The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 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.
Smartly gowned society buds and ma
| irons. together with pretty children.
| crowded thiclly the fresh green lawns of
! the old Observatory grounds at Twenty
, third and Z Streets yesterday afternoon.
| Success crowned the efforts of the ladies
| Interested in the work done by the
| Womens 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 commo-
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
home interest and meet with friends who
| 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. c. Kelton. The
| other branch of the work done by the
| league includes the furnishing of books,
| hymnaIs, 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 Indictment 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 sprinkling showers of Friday did not
| daunt the ladies' and a 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
muslins gathered on the slope overlook
| ing the river and watched a detachment
of cavalrymen from Fort Myer do intri-
| cate maneuvres and feats of horseman-
| ship A detachment of marines and
number of athletes from the Young Men
| 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
- N1.wTa sfDr
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
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 hollow. where It could easily
be seen from the terraces. and two dozen
pretty little children skipped about 1t to
| the inspiriting measure of La Fran
| cesca" by the Marine Band. The light
| hearted youngsters made pretty picture
as they plated down the tall flower
|
Miss Gladys Hinckley, who made a raw
| ishingly beautiful May queen. was at
tended by Miss Edith Hawley. and Miss
] Frederick Morgan as maids Of honor.
| ON the walk before the building re-
| freshmen 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 bevy OF pretty buds, including Miss
| Constance Mills, Miss Kline Miss Stew
art. Miss McCalla, Miss Lound, Miss KEEL
| 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
| !: 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 perfect bower of pleas
\ antiy perfumed and brightly colored bios
| SONS. Mrs. Higginson had charge of the
| had with her on her committee Mr;i w.
| Coles. Mrs. Henry Cabot Lodge, Mrs.
| KIchAru MISS Bludle, MFS. G.
| J.. Brady. Mrs. j. L. 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 teiiers were Miss
Jackson, Miss Humphreys. Miss Hughes.
| Miss Mulhal. 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. L. Jewell, Mrs.
| c. Sutherland, Mrs. Higginson, Mrs. An
| son Mills. Mrs. cambridge Hoff, Mrs.
! SterHberg. Mrs. Benjamin Buckingham,
| Mrs. Freeman. Mrs. f. j. 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. Greedy 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
! ton, the President. who celebrated with
her husband. at the Friday party, the
| fifty-eighth anniversary OF her marriage.
| The league will hold its last meeting this
| season in the chapel of the Church Of the
| Covenant Thursday. May l6, at 2:30 p. m,
when Chaplain Pierce Will speak.
!
| Our Missionaries.