The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-21
MIR. MoALL1srER TUmBLED.
An Incident of the Society Leaders
Life in Savannah.

An Incident of the Society Leader
Life in Savannah.
"The prominence given of late to the
name of Ward McAllister on account of
his interview on Sam Hall recalls some
interesting circumstances of his early
iife," said an Atlanta lady this morn
ing.
Savannah was my birth place and
there ! was educated. After attending n
number of private schools and the acad-
envy of that place, a very select school
was advertised where French and Italian
were taught by the principal, and where
a number of teachers were engaged to in
struct in the English branches generally
taught in all schools at that time.
ITO that school | was transferred, and
for several successive seasons enjoyed its
advantages.
MADAM Girard was a lady formerly
from Prussia, and who had also lived in
Paris before removing to New York.
Judge McAllister in securing a governess
for his only daughter, Harriet, applied
to friends in New York to assist him in
selecting proper person Madame
Girard was their choice. She came to
Savannah in that capacity. After retain
ing her position with the McAllisters for
several months she wished to make a
more lucrative business, ] suppose of her
the family was given, and a select school
of twenty-five scholars and four teachers
was opened on Liberty street, in Savan-
nah. 1t was afterwards removed to South
Broad street, in the old Ganahl build
ing Mr. Mallon, afterwards the SUI
perintendent of the Atlanta public
schools, was brought south by her and
was our teacher in philosophy, rhetoric
and composition. Mr.. Hurlbut was
another of our English teachers. and a
Mr. Wollup a Swiss, was our writing
master Monsieur Girard was our draw
ing master.
I'm this school, as Harriet McAllister
was one of the scholars, l became some
what intimate with her. as school girls
often become. going home with her some
times al lunch time, TO her well filled pan
try and partaking with her of some of
her fruits and dainties,
"Our madame was very fond of giving
parties to her scholars, and of having long
French dramas enacted by them TO show
their proficiency in her language. At one
time she gave what might be called
miniature ball in house on Hull street,
where the venerable DR.. Preston, pastor
of the First Presby terrain church in Sa-
vannah, had formerly lived The double
parlors were thrown into one, and soon
the merry crowd were engaged in enjoy
ing inc IcfpSlCDOFcdu dTb 10 us lullbSb
extent. Music and dancing was kept up
until midnight. In one Of the cotilions a
Miss Cornelia Allen was the partner Of
the now celebrated society leader, Ward
McAllister. He was only great big fat
boy then, about IS or l6
years of age, l should think His
companion was also not lack
ing in avoirdupois They danced up and
down the set and crossed over again and
again when the call came to chase all,
they went skimming over the floor like
birds on the wing, when suddenly their
active feet struck against the door sill,
and all in moment they lay spread out
upon the floor, picture Of sad discOm-
future. Imagine the now great society
leader once in such an awkward plight.
''The past is verify dream. Our teach
ers, one and all, believe, have changed
earthly for spiritual duties. Some of the
scholars have followed them into that
mysterious bourne; among the number is
Harriet McAllister, who, as the wife of
son Of Dr. Frances, of New York, died in
that city some years ago. Mrs. j. Cad
den King, now Of Atlanta, was also one
of the scholars of that excellent school.
MANY have gone from earth, but Ward,
the brother Of the young girl who was
the means Of bringing 70 our southern
city so remarkably intelligent a teacher
as Madame Girard, stands as the leader
of the society element in New York and
teaches the difficult task Of discerning the
really proper element Of New York up
per tendon.
81 wonder IL that miniature ball, given
BY a French woman to her class Of school
girls. was the initiative step 70 the life OF
the great society leader he has become in
New York;"