The Portland daily press., 1893-05-24
THE WoMAN's CONGRESS.
Reception in their Honor by the Lady
Managers of the Exposition.

A reception was given last week by the
| lady managers of the Worlds Fair in the
woman's building. The entire building
was thrown open to invited guests, OF
whom there was great number, but the
reception proper took place in the charm
ingly decorated assembly-room. This
reception was given in honor of the con-
gress OF representative women and the
distinguished guests of the Exposition,
AS the acoustic qualities Of the central
hall in the woman's building were per-
feet good musical programme was
provided by Theodore Thomas, assisted
by sixty members of the great Exposition
orchestra.
During the earlier part of the after
noon the ladies wandered about the halls
of the great building in groups. admir-
ing the splendid exhibits of Women,s
handiwork that are to be found there.
and by o'clock their number had been
greatly increased by numerous arrivals
OF the fair representatives from the city,
who joined the early arrivals and made
the vast halls hum like a beehive in their
attempt to all talk at once.
In the central hall the lovers of har-
mony enjoyed feast listening to the
many excellent overtures rendered by the
splendid band, and it was with difficulty
that they could be induced to leave the
concert by the announcement that the
doors of the assembly room were open
and the reception about to take Mace.
Hpra a. SCENE was prpcanfo1 that will
not seen be forgotten by the fady v1si-
tors. The great room was radi-
ant in bright flowers and still
brighter dresses of the ladies. Gowns
superb and jewels rare were to
be found in all parts of the room.
In one corner stood Mrs. Potter Palmer
surrounded by bevy of ladies, who as
sisted her in greeting ali corners, while
around the room other groups of the
board stood doing the honors. Shortly
after all were invited to the east wing Of
the assembly-roem, where the speakers
took their places upon the platform and
after an overture by the orchestra Mrs.
Potter Palmer arose and delivered a
charming address of welcome to the rep
resentatives OF the congress and the
Daughters of the Revolution.
An appropriate answer in behalf of the
congress ana the daughters OF the Revo-
luton was made by Mrs. Charles Henrotin
after which more music by the orchestra
was in order. followed by violin solo by
Miss Marion Carpenter and the rendition
of ssThe Battle Hymn of the Republic
by Miss Buckley. The orchestra then
took possession Of the groom. starting
large musical programme with Hungar-
ian Rhapsody No. 2, while the ladies
slowly left the room, proceeding to the
parlors, where tea was served.
Mrs. L. M. N. Stevens as a member of
the Board of Lady Managers and also an
official of the WoInan's Council, was
commissioned to receive at the entrance
of the assembly room the distinguished
foreign guests and escort them to the
platform during the exercises. 1t was
due to her kindness and courtesy in a
great degree that many Maine women
present were enabled to meet personally
the illustrious visitors of our own and
other lands. The National Woman's
Council has been untiring in Its efforts
in entertaining and contributing in many
other ways to the success of this cele-
brated Congress.