Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-05-15
CLOVER AND EGLANHlNE
Voting For A State Flower
in New Whatcom and
Fairhaven
Glover the Choice of the First
The Wild Rose for
the Second
Fair Canvassers Work Faith
fully For Success of
Their Favorite

A goOdly portion of the second story
Of the Lighthouse block was given up
to the ladies of New Whatcom yester-
day afternoon.
! The selection Of a state flower was be-
ing voted upon and the ladies turned
oHt In large numbers and some Of the
most skilful electioneering ever wit
messed by old political war horses was
done by the fair sex.
There was not, Of course, the number
Of ladies standing without and around
the entrance to the polling place, such
n is witnessed among the sterner sex
ON election day, but up stairs il was dIf-
ferent.
All was hustle and excitement and
fair women, carrying i'm their hands
their favorite candidate for state flower,
fitted like hummiHg birds here and
there and everywhere, urging in earnest
sifvery tones the merits Of their partic-
ular favorite, or gently expostulating
against the preconceived notions Of
some lord Of creation as TO what was
most fitting from political view point,
or using honeyed bIandisments Is 10 ia.
duce man to be reasonable for once and
listen TO the arguments Of beauty and
grace.
And to the everlasting credit Of the
men, be ii said that they did listen.
They were as clay in the hands of the
potter, and the potters in this ease were
fair and skilful artisans so the men
walked up to the polling booth and de-
/ posted whatever ticket would most
please their lady friends
There were threats and intimidation
used, it must be said, but the men were
the victims; they were led as sheep to
/ the ballot slaughter, and il lone man
strayed into that voting precinct, and
/ was Immediately surrounded by bevy
Of fair women, who can wonder that he
at once became dumb
Man Is the weaker vessel-when il
comes 20 voting for a state flower.
The women triumphed, and the men
were helpless, but they didn't seem to
/ mind it very much. The ladies were
/ having their innings and like women
they used their power TO the fullest,
and the poor men uttered no protest
Two large offices at the west end Of
the building were used as reception
rooms and were profuselydecoratedwith
| fiowers indigenous and exotic. Among
the former were the rhododendron,
] the clover, the dogwoud, the wild rose.
the lily, the syringa and Others Of more
or less beauty, while the pansy, narcis-
sus, lilacs, forgetmenots and dozens Of
other varieties were tastefully arranged
In vases, in boquets, in centerpieces and
/ all were masterpieces,
The polling booth was the center 10
which all gravitated, sooner or later,
however, and here Mrs. Ella Higgin-
son, Mrs. Ella Morrison and Mr.. j. II.
Shiveiy acted a. judges Of election and
/ perform I'd their duties in satisfactory
manner Adjoining the polling place
was cozy refreshment room presided
oyer by number Of ladies and
the weary or thirsty or both were re-
galed with lunch Il tea. The lunch
room was well patronized and the pro-
ceeds will go 10 the library fund.
Meanwhile the battle Of the ballots
was being waged in the reception rooms
and corridors. Mrs. Higginson's fav-
! Orite, clover. seems the leader, al !
though brave fight, led by Mrs. John |
ElwOod and seconded by Mrs. J.. s. !
Grandin, was made for the beautiful
rhododendron. Alongside Of il for
gorgeous beauty and general lovelness, |
the poor modest little clover looked
faded and forlorn. But 1t won all the
same. The hop, despite its beer and
bread utilitarian propensties, had
few friends and 80 did the pansy and
syringa, while the "poIe-ca" cabbage,
the lily, the rese and the salmon bios
som were remembered.
The polls closed at o o'clock with the
following result, 35S votes beiug cast:
Clover, 272; rhododendron, 50; hops,
i6; pansy, Z; rose, /; skunk cabbage, 2;
syringa, 5; salmon berry, 2.
An afternoon tea for the benefit Of
the free reading room, was served yes
terday afternoon at the rooms on Har-
ris avenue. There was large attend
aDce Of ladies and "A vote was taken
upon the choice Of state flower.
Clover was djstanced, the hop was not
in II, but the eglantine or wild rose
was the fayorite Of large majority Of
the fair voters. Following was the
vote: Wild rose, ~; clover, 10; hops, 2. !
The gentlemen were not allowed 10
vote, and the ladies had "lovely
time" In voting all by themselves. !
Mrs. Strader, Mrs. Sherman, Mrs. |
French and Mrs. TOmlinsOn presided |
and dispensed the refreshments.
There must have been a misunder- |
standing among the ladies a. 10 the |
precise nature Of the contest, or there /
would not have been 80 many votes |
wasted upon the wild rose. The /
flower il pretty enough and not in |
appropriate, although In conflict with |
Nau Xnrkta tehnfea buf a baa baau /
suggested too late to receive any seri- |
Gus consideration and hence vote for |
it Is a vote wasted. The rhododen- |
dron, the choice Of Seattle and Tacoma,
the browB-eyed daisy, the favorite of
Er..Lnrao r.d Ahn militia ol....or a ~. ~.