The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-06
THIS IS TAG DAY..
City Has Been Searched by
Pretty Girls.
Everyone Is Wearing the Grim.
SON Tags.
MAYOR is THE FIRST.
Mrs. Charles Thomas Puts Sign
on Him.
Amusing Incidents Of This
Unique Canvass.
Have you been taer~s vet?"

today. Every conceivable place where
THERE are apt to be a number of pas
sersby is thronged with a bevy of To-
peka's fairest. all working with a vim
and energy seldom displayed, in the
name of sweet charity. Topeka's So
ciety leaders are lending their hands
to the work of tagging Topeka today;
other girls who follow a life Of less
ga1ety and pleasure are vieing in the
work: and In fact every girl and young
lady in Topeka who is not otherwise
engaged is working in the interests of
the Provident association.
Few indeed have been the men in
the city today who could resist the
appealing glances of the fair creatures
whom he encounters at every turn of
the road. Many of the sterner sex,
who started the day with cool air
Of indifference and perhaps passed up
the few first chances to buy tag, fin
ally capitulated and fell prey to the
sweet glances of some fair face. Many
We're forced to buy more than one and
the days contribution to charity from
some of the more popular citizens of
the city has left a noticeable depres-
sion in their ready supply of simo-
Icons. J. e. Hurley, general manager
of the Santa Fe, emerged from the
Copeland hotel this noon completely
buried with the little red pasteboards,
and one could only be convinced Of his
identity after a handshake.
Some Of the more tender-hearted
citizens purchased a great number of
tags, and many Of the fanciest turn
outs Of the city today could be seen
with horse and carriage decorated
with the little tags Delivery wagons
and drayage vehicles We'd with each
other in the number of tags displayed.
Engaged in the work of charity
today are over two hundred girls and,
MI
stations at various places over the city
where some leading social worker of
the city is in charge of the work. At
these stations are placed an unlimited
supply of tags and a bevy Of the
younger workers report at these sta
lions to make their deposits Of money
and secure a new supply Of tags. The
girls are really doing the work. but
of course the older women feel that
the girls are too young for such a
responsibility. But it. will remain a
fact nevertheless that when all the
money has been raised, and it will be
no small sum. that it will stand as a
monument to the untiring efforts of
Topeka's younger girls.
The girls really make an imposing
sight and cruel indeed must be the
man who could refuse a tag. Each
girl is attractively dressed and
decked in her best for the occasion.
A large string of tags and handsome
red calico bag in which to carry the
money is the outfit which each girl
uses in her work.
The work started at o'clock this
morning. All the women and girls in
the city who volunteered their SER
vices met in the auditorium at 9
o'clock where the work was given an
suspicious start. Mayor Green was
summoned from his official sanctorum
and gave the work an official start by
|
he praised the girls for their work
and turned over the invisible keys of
the city to the untiring femininity Of
the city. He also volunteered a slight
suspension of the city's ordinances in
order to further the work.
Hardly had the mayor taken his
seat when Mrs. Charles B. Thomas
one of the leaders in this movement,
rushed up to the mayor and sold him
tag. Just what the mayor had to
pay was not made public. And the
tagging of Topeka had started.
For some the tags were very expen-
sive while others secured them for a
song. In the main the price depended
upon the generosity of the man, as any
amount Of money would secure one.
Some had nerve enough to offer a cop
per grown aged with verdigris for the
little cards, while others opened their
wallets and paid we'll for the privilege
Of being it.
One unique feature of the sale of
these tags was the refusal of the girls
to make change. One man with lone
dollar could not resist the appeal of a
young girl as she caught him in his
private office this morning. How
much are they?" he roughly asked.
''Just whatever you want to pay for
them" was the sweet voiced reply.
well, this is all have" said the man,
at the same time producing his dollar
expecting the little fair one to make
change and keep but small part Of
the big coin for charity. well, that is
enough" and then she took the coin
and tripped lightly away. leaving the
donor in a state Of reflection on the
fact that the next day would be the
fifteenth.
Almost every girl engaged in the
work could tell Of many funny and SER
ious incidents in connection with her
days experience. Some worked along
Kansas avenue where they encounter
of every specimen Of manhood. Others
worked in public buildings, some work.
ed the railway stations and many
sought the Melan bridge where many
were gathered to watch the rising wa
tiers of the Kaw.
Word was received at the Provident
association this morning from Ri. Rev.
Frank r. Millspaugh, saying that the
tags which he purchased in advance
several days ago were placed on every
member of the party Of Bethany girls.
as they stepped down the Montreal pier
this morning and embarked on the
summers European outing.
An incident which can best illustrate
the vim and interest which the young
or girls are displaying in the work hap
nened at the R. r. Y. M. C. A this
morning. On the baseball grounds in
the rear of the association a game as
in progress but 1t was soon dispersed
with the advent of a Quartette of girls.
some with but little change in their
nockets took to the woods while others
attracted by the charms of the fair So
licitors went into the jeans pockets
and extracted loose change. Then the
ouartette eodaposed of the Misses