The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-02-17
THECONGR[ss Of MOTHERS
Continued From First Page.


| Mrs. Ii. w. Fuller, and Miss Mary Louise
| Butler
Rev. W. III. Milburn, the blind preacher,
| opened the exercises with prayer, in which
he called down the blessings of God upon
| all women, and particularly the mothers OF
the land. He invoked Divine assistance for
the success of the congress, and that their
| deliber ations would be productive Of
much good toward helping mothers In the
mental moral aud physical development Of
| their children.
At the conclusion of Rev. DR.. Nib Irn's
| prayer, Mrs Theodore w Birney, OF this
city, the president of the National Con-
gress of Mothers, delivered an address OF
| welcome.
Mrs. BiTney gave hearty welcome to
| the delegates, many of whom, she said had
| come thousands of miles to be present
at the first convention of the order, which
the National Capital had the proud dis
tinction OF entertaining. She spoke OF the
| organization from its conception, the object
for which it was founded, its past work,
| and the many results it expected to ac-
| complish in the future. She said that
the destiny OF nations lies more in the
hands of women-the mothers-than In
the possession OF power. Upon the mothers
of our land devolyed the responsibility
for coming generations, and it was their
duty to see that their children should be
so brought up that they would reflect not
only credit upon their maternal training,
but upon the country.
Mrs May Lowe Dickinson, of New York
city, responded to Mrs. Birney, and thanked
the president OF the order for the kindly
greeting extended to the visiting delegates
who were present at the congress.
Mrs Dickinson is woman OF striking
personality, endowed with rare intellectual
powers, and her address was not only re-
sponsive to the feelings entertained by
the visiting delegates for their reception to
the National Capital, but a rare literary
effort, which was interspersed with flowers
of rhetoric.
At the conclusion OF Mrs. Dickinson's adj
dress the president announced that the con-
gress would take recess until go o clock
this afternoon, in order to allow the del
egates to meet Mrs. evcland- Many OF
the delegates, however, in their anxiety TO
meet the first lady OF the land had already
left the congress room before this announce
ment was made, and wended their way to-
ward the White House. Consequently,
long before the hour set for the reception,
the Blue Room was crowded with ex-
pectant women, many OF whom We're To Ce
permitted TO see Mrs. Cleveland for thefirst
time. Indeed, all roads seemed to lead 10
the White House and when the Congress
was finally adjourned there was rush
toward the Executive Mansion.
There were hundreds OF disappointed
women in the crowd when it was found
that the tickets for admission to the White
Nouse reception had been distributed
without going halfway around Those
who showed that they were strangers, TO
whom a sight Of the first lady in the land
was something to gohome and talk about,
looked as if they wanted to cry; others
grumbIed. and some exclaimed outright
that IL was nothing less than shame.
It was trouble that did not last long
enough to mar the harmony OF the meet
ing, however, for Mrs. Brney closed the
session with an announcement that Mrs.
Cleveland would receive all who called
with cards or withou
Immediately the overflow of mothers,
who had spent the session roaming through
the parlors and corridors without being
able to either get within yards OF the ban
ouet hall or to find chairs u rest in out
side. made grand rush for the Executive
Mansion They stood not on the order OF
their going. put went at once, and with
such CELEBRITY that tue hall and East Room
OF the White House were packed as the
Arlington had been by the time the Off
GERS OF the congress had arrived and Mrs
Cleveland was ready to receive them.
The vast room was decorated with laurel.
and on each column was huge shield or
immortelIes, dyed in the national culors-
There was one woman in the thrOng who
divided the interest OF the audience with
Mrs Cleveland, though why she should have
headed the procession OF Mothers was
more than the feminine world around her
could explain. 1t was DR.. Mary Walker,
in her regulation suit and tile, to which
was added a mink cape that muffled her
from her neck to her knees. As she passed
the door she lifted her beaver from her
head and held it aloft in her hand The
women around her nudged each other,
stared, calculated, and even touched the
small creature. but except for smile OF
distinct satisfaction the doctor gave no
evidence that she either saw or heard
them.
"A
iority of the visitors banked them selves
in the wrong position, and when dcor
was suddenly opened at a lower portion
of the loom there was breaking OF the
solid mass, and the big crowd squirmed
it's way to tie Blue Room to file two by two
into the presence of Mis-. Cleveland, where
each was welcomed with smile and a
cordial shake Of the hand.
The mistress the White House may have
looked finer at some one of her previous
receptions but it is doubtful If she ever
looked prettier than she did this morning.
Her garnet wool dress was made walking
length. with a yoke and cuffs OF cream
lace. finished with black gimp, and 4
belt and bow of black satin.
Pressed against the brass gate that
barred the entrance to the receiving room,
but gave a distinct view of everything
that was going On there, were tumble of
women who voiced their comments for the
benefit of those behind who were unable
even by standing on tiptoe or craning
their necks, to see anything. When the
visitors had passed through the Blue Room
and out into the lobby it was found that the
crowd still entering barred their egress
through the doors.
The side window was open and a sturdy
chair stood beneath. man in the thrOng
was the first to take advantage of the
combination by passing his ladies through
the window and then following suit. 1t
was not perhaps so dignified mode OF
exit as the door. but it saved time, and
many women followed example. just as
there were many others who looked as
if they wanted to. but didn't dare In
short time, considering the large number