Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-01-09
Mrs. Middleton's Report of Part
of the Convention.

On Wednesday evening a very
pleasing program was carried out,
which began with a stereopticon
lecture by John w. Wadman, D. D,
of the Methodist church, on pic
turesque Hawaii. He gave us beau
tiful views of the most enchanting
flower-decked homes; views of the
pineapple groves, where our cele-
brated canned Hawaiian pineapple
comes from; views of Queen Lill's
home, church and burial spot; then
views of the natives feastiDg with
bottle sitting every few PAGES on
the table. He said, as a sign of
Americas contribution to foreign
missionary fields, since the natives
never knew Of whiskey, until our
civilization was sent to them.
After this lecture, Mrs. Ella
Hoover Thacher, who has the de-
partment of sailors and soldiers,
was to tell of her work. When the
curtain on which the pictures for
the lecture had been thrown was
rolled up, there was revealed to the
audience a demonstration of what
this department is doing, for on the
stage was a w. G. T. U. rest room
reproduced, with sailors and SOL
diers-the real ones, too, not acting
ones-sitting at tables writing, play
ing games, laughing, talking to
beautiful girls and women of the
Districts w. G. T. u, and some
were congregated about the piano,
where they sang jus. as in the
recreation rooms for them on Penn
sylvania Avenue.
AS final touch, coffee was served
to a few (they could have served all,
but hadn't time), though they serve
something to eat'' every night at
the meal rooms, SO Mrs. Thacher
told us, and when she said it, one
of the boys said. Yes, that's right,
and it's good" Then the boys
lined up and sang for us. When
they'd finished the audience arose as
one man, waved tiny silk flags,
which every woman seemed to have,
and gave cheer for the boys.
Quick as a flash, bright, handsome
khaki.clad young athlete jumped in
front of the line, said a few words,
and when the last words of women's
cheer for them died away, these
boys began a regular college yell for
"W. 9. T. U.," which they'd man.
aged to lengthen into beautiful
euphonious yell.
Then followed the presentation of
comfort bags, and their curiosity to
See all in them, reminded one of
children emptying the stockings
Santa Claus fills, while the grotesque
antics some of the boys performed,
as they marched about with these
bags on their arms, made the audi
ence laugh.
Mrs. Ella Hoover Thacher could
not have pleased or edited her audi
ence any more, if she had talked an
hour or written a ream. Of course,
there were some knitters in this
scene, as, indeed, they seemed to be
every where in Washington. Beau
tiful girls dropped khaki colored
wool, which they knitted into sweat
ers, 10 go to balls, and aged women
carried gay creton bags to and fro,
knitting, knitting every time they
sat for minute. All over Polls
theatre our own women were knit
ting as they listened to reports of
work in Alaska, Canada or our own
United States.
This scene Of knitters served to
accentuate wcman's effort to do her
"bit" in this war. When the time
comes that her country needs her 10
do larger service, she'll be just as
energetic and faithful in that as in
this.
Hon. Jeanette Rankin, congress
woman from Montana, was to speak
to us at one Of the early meetings of
the convention, but through a mis-
understanding of date failed to be
present, though we were assured
she'd come some time.
Each session, we watched the wo-
men on the stage to see if we could
pick her out, and were as much
amused at our own failure to do so,
as we were surprised when at
last she appeared. a little sweet
voiced modest, rather shy woman,
very pretty and youthful was led to
the front and introduced by Miss
Gordon, as Miss Rankin. She was so
different looking and go different