Cleve, Mr.. and Mrs. Linton,
Mr.. and Mrs. Hatch and Mrs. Russell.
Several hundred people attended, and
the object for which the entertainment
was given, the Newsboys' home,
of which Mrs. Sarah Farr is
superintendent, will be considerably en-
riched, as all the expenses are attended
to by Mrs. w. ID. Washburn. In con-
clusion it may be added that everyone
enjoyed themselves thoroughly-en-
jOyed the music, enjoyed the company
but respectfully enjoyed the peep into
the home life of a member of that his
torical American family of Washburns,
and especially when it was that of Min
nesota's distinguished citizen, Hon. w.
ID. WaShburn.