Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-08
WOMEN AT CAMPFIRE
UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE O. A r.
ENCAMPMENT.

ENCAMPMENT.
One Of the unique features arranged for
encampment week was a woman's camp
fire and reunion. Such thing was never
before attempted and 1T was problematical
whether it would succeed. Women are not
prone to step from the beaten path, and
decidedly Mrs. Mussey's proposition for
a campfire at which most of the speakers
should be women was something new under
the sun.
This campfire took place yesterday after
noon. A real fire spread on the ground
would have helped to rid it of It's somewhat
sodden condition. but that did not seem
to matter to the people who packed Meade
tent for two hours to listen to the elo-
quence OF woman speakers and to the
splendid singing of the Kansas Modocs
Finally the flaps Of the tent were raised
and soon the crowd extended far out into
the open. 1t is probable that Washington
has set the pace and that at each succeed
ing encampment woman's campfire will
be one of the distinctive features.
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey. chairman of
the Woman's Auxiliary. presided, and in
troduced each speaker and singer in her
most happy vein.
On the platform were several army
nurses and distinguished members Of the
Woman's Relief Corps. In introducing the
first speaker Of the afternoon, Mrs. Mar
garet Ray Wilkins, past national president
OF the Woman's Relief Corps, Mrs. Mussey
said that before they had gone very far on
the program 1t was very probable some
would think that 1t was the United States
of Kansas, as she had selected many of
her speakers from that state. She assured
them that they would not find the program
monotonous because those OF whom 1t was
made up came from the great prairie state.
Silver-Tongued Orator.
She then introduced Mrs. Wilkins as the
"silver-tongued orator" a term which the
audience seemed Sto think fitted quite per-
fectly. for she was FeSy plentifully applaud
ed all the way through on her remarks
The subject wasEThe Hand That Rocks the
Cradle Rules the, world" Mrs. Wilkins as
serted quite positively that the women of
the country could make Its career what
they chose. They could carry 1t against
all that was good, orfhey could make 1t the
best country on earth. Particularly did
she believe that the children Of the nation
imbibed patriotism at the mothers knee.
Her remarks were OF character winch
brought applause at every sentence.
s ples0sn The he 81 Star spangled Bannsr.
the big audience singing the chorus
with splendid enect, which was =
the Flag" told by Mrs. Isabel Worreii Ball
Immediately afterward. Mrs. Ball sketched
the history OF national banners from the
rust rede and yellow flag OF ferdinand and
Isabella, the first to float over the new west
world. down to the making of the Stars
and Stripes, illustrating her recital with
set OF flags which she herself made for the
purpose. 80 "
Crescent Flag of South Carolina.
Among them were the crescent flag OF
South Carolina and the stars and anchor
flag Of Rhode Island. among the Oldest in
the country today. There were the yellow
rattlesnake flag given by Capt. Gadson to
the navy as its first ensign, and the Cam
bridge flag and meteor flag Of New Eng
land. Mrs Balls address was interesting
and entertaining. She was assisted by a
very pretty flag -draped young lady, Miss
Abbie Johnson, herself a descendant or
John Adams who was one Of the most en-
thusiastic men Of his day over the adoption
of national emblem. and tiny Miss Jo-
sephine Oldroyd Tiefenthaler gave the sa-
table so she could be seen, and assisted as
flag page in illustrating the address, carry
ing herself with the greatest dignity.
Mrs. Mussey then introduced Mrs. Emma
Forter. department president of Kansas,
who gave an instructive talk on the pa
triotic work Of the Woman's Relief Corps,
the manner in which the work is organized
and Its plans put into action. Mrs. Forter
is quite sure that the saving Of the nation
begins with the child at home and in the
school. and that If he Is we'll grounded in
the early principles Of patriotism he can
never go quite wrong.
Mrs. Emma Wall, national president of
the Ladies OF the G. A. r. could not be
present because of a pressure of business.
80 Mrs. Mussey substituted Mrs. Kate B.
sherwood, past national president Of the
Woman's Relief Corps. the second woman
to be so honored, and now the ranking
president living Mrs Sherwood said she
was delighted to be introduced to so large
an audience as coming from Ohio. for she
had heard Kansas ia cked to the end of the
lntroductlens up to that moment and began
to think that Ohio was not in 1t, until she
recalled having read the major portion Of
the population of Kansas had gone there
from Ohio. and then she felt quite satisfied
that Kansas should keep to the front. Mrs.
Sherwood's remarks, like the others, were
along patriotic lines. and were received
with every evidence of approval. She called
upon the women of the land to uphold the
president OF the United States in every ef-
fort that he was making to bring order out
OF chaos IN the coal fields. and also to sup
port MS patriotic efforts to make the
people OF the islands of the sea appreciate q
1ree government and its blessings.
The Modoc Club
The star event Of the program was the
singing of the famous Modoc Club Of To-
peka. Kan: The big leader, Col. T. J. An
with sunfiowers. to the platform from the
campfire Of the EK-Prisoners of War re-
union. where tFyNhad made the echoes
ring with their SONGS and the cheers that
lney ELECTED from the delighted audience
Ihey sang several numbers, and found 1t
aimcult to get away from the delighted au-
oience. but theX1 were scheduled for songs
Mr.; Barry BIkieSa, secretary of the citi-
zens committees and Mr.. Louis P. Shoe
MAKER first vice president. attended the
meeting brtefy,tsandf Mr.. Shoemaker adj
dressed the ladies' OH the subject Of taxa
ton and the need Of the District before
Congress. whicHahe, hoped they would pa
trloticaily rsmefAhsfi when they sent their
husbands, sons and brothers to Congress
Prominent Visitors.
Among the prominent visitors, In addition
to the committee and the members of the
societies In charge. were Mrs. Clinton
smith. district p9esldent Of the Woman.s
Christian Temperance Union; Mrs. Della A
B. Fay. national president Of the Army
Nurses Association: Mrs. Kate Emily
Scott. the secretary; DR.. Mary Hill, the ma
tiohal treasurer; Mrs. Jennie Harveystreet.
Mrs. Woodley, the organizer and original
national president, and Mrs. Ewing. past
national president of the association. Mrs.
Ada johnson, the only other surviving ex-
president. was compelled. through illness.
to remain away.
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