The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-05-30
WOMAN AND HER HOME.
HOW MISS MARY BATES, THE DEC
ORATOR, MADE HER START.
dfcious Lighting Stirring and
Benting-A Train Bearer-For the
Health of the Eye-An Aid to sweep
ing.

The name of Miss Mary Bates Is a
household world in her native state-Cal-
ifornia-and her success is pointed to as
the only one achieved by a woman in the
especial line of work she has undertaken
the decoration of homes for parties,
weddings and funerals.
In telling how she came to avoid the
conventional methods by which a woman
can gain livelihood and adopt this origi-
nal means of support she once said: Il
was brought up, like lots OF other girls,
to think that work was demeaning to
womanhood. My father died when l was
quite young. This was all very well until
I fell sick and ran up doctors bill for
$500 for mother TO pay. Then l said to
myself. See here, Mary Bates, If you
haven't enough spunk in you at least to
buy your own gloves and shoes for the
next year you'd better die
80 l went to work to think out way.
Ny friends had always considered that
I possessed a pretty knack for grouping
flowers and could make up a bow or a
bouquet more quickly and successfully
than most folks Acting on that remem-
brance, dressed myself and went to call
on a woman who stood high on the social
ladder. OF course 1t was somewhat to my
advantage that 1 knew such woman.
and that she knew enough of me to give
me her interested attention. But 1 was
perfectly aware that the step I was con-
templating would forever bar me from an
entrance to her home on an equality or
social standing. / said to her: The next
party you have. let me be the decorator.
If l fail, nobody will know it. and If l
- f3,.cN sta 80
'Well, it happened that the lady was
to give a dinner party within the next
fortnight and she gave me permission 10
undertake it. l went to three or four OF
my friends and told them they must help
me. We made that woman's dining
room and table a dream. We avoided
conventionality and stiffness with an
amazing result Everybody talked about
Mrs. So-and-So's delightful party, and my
friend was kind enough TO give my name
TO all who inquired who the decorator
might be. The result was that / had
repeat my success" OF course after
this Miss Bates's fame grew fast, and
now she has half a dozen helpers, and at
the end of seven years good income
and absolute independence.
She has a storeroom and workshop,
also a delivery wagon. When word is
sent that Mrs. A gives party on such
an evening, the seven girls take posses
sion of the place at the appointed time
Each girls wears a long white apron.
a carpenters belt of pockets holding
everything from needles and thread to
hammer and tacks. When the tables
are ready, they arrange them TO suit
themselves, avoiding set floral designs.
using chiefly loose flowers. wreaths, ferns
and branches. Weekly orders are sent
hundreds of miles into the woods for
ferns. MOSES and wild flowers.
Funerals are undertaken as well as
weddings and parties. Not long ago they
padded the walls of a room from ceiling
to subbase with lilies and made canopy
overhead Of the same pure blossoms. In
the center stood the coffin of a young
girl covered with a pail of maidenhair
and violets.
Miss Bates is the young woman who
was sent, with four others, to decorate
the California state building at the
worlds farm. Y. Sun.