The times., 1897-05-16
AUDUBON SOCIETIES.
A Wave of Popular Interest in tho
Great Naturalist.

New Orleans, May f5.-The American
women, so it seems, are about To create an
Audubon wave of some proportions At
least no one win Doubt THAT tbs. naturalist
and his work will be household words after
learning that Audubon societies are being
established here and there throughout the
land The object Of these associations is
not to build towering monuments to the
lover OF nature; they are merely coming
together of women Co pledge themselves not
TO help create demand for such pIurnage
as will necessitate the wholesale slauynter
of uhelittle creatures that Audubon 50 loved.
In his name they are putting in force a
movement to spare the birds.
The members OF the Audubon societies
will wear only the ostrich aud the cocks
feathers in their headgears. Tie using OF
the aigrette is greatly deprecated by many
Of these societies, because, 10 is said, that
tins favorite feather decoration is plneked
from the bird while still alive, a1d that this
pluckingis the ceuseof its subsequent death.
These aigrettes are shippedin large quantI-
titles from louisiana, Au6iubon's native
State
The Chicago wonan's club very recently
has taken astroag position oG this birdques-
ton. Many of its members have signed the
Charter of the Chicago Audubon Society,
which within the past Inolth has been reor-
ganized
While the women OF the Pelican State
have not pledged themselves IN Audit
bons name not To use the feather tribes
for personal adOrnment, they, tc0, are
ready To pay homage TO the creole His
father was Frenchman and his mother
Spanish creole. II was born it is sup
posed, on plantation, near the banks OF
Lake Ponchartrain, in a beautiful house
now, OF course. of historic interest It
was built by the great mans father. It
sheltered Louis PHILIPPE and was named by
the royalist, ''Fontainbleau Here, with
the lake before him and luxuriant wood
land behind him, was passed the infancyof
Audubon Coming into the world with such
surroundings, it is not wonderful that
he SO loved nature.
The louisa ma women have an Audubon
organization, its purpose being 10 erect
an imperishable memorial in bronze or
marble 10 the great naturalist. The So
ciety is composed almost entirely OF
women, and the lovers Of nature propose
To enlist in its membership, if possible,
every man and woman in the State here
and out OF the State. The present pre-
ponderance OF women in this movement
is in great part because the idea of the
monument came to a woman and TO an
untring one, who increasingly, fer months,
passed up ard down the streets of New
Arfe
of which she is leading figure, talking Of
and for Audubon, until finally a sGffi-
cient enthusiasm was created to bring to-
gether mass meeting Of women.
Indeed this originator of the Audubon
Monument Association has done more
than talk. she has put in pint "a clever
brochure, which under the title of "Au-
dubon,'' contains strong outline of the
bird lovers IIfe and work The entire
proceeds of the sale of this EcokIet have
been contributed to the fund A first
edition has aIrea iy been exhausted, OPEN
ing the bank account of the Audubon Monu-
ment Association with cash deIosit Of
$500. a second edition is Iow ready to
be floated, and the executive committee
of the association will look alter it's dis
posal during the summer and early in the
fall inauguTate some means Of fIItLer in
creasing the finances.
This author and friend of Audubon Mrs
Mary Fluker Bradford, wife of Mr. James
L. Bradford, a prominent citizen of New
Orleans and daughter OF the late Col FII-
ker, we'll known Louisianian, has from
her earliest chiiChOOd been an earnest adj
mirer OF A udubon, who was a frequent guest
in the Olden times in her home in the Fell
cianas. To use her own words. As a child
| listened eagerly when any Of the incl
dents connected with these visits were re-
called, and early developed fer the great
naturalist most devoted hero worship
But, above a. II else, CT eIished he family
tradition, that upon our plantation near
Bayou Sara, the great artist captured the
magnificent wild turkey from which he
painted then and there his celebrated
masterpiece
Iu New Orleans women have their own
method OF creating interest in any move
ment they have at heart. The Audubon
meeting, although largely representative
of the most fashionable element. was en-
tnely managed by women, though men
were the orators of the occasion The
two principal eUlogists were Bishop Da-
Wis Sessum. sometimes called the Phillips
Brooks of the South, and the gifted come
dian, Joseph Jefferson. A bishop and an
actor. The one telling, in thrilling tones,
OF the value of perpetuatiug the story OF
the idealist, and the other dwelling In
merry words of the simplicity and beauty
| of AUdubon's love for creatures Two
clever speeches, as widely different as tho
! professions of the speakers Mr. Jeffer-
| son aptly put it when he said: ''If Audu-
bon was here today and asked to classify
the bishop and the actor, he would not
| class us as birds of feather"
! At this meeting a woman speaker called
| attention to the fact that while much
| praise has been sounded in testimony to
| the genius of the successful man. no refer
euce was being made TO Mrs Audubon,
| who. at Bayou Sara, La, earned by keep
ing school Il sufficient sum to provide for
| the family while the natural provider
dreamed his dreams. This brought quick
response from the chair, IF Mrs Audu-
bon were with US, like all good wives, she
! would rejoice in the honor being given to
| her husband"
! Therei an enormous appreciation among
| the American women of today for the
achievements OF women, and now that
| Audubon will probably be the talk in many
J woman's club, he sure there viii be no
! lack Of admiration given to Lucy Blake
| wellA uGuhon, the A merican wife of "a great
| genius, of whom it can truly he said she
| believed in him to the extent OF assuming
his prosaic duties that he might out in the
| forest live. amid the beauties of nature the
| higherlife. Amongthew ewives ofthc worlds