The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-23

1t is reported by someone that there
are thirty-siX bachelors at Fort Smell
Ing among the officers, and this is very
cheering news, particularly as last
years and this years debutantes have
added the names of so many new girls
to the already long list of societys
roster that the importation of new men
cannot but be pleasant. But the ques-
ton is, how to get TO know these
bachelors and how to get them out to
the dances. Strenuous measures were
adopted last winter by some of the
mothers who thought that dancing
men needed encouragement and should
be routed out. Several of these en-
terprising matrons went up to Fort
Smelling and called from house TO
house, inquiring the name of the next
neighbor upon leaving each house, and
thus they introduced themselves to the
wives of the officers and through them
discovered the bachelors. Or, as an
other woman did, one can send to the
army building on Robert street and
obtain q list of the unmarried and eli
gible officers and straightway invite
them to their houses. Dancing men
are scarce just now, and those who are
are not likely to suffer from lack of
attention.
Men Are Autocratic.
The women complain, however, that
these same young men will come to
their houses, drink their punch and en-
Joy their hospitality and dance once
with the hostess daughter for mere
politeness, and then are never seen
again.
1t is almost as bad in st. Paul as in
New York, where the few dancing
men have it all their own way, regular
autocrats who do as they please and
nf hni ar
paying attention to any girl whose
mother has been courteous to them,
unless the girl happens to strike their
august fancieS. Men are so necessary
to the success of a dancing party that
they have taken advantage of that fact
to do very much as they please know
ing that they are not likely to be left
out. The very men who will accept
the invitations to the debutante's
dances would never think of returning
it by inviting one of them to go to the
German club unless he just happened
to want to. The experience of society
folk in this regard is the same every
where, but it is particularly noticeable
here just now, because the supply of
dancing men is so short Therefore
the thirty-siX officers at the fort
sounds very we'll, indeed, and bids fare
to make the season a gayer one than
we have had for some time.
Mrs. Fairbanks Visit.
The visit to st. Paul of Mrs. c. w.
Fairbanks, president general of the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton, was not made as much of So
cially as if her stay had been longer
and she had not come for specific
purpose. But her coming was simply
to attend the state conference of the
Minnesota daughters, and further their
interests, and was in compliance with
and to redeem a promise made by her
last winter in Charleston to Mrs.
Franklin Rising, of Winona, state re-
gent, who invited her then to come to
Minnesota. 1t was the first time that
the national president has been present
at the state conference, and naturally
her coming was not only a great pleas
ure to the daughters, but an inspiration
as we'll.
Mrs. Fairbanks, aside from her office,
is an interesting woman and clever
one. She was born in Marysville
IS Ohio, grew up and married there
Charles w. Fairbanks, of Indianapolis.
In the same town was born and lived
for many years Mrs. Fairbanks init
mate friend, Mrs. Liggett, Of ST. An
thony Park, who was her hostess dur
Ing her short stay in Minnesota. Mrs
Fairbanks and Mrs. Liggett went to
Vassar college together, graduated to-
gether and married about the same
time, and from that time they have
been widely separated, though they
have ever kept alive their old-time
friendship. Mrs. Fairbanks, whose
maiden name was Cole, was considered
one Of the cleverest girls at Vassar,
and her class orations were famous
and her scholarship of the highest.
Prominent for Many Years.
Her prominence in the D. A. R. is not
a new thing, as for many years she
worked hard for the success of the
organization before holding any Of
foe, later she served two terms as
one of the vice presidents, and last
year was elected to the highest office
after hard fight between her adher-
ents and those Of Mrs. Donald Mclean,
of New York.
Mrs. Fairbanks was always a pop
ular woman in the society, but her
year and half of office finds her more
firmly intrenched than ever In the
hearts Of the members, not alone for
her wise management of the affairs of
the society, but because she has de-
veloped fine executive ability and much
business tact. Furthermore Mrs. Fair
banks is just woman and has done
nothing hastily.
The great object for which all the
daughters are working as an organ
ization is to build Memorial Con-
unental hall, and 1t will not be forgot
ten that 1t was during the admins ira
ton Of Mrs. Fairbanks that the site
was purchased and the ground broken
for the cornerstone. Its location is at
the intersection of Seventeenth and D
streets in Washington, and on the 18th
of October just past Mrs. Fairbanks,
supported by large number Of daugh-
tiers and many interested spectators,
dug out the first spade full of dirt from
the spot upon which the cornerstone
will stand a little later. The building,
Which is to be very handsome one
and will cost 100000 when finished,
exclusive Of the site, for which 100000
has been paid in cash. is not only in
tended as a memorial for Revolution
airy heroes, both men and women but
as meeting place and home for the
Daughters of the American Revolution
all over the country. Here the GEN
eral officers will have their offices, and
the many committees their headuuar-
ters, while part of the building will
be devoted to a large hall, where the
annual continental congress will be
held.
$4,000 Already Collected.
Toward this great object the daugh-
tiers have now nearly .$75,0 900, and Mrs.
Fairbanks, who is chairman of Con
tnental hall committee, has given a
greater impetus to the work than has
been done for years. In her speeches
made in Minneapolis on Saturday and
In private houses While on her visit