The Washington herald., 1907-02-10
At the Southern Charity BAN.

Inc most charming feature or tneSe
Southern charity balls said a belle with
waving osprey plumes In her hair, and a
ravishng pink gown who made delight
ful picture as she sat in one Of the big
chairs In the corridor of the New Willard
the other night and chatted vita the little
group gathered about her. lis that it
brings out some women. dear old ladies
.of ante-bellum times. who would never
otherwise be tempted from their retreats,
Loyalty inspires them To come To this DIS
tincty Southern function, for you know
that Southerners are the most loyal peo-
pie in the WOrld-really they are Now.
see that old lady there in the black satin
gown, the rose point bertha. the queer
old seed pearl earrings, necklace. and
bracelets. she was nay mothers friend, a
schoolmate IN fact, and after her estate
was despoiied by the Yankees Oh. par
don me-" she said with the dearest South
Iern accent; perhaps some Of you all here
are Nankees-she came 10 Washington 10
live, for it is an easy place 20 get along in
for decayed gentle people. when all is told.
do you know that that lovely old lady
with the carriage and air and distinction
OF a queen lives quite by herself, with
no distractions save an occasional walk in
the parks. or q visit 10 the library or some
Of the museums. She reads. writes OF
happier times, knits socks and jackets
and afghans for a second generation Of
Inieces and uephews. and under this rather
limited existence is the cheeriest. happiest.
little old lady alive. But once a year she
takes out OF the tissue paper I'm which
lii is carefully wrapped the rich old satin
gown she graces so well, and from their
sacred cases The pearls, inherited from her
gTeat-grandmother. and the wonderful
lace which I'm itself is worth a fortune
fancy her holding on TO those pearls and
that lace when their sale would yield her
hundreds Of dollars and make her old age
SO much happier. She sends for the best
cOifeur in town. whom she pays from her
small savings. and has her beautiful white
hair done in the elaborate fashion I'm
vogue IN her girlhOOd, decks herself in all
these treasures and comes 10 this ball, her
one great festivity Of the year Look at
her smile, the smile Of royalty, see the
Difference Of the servants. the pleased and
dignined way in which she seems TO dis
peuse patronage 20 the flock Of men about
her
Isn't she a beautiful figure. that great
lady Of the last century II is a privi-
[ Iege only to see her, she represents SO
much that is beautiful and sweet that
viii die with her and her contemporaries.
But" the girl with the osprey plumes
/ laughed merrily, showing enchanting
dimples and a double row Of pearly teeth,
/ you Will never get her 10 any Of your
I Yankee funcuons-pardOn me again-she
/ has never been reconstructed The
charming and amiabIe wife of one Of
/ your Republican Presidents. who came
/ to know this old lady, begged her TO
come 10 the White House. formally or in
/ formally, as she choose, TO one of the
/ receptions a luncheon, dinner-Only TO
come. With the dignity Of a Zenobia she
refused explaining to her friends that
while she admitted they were very
worthy and excellent people. these Re
publcanS. and very much 10 be re-
/ spected, they were not her people Her
ancestors were cavaliers supporters, and
/ defenders of the king. while they were
doubtless, descendants OF the PuTitans
/ for whom she had no good word TO say.
Just look, 1t is wonderful to see her
sitting there, a great lady, as though Il
/ were her daily custom 20 be surrounded
/ by d coterie of admirers All, we'll" and
| the flowing osprey nodded as the little
/ girl sagely shook her head, those Won
derful before the-war' days viii never
come back again, and the type of woman
| associated with them viii soon disap-
pear"