Evening star., 1895-09-14

Mis-. Joseph Thompson, President of
the WOmnn's Board.
wonderful decorative lines In which wo-
men are SO Skillful-a busy gathering, in
deed, and among them no quarreling. for
each has a space and to each there was
surety of success through individual effort.
Busy Scene.
The big front rooms opening on the hall
of the lower floor were busy and interest
ing. On the right the New York women
were arranging their room, a charming
artistic place, with decorations in Delft
blue and the polished floor covered with
Persian rugs: on the left the women of
Massachusetts,. Connecticut and Maryland
were busy dS bees. Maryland has the larg-
est space in this room, which is bright and
colonial in effect; on its walls the pictures
of famous Baltimore beauties, while its
furnishings contain many rare historical
specimens OF old mahogany and rosewood
Massachusetts, and Connecticut are unique
in mementoes of old Puritan days, and in
presenting the pictures of gifted men and
women of New England The big hallway
is hung with beautiful pictures and deco
In the back hallway the committee on china
painting and the arts of the aboriginal
women are arranging their display.
On either side of this hall are the art
galleries, and here, beside the many fine
paintings, are several collections of bric-a-
brac and curios of great interest that have
never before been exhibited. Mr.. Schauss
will send on the 1st of October his great
painting by Rosa Bonheur for this gallery
This painting has never been seen before
outside of Rosa Bonheur's study and Mr..
Schauss, who had never exhibited at any
of the big fairs in this country, is sending
this great canvas solely in honor of Mrs
Thompson.
Preserves and Pickles.
Back of the art galleries is the agr cul-
a
women managers thought that this was too
advanced an age for women to descend to
the exhibition of preserves and pickles and
fruit but after all, they thought, since wo-
men have from time immemorial excelled
in these household arts which are really OF
such great Importance. 1t would be affected
not to have them represented. Then" said
one of the board, we can go up into the
assembly hall and have all the theorizine
and advanced speaking we want, and it
will not in the least interfere with the
preserve exhibit"
The assembly hall is, however going To
leok no more like strictly business room
than the salon of Madame Adam. The wo
men of Charleston have taken hold of that
for decoration. On Its walls they will dis
play many beautiful miniatures and price
less art treasures gathered by the wealthy
families of that southern city Opposite the
assembly hall is the presidents room, and
the decorators are busy here completing an
apartment fit for the reception of a princess
The walls and the furniture are all after
the fashion of the Louis Seize and the desk
at which my lady president transacts her
business, dainty, coquettish affair." sug-
gests nothing more serious than the paint
ing of valentine or an invitation to after
noon tea.
The Presidents Work.
Mrs. thompson was elected president by
the exposition board one year ago last
January. The work, Of course, in the
spring seemed far away and light and
trivial. She went to Europe for a few
months travel. When she returned in Sep
tember she found the members who had
been appointed to the board in an excited
quandry.
What shall we do?" they exclaimed.
'The men say they can give us no money
for our building: and we have not cent
In our treasury"
"We'll have it," said Mrs Thompson;
and with that she went to work Not. be
1t said alone for there were forty women
energetic, clever and full of enthusiasm.
to aid her in her work. Still, everybody
needs a leader, and that this young wo-
man, wealthy, indulged, accustomed to con-
suit her own inclinations and to choose her
own life. has proved her powers of leader
skip cannot be denied. Mrs. Potter Pal
mer stood at the head of the women's de-
pertinent with millions at her back: Mrs.
Thompson started out with her work in the
same direction with the surety of only ten
thousand dollars promised by the mems
board, provided the women raised that
much more for the purpose of erecting a
building. She began her task at a period
when times were terribly hard, and she
accomplished it not through the securing
of large donations, but through the per-
sisteut gathering together of odd shekels
from little undertakings. The strain of
v ork and worry she has stood with mar
veIous fortitude; and so have all the wo-
men who have been her assistants.
A Year of Planning.
The womens building today represents
one year of persistent labor and planning
to the board Of forty women managers and
the committees they represent. Twenty
thousand dollars was added to the ten
thousand for this building, which is per-
manent and fire-proof and will stand as a
monument to their great efforts-as an il
lustration of what women can do in archi-
lecture and interior decoration while Its con-
tents represent every phase of feminine ac-
corplshment.
The press room opens into Mrs. Thomp-
sons office, and from what the decorators
are doing there now it looks IL it was
going to be an exceedingly attractive office,
furnished in oriental style. The library is
next to this, and the committee in charge
is busy arranging upon the shelves and as