Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-28
CLARA BARTON'S TEA.
The President of the Red Cross Acts
as Hostess at the First
SOCIAL EVENT IN JOHNSTOWN.
The Red Cross House Will Shelter Thirty
Five Families.
SOME VIGOROUS VIEWS EXPRESSED

tea yesterday afternoon, at which Miss
Clara Barton was the hostess and abort 40
ladies of Johnston were her guests. The in
vitations-with one of which a DISPATCH
reporter was presented personally by Miss
Barton-read as follows:
Il Five O'Clock Tea
Is to be given at the new Red Cross House.
Locust street, Johnstown, Saturday, July q.
1850 Your presence will be esteemed favor.
81 rE CLARA BARTON,
s7e Prest Nat. Red Cross of America
]. B. HUBB ELL, M. D.,
Gen1 Field Ag't of Red Cross.
The ladies hidden to this "tea" were those
who had homes of luxury before the food,
and whose households were obliterated.
These ladies have been living with friends
in all sections adjacent to the ruined city.
Their husbands have been obliged to be at
work in JohDstown since the food. and the
whole situation has been troublesome and
in sense distressing.
THE TEA AFFORDS A CONTRAST.
They were invited to ''tea," and they
found themselves welcomed to building
120 feet long and 60 feet in width. Down
the center of the hotel upon the ground floor
ran line OF tables spotlessly covered with
white damask table linen and we'll equipped
with tableware. AT the head sat Miss Bar
ton, Who welcomed her guests with graceful
courtesy, and when all was in readiness in
voked fervent blessing. The invitation to
eat needed no repetition, for repast fur
nished by Hagan, of Pittsburg, awaited ap-
petites cloyed, perhaps, by commissary sub
sistence. When the viands had been dis
posed OF, and when tea was in circulation,
Miss Barton arose and made quiet little
address.
In it she delicately presented to her guests
her idea that the social amenities of Johns
town must be again taken up, and that she
had invited those within sound of her voice
for that purpose. But that. as an effective
means of bringing the ladies of the ruined
CITY together, she had planned little sur
prise for them in the shape of the "Red
Cross House." built and equipped by the
society of which she was President. There
were, she said, 35 rooms in the house, and
the measure of her desire would be filled if
she could see 35 families installed as her
guests welcome to such comforts as had
been provided, without money or price.
AFFECTING AND EFFECTIVE.
The good woman then sat down. and there
was not dry eye among her astonished au-
ditors. The occasion did not appear to call
for any expressions of gratitude. although
several of those present endeavored to tes-
tify appreciation. It was an array of women
who have suffered and who still suffer.
An inspection of the Red Cross House
followed. The 80 rooms are large and fitted
up with comfortable beds with springs, bu-
reaus, washstands and other furniture.
Each room is well lighted and spotlessly
clean. There is a large laundry
at the rear of the house and
and the interior of the house is in the care
of competent corps of attendants furnished
by Miss Barton. The second story has as
many rooms as the ground floor. all reached
from a substantial gallery overlooking the
main hail. The appointments are perfect
and in marked contrast to anything in the
city since its demolition. The Red Cross
House was built in a week, and is only an
item in the practical and unassuming but
wonderfully effective results accomplished
by this wonderful society and its no less
wonderful president, whom the Jchnstown
people are already talking Of canonizing.
PEN PICTURE OF MISS BARTON.
Those who have read of the marvels ac-
inc her to be voungish woman of restlessly
energetic movements and a rapid conversa-
tionalist, full of bustling importance, and
almost aggressive, after the fashion of most
women who identify themselves with works
of great extent.
A DISPATCH reporter found her in the
main hall of "Red Cross Hotel" standing
quietly by dining table. She is of me-
dunn figure and OF puzzling personality.
Her bearing is reposeful until something
demands the giving of an order or attention
to some detail, when she becomes all life.
There is quiet dignity in every action, but
one can readily see that she was born to
command. Her whole aspect is a dear, de-
lightfully old-fashioned flavor that makes
one think of past generation. Her face is
purely oval and shows traces of former
crest beauty. Around a broad, low fore
head cluster ringlets of iron-gray hair
dressed in fashion quite her
own. Her mouth is large and
kindly, but her chin shows the
possession of an idomitable will. Her COM
plexion is of an indescribable shade, neither
light nor fair. Her eyes are grayish brown,
and her eyeIids have an odd trick OF raising
or lowering with the cadences of her voice.
Whatever her mood may be, her eyes, voice
and the movement OF her hands and arms is
in exact concord. But Miss Barton radiates
the noble attribute of charity in every
movement. Her attire is
IN PERFECT HARMONY
with herself. Such woman dressed in a
modish way would look terribly incon-
gruous. She wore black silk gown
aounced with black velvet ribbons and an
old-fashioned beaded waist coming closely
to the throat. Over her shoulder was loosely
thrown one of those old variegated shawls
that remind us of our grandmothers. A
black velvet bonnet, trimmed with few
flowers, surmounted her head. Only two
ornaments were visible. One was white
enameled disk, as large as silver dollar,
which bore large red cross, also in enamel.
thysts, nearly two inches across, a piece of
iewelry at once rare and unassuming. Her
voice is low, distinct, and her manner of
speaking extremely deliberate. Her fingers
alone bore witness to the existence of nerves.
Being asked to give her views on the
situation OF affairs, she responded readily.
She said: 'This is grand, a noble peo-
ple here. Courageous, selfreliant, elastic,
thew are recovering from the severest blow
ever struck community with wonderful,
marvellous rapidity. Every house that goes
M here has to be placed upon m ade ground.
The greatest difficulty is that the limits do
not admit OF expansion. Almost any other
town site would furnish room enough to
move in one direction or another. But
things will come all right in time. must
the greatest stumbling block to contend
against"
SHE CALLS II AN OUTRAGE.
:, ct am informed" said the reporter. 'that
Not week will elapse before as many more
NJ Lns