The Washington times., 1909-04-19


nation In and out among the younger
delegates. the debutantes, the daughters
OF Daughters. Grandmother old
fashioned bonnet, dignided. small and
plain. nodded to and fro with a back
ground OF one OF the latest creations.
one of those funnel-shaped things de-
creed by this seasons fashion. on the
head Of vivacious young matron be
hind Some gowns were of somber
black, or compromise gray. others
were brilliant and resplendent in every
imaginable color, made to best become
and best show 70 advantage the Jubilant
Daughter wearing them. But over IL all
was the spirit of congeniality, Of
slster-feeling. TO use the term, of an
ucipation that this would be one Of the
most successful sessions the Daughters
ever held.
on the stage there we're a number of
fnen-mere men-who even as guests OF
honor and as speakers, were recOnCtled
that for the time womanhood should
come into its own. It was wOman's
convention. with wOman'S problems to
settle, and the men in their attitude,
were willing TO cOncede as much. There
were references. Of course, to the
colonists who had made it all possible.
but these were mixed with terms OF ad-
lniration for the little band of women.
who, then. as now. had helped to make
America the patriotic country she is.
Men on Rostrum.
States. the ambassador from France,
Judge Henry Stockbridge. president
general Of the sons Of the Ameri-
can Revolution; the Right Rev.
Alfred A. Harding, Bishop Of Wash
ington; the Rev. J. Nevett Steele,
of New York. and the Rev. DIR. Roland
Cotton Smith, Of Washington, were
among those who occupied places on the
platform. The Vice President and AM
bassadOr Jusserand were the speakers.
Owing to the unusually high tempera-
ture today, the Rev. DR.. Edward Everett
Hale chaplain of the United States
Senate, who was to have made the OPEN
ing prayer at the convention, asked TO
be relieved. Dr. Hale. who is more
than eighty years of age, remained at
home.
The Marine Band, with number of
national airs, kept the Daughters from
becoming impatient during the hours
before the convention opened
The opening program, as well as that
planned Tor the afternoon session, en-
braces al that &C lid be desired in
music, patriot5m, or Oratory.
1t included, beside the two speeches
named, an address - welcome by the
responses by Mrs. Henry NJ. Thompson,
Mrs. J. Morgan Smith, Mrs. Alien Z.
Perley, Mrs. Frederick J. Laird, and
Mrs. La Verne Moves. a speech by
Judge Stockbridge, the reading of an
ode by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, the recita-
ton of the 'Star-Spangled Banner by
Mayor George Edward Smith, of Fred
erlck. Md. and song. "Old GlOry.'' by
q trained chorus under the direction OF
Percy $. Foster.
Senator J. W. Daniel of Virginia
and former governor Warfeld, OF Mary
land, are the speakers at the afternoon
session.
Affecting Scene.
IN a day replete with expressions
of sentimental feelings, there were
two occurrences especially affecting
TO every daughter and every spec
tator present. One was when Mrs.
Donald Mclean, the retiring president
general. bade farewell to the daugh-
ters she had served during the past
four years. After a speech Of felicita-
tion upon the near completion of the
hall, and of optimism concerning the
privilege of saying few personal
words.
Mrs. McLean's voice frequently
choSed with emotion and in all parts
of the hall before she concluded might
be seen daughters whose eyes were
dimmed with tears. During one period
of her farewell, and a. the height Of
The emotional outburst. scores OF
daughters In the front seats arose spon-
taneOusly and stood silently and i'm
pressiveiy at attention as she concluded.
Mrs. Mclean said in part:
Mrs. McLean's Farewell
Il stand before you but a little while
longer as your president general. This
IS particularly hard to me, not only
because I love this service, but I love
the work and I love you. 1t is i'm
possible for any woman TO have formed
the associations have during the past
four years without knowing a love that
20 you my whole soul, my mind, my
body, my energy. Whatever God has
given TO me I have given TO YOU Your
love and devotion has made Of my
own life a JOY, and my love Tor YOU IS
as deep as the ocean, and comes from
my soul with a feeling which words
are inadequate 70 express. Sometimes
feel as though I were Washington
saying farewell to his generals"
Then feeling that both she and her ad-
rnirers were giving away 10 their feel
ings, Mrs Mclean broke the tension by
saying that she had q confession 10
make. She smiled a little and then
said: 7 want 10 confess that I have
grown gray in your service" There
was little ripple of laughter over The
nail and Mrs Mclean finished her ad-
dress In rather happy spirit She re-
celved a WONDERFUL ovation at its con-
ciusion, Vice President Sherman being
the hrst 20 grasp her hand and later
PUBLICLY expressing his appreciation of
MIS- McDeanB speech and OF having
had the opportunity of hearing her
Flag Is Floated
Again the daughters were visibly af-
fected when at the conclusion Of Vice
President Shermans brief remarks an
immense American flag. secreted some
where in the balcony hoated TO the cen
ter Of the hall. and hung suspended
over the entire gathering. AS the flag
nestled into place a bugle call rang out.
and the Marine Band struck up THE
Star-Spangled Banner" Every person
IN the assemblage rose to his or her feet
and many Joined iu the chorus Mrs.
Mclean next introduced Mayor Smith
OF Frederick, Nd who sang the Star
Spangled Banner.
The speech Of Vice President Sher-
nan, while short was IN a most happy
vein The Vice President created con
siderable amusement when he signifi-
cantly expressed the hope in conclud-
ing, that an the deliberations Of the con-
vention would be pleasing" After the
laughter had died down Mr. Sherman
said that anyway be knew the daugh-
ters were good enough politicians TO
submit 10 the viii Of the majority He
was especially enthusiastic in his praise
Of Continental Hall and the patriotic
motive and labors that have made II
POSSIBLE.
Fp..-f.w-f-r- a..