Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1890-12-06


from the daintiest bit of womankind to the stout
est and most robust physique; women with hair
bleacded by the SHOWS of eighty winters and more.
women with the peach blow of an early woman
hood still glowing upon the cheek. Five hundred
and twenty women made up this grand assem-
bage-410 regular voting delegates, l 10 visiting
delegates. Besides these, there were 80 brothers
in-law, earnest, sympathizng men, who had left
their homes and business to add their presence
and influence to this splendid occasion. Five hum
dred women all talking at once? Far from it,
The handspring of the event, the prime mistress
of all its ceremonies, Miss Willard, held the bal
ance of power, and with her symbol of loving
authority kept easy sway of the multitudes.
Chief among the notables were Mothers Wallace,
Stuart and Comstock, Messrs. Wright, Demorest
and Thomas, with Miss Willard cynosure of all.
They w. G. T. U. sessions were held in Trinity
church, which has a seating capacity of 1900. On
many occasions 1t was found inadequte to accom-
modate the crowds, when the excess would be
conducted to another auditorium and speaker
provided. The dignitaries Of the city made fire.
ouent visits to the sessions of the Convention,
that they might see it in its work-a-day clothes.
They came, they saw, and were easily won to the
idea that for ability to preside over deliberative
bodies, for knowledge of parliamentary practice,
general intelligence and ready dispatch of bust
ness, these women had no peers among the broth
erhood. Among these dgnitares were Georglas
new governor Northen, and wife, Gordon, Colquitt
and wife, Hawthorne, and many others.
The Convention was deeply indebted to Rev.
Hight of Trinity church, for his constant attend
ance on the meetings and for the rendering of va
rious services Invaluable to these women. The
Georgia Legislature was in session, comprising 10
members in the lower house and Al senators.
Mesdames Hoffman and Lathop were invited to
address the assembly one evening, which they did
with wonderful credit to themselves and the wom-
ans cause generally. Mrs. Hunt, the Superin-
tendent of Scientific Temperance Instruction was
invited by this body to talk on her theme. Her
remarks were so clear, so forcibe, so easy Of APP
pcation, that at the conclusion many of the broth
erhood solemnly promised that Georgia should
have the law she urged upon them before the adj
journment of the present session.
Sunday of the Convention stands out with
UNIQUE prominence in the history OF Georgia.
Forty different pulpits were occupied by as many
different women, while loud and clear rang out the
words Of earnest praise of their utterance of low"
ing sympathy and conviction. Indeed the middle
wall of partition seemed completely broken down,
and all Atlanta awakened to the spirit of the script
ure that there is, in the kingdom of righteousness
"neither Jew nor Greek born not Free male and
female" The opera house with its vast seating
capacity was filled to overlooking, while Miss Will
lard, Mother Wallace and Others held the multi
tudes spell-bound with wonder and admiration.
The discord and bitterness so long nursed by
the sections of our mother land very naturally dis
appeared with astonishing haste, as their repre'en-
tatives came within touching range of each other
Old and groundleSs prejudices melted away as do
the snowaakes in the briny deep. More was done
towards genuine reconstruction Of sentiment and
policy within that eventful season than was &C.
compshed during all the dark period OF recon-
structive carpet-baggers. That ruling served to
reconstruct the brotherhood only, and that but
nortiallv Int in the language of Fannie Griffin,