The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1894-12-20
DEFT FAIRY FINGERS.
HOW MISS GRACE BATES DECO
RATES THE HOMES OF WEALTH.

| well filled purse IL is as easy ao IL ~ 49,
| in the end to help or relieve the wants oi
that constantly increasing class OF gehUie
women who have been taught little OF
evervthine hut the useful, and whose sham
pride is less offended by delicately proffer,
ed charity than a suggestion or manuai
labor. ;,
Mrs Stanford has the aptitude for dis
covering what a girl can do, sometimes
uneartbiug unsupported and undeveloped
talent Now and then a maiden comes
| along who believes in her own capacity,
| but is lacking the chance to make use OF 1t.
| Here is a little story from life that illus
trates my point:
A bright and refined looking girl of sew
enteeu came to see Mrs. Stanford one day.
! Her name was Grace Bates, and she was
the granddaughter of Judson, one of the
richest men the Pacific coast has ever
| known, and who made his fortune in Hon
olulu. There he lived on his magnificent
estate like a prince; his children were
brought up and educated with every lux
ury and advantage, and their children IN
| turn were started on the same HoWery
| path. Misfortune, however, appeared with
| time and pursued the family with such APP
narent vjndictiveness that the millionaires
grandchild at seventeen found herself be
! reft of male relatives, penniless and with
an invalid mother and two infant nieces
derendent upon her.
There were some friends of better days
who had offered the poor child home, but
! she had within her that precious ger of
American independence that dies rd.
Make a struggle she must. So she mt
up to the great house that sat on the
HER FIRST TRIAL.
What can do for your" asked Mrs.
Stanford with sympathy, for she knew the
family history and the girls sore straits
"Give me just one chance" said the girl
eagerly. II believe | could decorate your
house and your table for an entertainment
in way that would please you. under
stand color and form. | love flowers as
dearly as any japanese, and can arrange
them. If should fail it would do you no
harm. If | succeed, my fortune will be
made, for other people will give me Or
ders''
Now hostess who entertains as Mrs.
Stanford does, making novelty as much a
speciality as magnificence, would far rather
give big check than run the risk of hav
ing her decorations marred; but this is
Just where the real generosity came in, and
Mrs. Stanford hesitated but second be-
fore consenting. The occasion that offered
was large dinner given in honor of
military hero, to be follow I'd by a recep-
ton. Wishing to leave ber Aew florist un-
embarrassed, Mrs. Stanford avoided visit
ing the apartments in her hands until the
work was completed.
"When | did come down to receive my
guests" said that lady, Il found the place
transformed. The girl seemed gifted with
the fingers of a .airy and the imagination
of poet There were no stereOtyped de-
signs, but every plant every flower car
ried it's effect and there was SO much grace
and originality in the arrangement of the
table that almost every woman who sat
down at it asked me as a favor the address
of my new decorator"
A SIGNAL SUCCESS.
So little Miss Bates made her fortune,
for orders flowed in, and California orders
are not nggardly. All this happened six
years ago, and today the young lady owns
her own carriage and horses, and her own
handsome Establishment Her two little
nieces are receiving thorough education,
and the invalid mother has all the relief
that science and love can bring her.
When the tour that President and Mrs
Harrison made through the west was first
announced, the Stanfords expressed de-
sire to entertain them, and on the accept
ance of their invitation Mrs. Stanford
telegraphed Miss Bates to make prepare
lions for the event, and gave carte blanche
as TO expense. At o'clock on the morn
ing of the day set for the dinner Miss
Bates drove to the house followed in wag-
ons by her corps of eighteen assistants, all
young girls, clad in uniform, with big
white aprons and white caps. They brought
width them piles of clean heavy sheets,
with which, rs if by magic, they covered
the polished floors, the Turkish rugs and
the embroidery and tapestry of the up
holstered furniture.
All day long they worked silently and
nimbly, and at O'Clock Mrs. Stanford was
asked to make tour of inspection Pretty
girls and snowy sheets had vanished. Only
Miss Bates, flushed and a little nervous,
was left.
Are you satisfied?" she asked anxiously
"Satisied?'' said Mrs. Stanford in speak
ing of il afterward Il was speechless."
All the wealth of California's native
fora had been called into requisition
Sometimes the flowers were heavily banked
to serve as background for "a figure in
white marble, sometimes hung in airy gar
lands from the ceiling, again massed in
panels behind some gem of painting,
or lifted their lovely heads from huge
bowls of old china or rare crystal.
DECORATIONS OF THE TABLE.
But it was at the table that Miss Bates
displayed her greatest ingenuity. There
was, to be sure, a background of richly
wrought gold plate and silver in repousse
and flagree of Bohemia and Venetian
glass, inlaid with enamels Or crusted with
gems of lace trimmed linen. a miracle of
the hand and loom, and of the mellowed
light from hundreds of wax candles Flow
ers were used sparingly, with their natural
foliage. Colors were chosen that harmon
lied with the precious metals and exquisite
glass. Before each guest were bonbon-
nieres and souvenirs suggestive Of the oc-
casion and the state of California.
Miss Bates sent to Mariposa for some
bark from the famous big trees This she
had cunnin.ly carved into miniature tubs,
highly polished, and lined with shirring
of houton dor satin, and filled with choco-
late bonbons of curious shapes. Tiny fac
SMILES of Paris hats, decked with native
flowers, had crowns that would fly up at a
touch, disclosing nest of dainty comfits.
For each guest there was gold or silver
spoon marked with their initials, and really
a souvenir spoon made with designs fur
nished by the soung decorator. and EN-
body1ng some delicate illustrations of
western fora or fauna, with the date and
familiar coat of arms engraved in the bowl
OF the spoon. In score of other and novel
fancies Miss Bates showed her skill and
originality, making the table, Mrs Harri
son said, the most perfect in decoration she
had ever seen.-New York Advertiser.
| Notes.
The death Of Colonel r n Curtis xras
loss to the dalrynen of America. He