The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-05-15

MRS. MARY G. PIcKENS
 Of Greensboro, Who Responded to the
 Address of Welcome at the conven-
 ton of the Daughters of the Confed-
 eracy.
  Hargrave. Clements and many others add lustre to her fame.
 Our state university is here, that great seat of learning, our West Point of the Confederacy, from whose halls went forth in dark hour of need three hundred brave boys in defense, against General Croxton and fifteen hundred cavalrymen who came upon them in the night, with orders to burn the university and de- stroy mills and factories which they did, to the amount of half a million dollars. But-like a great monument-it stands to- day rebuilt-over the burnt ruins of the past-grander than before, In the mem ory of those brave boys.
 Let every southern woman in Alabama whose proud heritage 1t is to be Daugh- ter of the Confederacy, guided and in- spired by the untlring efforts and faith ful work of our state president Mrs. Dardell, of opelika, redouble her strength and energy in the work be- gun until every battlefield has it's monu- ment, every grave its headstone, and ev- cry living veteran feels our tender care, and a true history is completed of the l War of the Confectionery"
 Mrs. cIay-CIopton.
 The presence of Mrs Virginia Clay Clopton was made the occasion of the most eloquent tributes and her visit to Tuscaloosa recalled to many the story of | her social triumphs when she lived here before her marriage to Senator Clay. The old home of Alfred Battle, where Mrs. Clopton was reared is conspicu- ous example today of the magniicence and luxury of the past.
 As Virginia TunstalL she was the toast of society and her wedding took place at the height of her career as belle.
 Mrs. Clay-Clopton was a brilliant fig- ure at the reception given at the resi- denee of Mrs. Edward Snow, and held little court throughout the evening. She is writing her memoirs and expects to complete them within the next few months. The McClures are anxious to publish them serially, and Mrs. Clay | Clopton is in correspondence with the publishers of other magazines in regard | to her work.
 As she recalls the incidents of another | day her beautiful brown eyes grow more brilliant with memories and her face, framed In gray curls, IS not that of a | woman of years, but rather the face of youthful beauty.
 Tuesday evening she was holding a little court in the colonial hall of the Shows. Many of the guests were saying their good-bys to the. hostess, and the spiral stairway at the rear of the hall was a. fiutter with pretty women trailing their long gowns on the way from the dressing room. The orchestra was playing a min uet and the entire scene would have been an inspiration to the novelist or the play wright, Mrs. Clopton, chatting here and there was repeating the social triumphs of the past, and when presently, the mu- sic growing more suggestive of the min uet, Mrs. Clopton. catching up her laven- | the grace of girl of 16 as
 Mrs. Peter Bryce.
 A brilliant and charming figure on all occasions was Mrs. Ellen Peter-Bryce. who is as admired today as she was in her glrlhood when she was famous as belle and beauty. She too, had held a | little court, and has heard more than l once the remark from a visiting woman | that the latter would not have believed she was in Tuscaloosa until she had seen Mrs. Bryce.
 | As the brilliant president of the R. E. Rhodes chapter Mrs. Bryce was in the role of hostess of the entire convention. and on the occasions of the social functions she was conspicuous figure in the re- ceiving line. She pre4des over a beauti- full home and entertained a great deal during the convention. Mrs. Dowdell of | Opelika and Mrs. B. B. Ross of Auburn were her guests.
 Mrs Bryce Is as well known in Bir- mingham as she Is in her own home. She frequently visits Mrs. Robert Jemison and always the conference of D. A. R. | regents. She was picture the occa- sions of the week, her black gowns re- lieved with real lace and her beautiful spirituelle face as perfect as an exquisite miniature.
 Another picture could be drawn of Mrs Bryce by those who have seen her the center of group of old Confederate veterans.
 In her own drawing room she has pinned the little bronze crosses of honor upon the battle-scarred soldier, impover- ished by war, who in the telling of her tenderness draws a ragged coat sleeve across his eyes.
 Mrs. James c. Harrison, who delivered the welcome address. Is one of the most prominent women in the state. She is rarely gifted and is well known in the literary world through her charming poems She was formerly the lovely Miss Belle Richardson, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs Richardson, so long prominently identified with the leading educational in- stitutions of the state.
 Mir. and Mrs. Harrison have a charm ing home. and they have been entertain ing guests during the convention The house sits back from the street. and the
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