The San Francisco call., 1895-11-13
MISS FIELD THE GUEST
Newspaper Women Entertain
Her at the San Francisco
Press Club.
MUSIC AND VERY WEAK PUNCH.
The Male Writers Give Up Their
Rooms to the Ladies for an
Afternoon.

The Press Club of San Francisco scarcely
knew itself yesterday afternoon. It's
serious aspect was transformed by garlands
OF flowers, crimson streame-s and women
in pretty frocks till it looked more like a
society drawing-room than place where
men retire from the madding crowd to
think or spenu social hour or two.
The fact is that the Press Club did not
belong to the men yesterday afternoon.
For the first time in its history 1t was
turned over to the women reporters of the
City, and the men came as visitors and
aided and abetted their feminine col
leagues in covering their furniture with
flowers, filing their most cherished glasses
with sweet weak punch and generally
making havoc with all that a clubman
holds most sacred.
The occasion was a reception to Miss
Kate Field. Some weeks ago, when the
newspaper men heard that the newspaper
women were anxious to honor that distin-
guished journalist, they gallantly placed
the Press Club at the disposal of the women
reporters and Miss Field having accepted
the invitation, the reception took place
yesterday.
1t was serious and solemn occasion for
the women; they had heard "Press Club"
discussed all their newspaper lives but
the club itself was a terra incognita to
them. They stood in awe of the place and
felt inclined to mutter a benediction as
they passed its portals, but before they
had been there ten minutes the courtesy
extended them made them feel as If they
owned the cluh-for the afternoon of course.
The reception took place from P. NJ till s..
Miss Kate Field was there bright and
early, looking charming in black silk,
with suggestion of crimson; her little
theater bonnet was also black and crimson.
c. M. Coe, president of the Press Club,
was present to receive the guest of honor.
The following newspaper women formed
the reception committee; Miss Ada Pat
Miss Marie Evelyn Lister, Mrs. Mary
Calkins Johnson, Mrs. Lillian Plunkett
Ferguson and Miss Elsie Lamb.
During the afternoon memb bers of the
Press Club dropped IN as their work per-
mitted and were presented to Miss Field,
chatted awhile and listened to the musical
programme.
About thirty lady friends of the women
reporters were also present, and although
the proceedings were entirely informal
every one pronounced the reception a com
plete success, partly on account OF the
absence of formality.
Quite an ovation was given to De Wolf
Hopper, VINO came 10 meet his friend,
Miss Field, in spite of his lameness. Mr..
Hopper, who was in splendid voice, sang
| the first serious song he has given in pub
lie for long time. and he rendered it so
dramatically that the rafters OF the Press
Club rang with applause. The tail
comedian was good-natured, for he per-
mitted himself to be prevailed upon to
give one of his inimitable renderlngs of a
comic song, also to recite twice. The other
members OF the De Wolf Hopper company
present were J. S. Heller, musical director,
H. A. Cripp, O. J. U. Mckinney.
| Miss Florence Garassiere, young local
debutante, with a fine soprano voice, sang
so Luce de quest, aniIna," with splen-
did school and expression. She was ac-
companied by her teacher, Miss Barrett.
Little Maria Barrett, prodigy of 10 years,
sang in Italian dramatic scene from I'll
Trovatore" in way that astonished her
hearers.
Several members of the Press Club
showed how much musical ability exists
there. Willard Bachelor sang excel
lently. S. E. Tucker and Chris Jorgenson
also won warm and deserved applause
Fletcher Tilton accompanied with his
wonted skin.