Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-13

faculty OF taking a cheerful view Of things. |
She knew there We're thousands OF noble |
women throughout tho country ready TO |
enter into such movement, under intelligent |
direction. To her, primarily and to a group |
Of ether worthy women In conjunction with
her Is due the organization Of the Kings
Daughters, society which now numbers It's
branches by thousands all over the land. One
afternoon in january, 1856. nine ladies met at
Il West rwenty-soc9nd street, New York city,
All were influential women and majority
were actively engaged in philnnthropic work.
! These ladies', after discussing various methods
and comparing notes and experiences, finally
accepted Mrs. Bottome's suggestion Tor
organizing "a society. Mrs. Bottomc was
| chosen president, Mrs. NJ, l.. Dickinson.
secretary, and Mrs. Hamcrsley, treasurer.
The others who were present and who
| pledged their prayers and efforts for the sue
cess OF the new venture were Mrs. Theodore
Irving. Mrs. r. Payson, Mrs, Q. Z. p, DeFied,
Mrs. j Z. Ruggles, Miss $, u. schenck and
Miss q. II. Libhy-all nemos well known In
New Yorl,'s "Uppar Tendon When plan
Of organization had been definitely sketohed
out, the nuxt thing to be done was TO agree
upon a name for the new society. One after
! uubNilbt wa FAkktnANN AAAA AfleN''N 80 '"i'fN'
succession.
II propose that tho title should DO the
Kings Daughters" said Mrs Theodore
Irving. She was the wife OF an Episcopal
clergyman, and after his death she hnd con-
Quoted private seminary for young girls in
Montreal, where she had organized a society
undor the same name, but totally dissimilar
in it's workings. For long time she was
thought to DO the originator Of the name, but
she has since discGimed the honor, for II
was discovered that an association bearing
the same name hnG already existed in MassR-
ohusetts. The suggestion OF the name by
Mrs. Irving, however, was made in good
faith, and the fact that other organizations
had already borne it, has In nowise initiated
against It's popularity
Mrs Bottome has since discovered another
fact which shows the designation to have
been applied, at a date still more remote, to
a somewhat similar organization in Virginia.
In that State there existed q societyof Klng's
Daughters nearly generation ago, and loug
anterior to the Montreal organization founded
by Mrs Irving.
There are many ways simple in themselves,
vet graceful and effective, which Mrs, Bot
tome and her associates have devised for
keeping the fraternity Of the organization
intact and the relations Of many branches Of
the Kings Daughters harmonious, Ono OF
these devices is the organization OF o badge,
a beautiful little Maltese cross OF silver, finely
chased, and bearing tho letters !. II. NJ, SIN
His Name" The cross also bears the year Of
the society's Institution, "1ss6' To the
badge ia attached a purple ribbon, the royal
color, which appropriately carries out the
Significance Of the insignia.
There are no longer any geographical
J, limits to the order OF the Kings Daughters
8 which has expanded beyond all expeo
r tatlon. Many thousands OF the bes
Q women in America belong TO the order
and It has been potent factor in thu
" development OF new and valued activities
n in connection with church and Chart!
d work. In the large cities especially, thu
a organization iinds its ranks steadily swelling
h IL has taken up the problem OF industrial
IS education as well as the training OF nurses
10 furnishing OF rooms for impoyershe'
, families. the buying Of shoes for the ehildrei
of the poor, supplying garments Tor destitut
a families in the south, and thousand othe
ie ways Of helping the unfortunate part Q
'e humanity.
70 Mrs. Bouome IL Nhouy uefv'"u '" "S
rs work and has grown worry dear to ever
'e Daughter OF the King There Is not
r State in the Union, and hardly city or town
10 where the Silver Gross is unknown to-day
and where the organization, started .
b, huiaDIy by nine noble women a few year
d ago. has not It's thriving branches Mr.
e. Bottome resides in Fordham, n. H. wher
e. she Is an amiable and popular hostess. sh
e. Is in demand everywhere and among a
'r classes. Her name has become q househoi
ie word TO greater extent probably than tha
8 OF any other American woman OF the presen
90 day. Personally. she is one Of the pleasant
d. est and most gracious of women; gentle
s. nother-llke. reined and erninentiy calculate
. TO win and hold the love and admiration
her cwn sax. These among other quhhtis
serve partially TO explain the remarkable II
fiuence she now Yields as the leader Of oy'
half million Kings Dongh'eFs-one Of y
TO greatest moral and social forces In III
Of country in a century.
lg BLANCHE ELLIOTT.