The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-02
THE Do1NGs OF WOMEN FOLK.

New Manifestations Both Material and
Asthetical of the awig w eiblche.
NEW YORK, Feb. Mrs. M. Louise
Thomas has never been a collector in the
sense of having set drag nets baited with
large prices for things precious, and yet
the curious and valuable has come to her
has dropped, as it has a charming habit of
doing with some people, into her hands.
Her house on Lexington avenue, where
pleasant people rendezvous Saturday even
ings, is full of treasures of old mahogany.
The cups in which her odd little c1lored
boy serves chocolate, are of rare old blue
china which has been in service for more
than 100 years. A fine old silver candle
stick that you may get chance to 10 )k at
belonged once to decayed French family
which brought it from Belgium. Mrs.
Thomas befriended the family on its ar
rival in this country, finding positions for
some of the members.
81 wish" said the fine old school lady of
the household, II could show my gratitude
to Nine. Thomas in some manner. Have
we anything that she would cherish as a
souvenir"
"Mme Thomas said the shrewd daugh-
ter, "would value your silver candlestick
above anything She has such an absurd
liking for things that are old"
Then" said the mother, sit shall be
polished aad sent to her tom brow"
The French lady died years ago, but Mrs.
Thomas still uses the candlestick Among
her greatest treasures are her old Bibles. of
which she has a large collection. Some of
these are rare editions and worth, literally,
their weight in gold. There are imprlnts as
early as 1882 One of the more modern
volumes is in the Burmese language An
other collection, over which the bibiophile
would gloat almost equally, is made up of
hymn books.
The ex-presideat of the Sorosis is a
woman of dignifed presence, with a face
that speaks of great executive ability and
force of character. She has an abundance
Of soft, dark hair, and very kiadly eyes
and smile. She has Travelled much and
knew George Eliot infinitely. She de-
scribes the great novelist in her younger
days as a wonderfully interesting WON IN,
who had a way of talking with her eyes
fixed on the floor, lifting them suddenly
and flashing them into yours when crisis
was reached in conversation. OF Mary
Hewitt also and Mrs. Browning, whom she
knew in Florence, Mrs. Thomas has inter-
esting "reminiscences. She is much inter-
ested at present in raising an endowment
fund for a profesSorship TO be filled By
woman in St Lawrence University, task
in which she is joined by Mary A. Liver
more.
Mrs. Lee G. Hardy, the southern poet
who has taken UP her abode in New York
this winter. is another woman who is some
thing of a collector and bibliophile. Many
of her treasures have come to her in way
which doubles their value through descent
for many generations in her own family.
! Most of her silver is more than 100 years old,
aud the massive sideboard on which the fine
pieces rest has a family history Of 200 years.
! The sideboard has exercised a governing ia
fiuence on Mrs. Harby'ss movements, when
she moyedsher Iares and penstei 10 the city
last September there was delightful
Oman Anne house which she was bent on
Occupying; but the sideboard, whicl IS Of
i i,nme1sa sizs and great weight, obstiuately
refused to go through the door. A piece
| of furniture which had Travelled from
! Charleston to Texas with its owner, a1d
/ then accompanied her to Ne" YORK. was