The times., 1901-05-12
SOCIETY AT A GARDEN FETE
Prominent People Give Aid to the
Soldier Boys Club.
Pretty Buds Succeed in Gathering
Numerous Dimes and Dollars A
BENEFIT Under the Auspices of the
WOmen's Army and Navy League.

Numerous Dimes and Dollars A
Benefit Under the Auspices of the
Women's Army and Navy League.
Smartly gowned society buds and ma
irons together with pretty children,
crowded thickly the fresh green lawns of
the old Observatory grounds at Twenty
third and E Streets yesterday afternoon.
Success crowned the efforts OF the ladies
! interested in the work done by the
Women's Army and Navy League and as
a result the Golfers of the society will be
the gamer by several hundred dollars at
least, or perhaps, when all accounts are
in, by $1,000. This will go partly to the
soldiers in the Philippines and to military
posts in this country, and partly toward
the expenses of a Soldiers, Sailors, and
Marines Club, which has just been start
ed on a sound basis here.
The women of the league have worked
this winter to obtain new and oommo-
dious quarters for soldiers here in Wash
ington Their labors have resulted In the
acquisition of a fine new building at 81
c Street northwest. The idea has been
to furnish a place where soldiers absent
from their posts of duty or sailors away
from their ships may be surrounded by
have a personal interest in them. The
president of the league having this work
in charge, and which gave the May Day
party Yesterday is Mrs. J. G. Kelton. The
other branch of the work done by the
league includes the furnishing of books
hymnals and organs to the soldiers. Be
cause so many soldiers are far away IN
|. Cuba or the Philippines the work OF the
league in this direction during the last
two years has been heavy, and the pro-
ceeds of the May Day party Will mate
rally assist in getting good literature 10
the soldiers and sailors abroad.
The inclement weather in reality as
sisted in increasing the amount realized
for the party was given twice, with
good attendance on each day The event
was to have been held Friday afternoon
or was to be postponed until saturday
afternoon If the first date proved RAINY
The sprinkiing showers of Friday ala not
daunt the ladies, and fair crowd turned
out to witness some most interesting
games. The chief amusement of the af-
ternoon was a Gymkhana, held in the
broad stretch of lawn back OF the OBJ
servatory buildings The daintily gowned
children and ladies' in their dimities and
musiins, gathered on the slope overlook
ing the river. and watched a detachment
of cavalrymen from Fort Myer do intri-
| cate maneuYres and feats of horseman-
1 shin. A detachment of marines and a
number of athletes from the Young Mems
! Christian Association also assisted in
| the entertainment. The sports were some
/ what humorous, and among them were
an egg race, an umbrella and cigar race,
a needle threading race, and a button
sewing race. The Young Mems Christian
! Association men gave exhibitions in short
sprint races, hurdling, shot putting, and
vaulting Handsome prizes were awarded
/ to the victors in each event. On the lawn
before the buildings the Marine Band
/ played, a Punch and Judy show was in
1 operation, and refreshments were served.
A corps of fair fortune tellers for a mod
| est fee mapped out glowing futures.
! Yesterdays attendance was far larger
| than on the preceding day. The children
had the central position on the pro-
gramme, and gave a beautiful May Pole
Dance The pole, crowned with roses. was
| placed in a hollow. where 1t could easily
i be seen from the terraces, and two dozen
! pretty little children skipped about it to
| the inspiriting measure of La Fran
| cesca" by the Marine Band. The light
! hearted youngsters made a pretty picture
as they plated down the tall flower
crowned staff the gaily colored ribbons.
! Miss Gladys Hinckley who made a raw
! ishingly beautiful May qU en-, was at
| tended by Miss Edith Haw y and Miss
| Frederika Morgan as maids of honor.
On the walk before the building re-
| freshment tables were set, and the work
of serving the refreshments was under
the direction of Mrs. Van Rensselaer, Hoff
| Acting as mattresses she had to assist
| her a bevy of pretty buds, including Miss
| Constance Mills, Miss Kline, Miss Stew
| art. Miss McCalla, Miss Lound, Miss kel-
| ton, and many others. At the end of the
walk. in the flower booth, was Mrs. Ben
| ton. directing the work of her many at
tractive assistants. Among such attrac
tions, one of the most alluring was to
| have your photograph taken while you
wait Mrs. Il. l.. Tanner, as the Chair
man of the committee, presided over the
camera. Mrs. T. Dix Bolles had charge
| of the candy booth. which was besieged
| by the children every minute Of the af-
| ternoon.
The decorations proved Mrs Marshall
| I. Ludington's success as Chairman of
the committee having them in charge.
| -Four great wagon loads OF the finest
palms at Arlington were sent over TO as
sist her in making the building and
grounds more beautiful With wild flow
ers placed everywhere in profusion, the
grounds became a perfect bower of pleas
antly perfumed and brightly colored bios
SONS. Mrs. HigginsOn had charge of the
entertainment and the games, and she
| had with her on her committee Mrs. w.
Coles, Mrs. Henry Cabot Lodge, Mrs.
| Richard Mulligan, Miss Biddle, Mrs g.
| i. Brady, Mrs. J. J.. Mcneil, Mrs. f.
| Chaplin, and Mrs. Van Reypen Captain
| Bartlett, from Fort Myer, headed the de-
tachment of officers that took part in the
| Gymkhana. The fortune tel1ers were Miss
| Jackson, Miss Humphreys. Miss Hughes,
| Miss Mulhan, and Miss Chamberlain.
| Mrs. Asa Walker had charge of the gyp-
sizes.
Among those who were present yester-
| day were Edwin II. COnger, Minister TO
| China; Capt. Richmond p. Hobson, Mrs.
| Robley ID. Evans. Mrs T. Il. Jewell Mrs.
| c. Sutherland, Mrs. Higginson, Mrs AM
son Mills, Mrs. Bainbridge Hoff Mrs.
| Sternberg, Mrs. Benjamin Buckingham,
Mrs. Freeman. Mrs. Z. ID. Galloway. Ad-
miral and Mrs. Farquhar. Captain and
Mrs. Chester, Miss Rachel Sherman, Miss
Bessie Edes, Miss Aletta Van Reypen,
Mrs. Fairbanks, Mrs. Elkins. Mrs.
Ffoulke Mrs. Greely and Miss Greedy.
Prof and Mrs Raymond, Admiral and
Mrs Ramsay, MRS. Edwards. Admiral and
Mrs. Hughes and Miss Hughes, Assistant
| Secretary Hackett, the Misses Biddle.
and Mrs r. B. Bradford.
Nearly every member Of the society
wore pinned to her dress a little silk flag.
! Three hundred of them were made by
| Mrs w S. Campbell mother Of Mrs. Kel-
! ton the President. who celebrated with
her husband. at the Friday party, the
fifty-eighth anniversary Of her marriage.
| The league viii hold its last meeting this
| season in the chapel of the Church of the
Covenant Thursday, May 16, at 2:30 p. m,
when Chaplain Pierce will speak.
Our Missionaries.