The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-06
MRS. BOTToME'S GREETING.
A WELCOME FROM THE KINGS
nj UTERs ~ THE SOUTH.
Features or ,ho Courocaiion o. rhe Order at
t=e Nashviiie CentennIal - Enthusinstio

t=e Nashville Centennlal - Enthusinstio
sonthern nHorp,tNiit, -lntercstinE Services.
Mrs. Margaret Bottomc. founder Of the Intor-
nat'onal Order o. tho Kings Daughters and
Sons, has just returned from the Nashville Cen.
tennial Exposition. Che wants TO go right back
again, for. she says, mover In all her life before
did she have such q good time. When aekcd TO
tell o! her trip she began enthusiastically:
"oh, il l set started on that beautiful time
will pcvor stop! Saturday. May %. was set
apart as Kings Daughters DGy. and what a
royal DAY II wasl Women had poured in from
all through TIE South, all wearing tho little
cross and purple ribbon, for they Felt that this
WIS 10 be their day. that they Aad n personal IN.
forest 10 1t. Tho day began with a holy com
munion service at Christ Ep;s. opal Church. at
half past 9 in the morning. 1t was n most
solemn service, and tho building was crowded to
tho doors. At Its close those In attendance took
the cars 20 tho Centennial grounds. and lot mo
say right here. the Centennial is not at the flag
end Of the city. as the White City was at the fag
cnd OF Chicago. It Is right in the heart Of every
thing in q beautiful park. and tho frst impress
sion that one gets is that 1t Is the White City in
miniature.
But to go on with the convocatiol. It was
held in the woman's Building. and the greatest
crowd that has yet attended any convocation
was present. After the Assembly Hall had boon
filled TO Overlooking the entire Woman's Build
Ing was fliel and surrounded, and the policemen
said afte-word that several hundred women
had to be turned away. The whole day was
filed With a most interesting programme
and The workers. In the order greatly cncour.
aged and hnlped. When l entered with
Mrs. Van Ieer Kirkman. PresiGcn. OF the wo-
mans department, the applause did my heart
good. felt that these women were lny dauRh-
tess and that they roalzed that { was wiling to
be u mother 20 any who needed INC. Mrs. Kirk
man extended a beautiful ~siccting to tho Wis
itors. IwisE ovcry member o: tho order through.
cut the world could have nolri It. She said,
among other things:
"Yoa are tho iast ana sweetest t-hitEgc OK
th-t tree Of human charity which hsy taken ro,:s
In the hearts OF the womRaLool OF america.
1t IN only about ten years since Mrs. 9ottome OF
New York. our honorcd guest, conceived the
organization. AID. as IL b. divine magic. circles
have sprlaR into existence N almost every com.
munity in this broad land. That which, dis
ttnguishes you from and above all other eleeno-
ingiy offered to your noiE6bor. The poor we
have always with us. and 1t Is to these that you
timely help. May You ii" Increase IN numbers and
influence until, want and misery shall be ban
i'A aMf from ki S95 happy a land;u Mrs, so,,oms.
is one Of the most beautiful. most gracious
women 1 have ever met anywhere. and tho
woman's department certainly has the right
President. Her tact is infinite and her justice
Mrs. James p. Kirkman. President Of the
City Union. extended a welcome to the visitors.
and read n report OF the work OF the order in
the WORK in wss, and east Tennessee. and al.
c wSrs I %os IT. E IT, ,a} Sr to William ME- Mhf Tnm the time time
f Presid ien i1 Of Il the se City Uni Union. i insrodl me% me- .'i In
her little talk she said that the Kings paugh-
tiers of Tennessee were representatives OF the
tiers of the gospel. noble teachers, and Spar
tan mothers q 1796..hOt these Southern
beset a new country: but. as they spun the max
and rocked the cradle. they laid the foundation
As / looked down on the ses Of uptqTned faces in
front OF me knew that she was right. that the
S Ses, { ne H,onl hinEs p ,bs aness rs nrnisn t 5hs
them 81 that ESn / Mas 3l lnf 1 to- Sc n there. at last lS'1
have come were the first words ! uttered, and
I I was WAS s sS@S VIM VIM s Ss,sfs S AT LAST s. f" hia iSs
come, repeated, and then l told them
a Southern home; for. though born in New York.
the thn" south ao and I felt glad to think that I had al.
ways loved the Southern women; told them Of
fns sG In this city. .. a md talked aHss t to- them %, ABOUT sfS n thy
After al! the talking was finished; an invita-:
were an old maid, 81 years old, and a babe
were at the altar side by side, and It was a most
interesting picture, Ipinned the ribbon and the
one amid mighty applause. The dear old
lady. by the way, is one OF the best known
s sssiTs to-day In than SA the Average sh woman 's Of %G Sc
and works at her desk constantly. writing for
papers. and magazines. On Sunday I spoke
most amusing: She told me that she had just
IS years Of age. out West. She had never seen
him. but he had read some OF her writings; and
belle beiiev red and hoped that she would live IT to be a !
hundred, and she answered, i do not live In
E,sars; but in the viii Of Gp pa II he wants ne to
"Hundrcas joined the order and pressed
around me after the meeting. That afternoon a
public reception was held In the woman's Build
ing in my honor. II was q crush: and imagine
voiced southern Sisters took my hand and said
"'oh. Mrs Bottome. I've known you for two
might be- be-. ' !tSro ssffS your on nv writing faFs. and IF I'm s"s SO
glad aTt to r0 ONE, face ACE TO o face with y you: h.or o,u.d
morning. nftcrnoon, and night. The evening ser.
vice think interested me more than any other,
for then i addressed the coiorcd member1 OF the
There are ten energetic circles In that institution
lines, whether Of race. creed. o. social condition,
among the children OF God. but Welcomes all
and to serve ser him. 7 shall never forget
that picture, The circles occupied the centre
or the church and all around them were the
white people. the very best OF the city. who were
Interested in the meeting. That black picture
with ita frame Of white will never leave my
mind, ahd the darkeys sang their jubilee songs
for me. That was a great compliment. for they
are educated beyond them now. They heard how
anxious I was 20 herr their own music, and so
they arranged that | should. Such singing !
had never heard, and such p~laintiye. mellow
voices. Swing Low. Sweet Chariot sank into
ms very heart ard I can shut NJ; eyes and hear
II now.
VI also talked to the young cirls. md women
IN the Florence Crittenden Home In Nashville.
After saying all / had to say. | asked them To
come up and shake hands with me. There were
about twenty-five unfortunates In the home
then. though they como and go, and the Lumber
varies. A great many Daughters interested In
that work were presen, at tho meeting. As
tho first outcast took my hand, ! said:
lyon are my daughter. All Of you are my
daughters and / am your mother. When people
say to you Have you a mother y ~ your own
dear mother is dead, answer them. " My own
mother IS deah hut Margaret Bottome Is my
mother now They all looked perfectly dazed
and couldn't seem to take IL In. Why, my dear
children, 1 went on. don't you know that the