Evening star., 1936-02-02
Capitol Once Town Hall
If the Cause Was Good, Washington Society
Could and Did Stage Benefit Parties in Its
Stately Corridors.

turned expectantly whenever the great
doors opened. Finally his retlnue
filed in, but the assembled crowd
scarcely locked at them, strange as
they we're. because the King was not
amongst them The retinue took its
place on the platform with the other
notables and the show went on without
a King as spectator The Marine Band
PLAYED the Hawaiian melodies. bu-
they played with less spirit. 1t was a
great mystery. There was. 50 1t Wa
said whispering campaign against
beautiful lady. friend of the young
and pleasure loving King, which men-
toned private diner party. However.
the story goes that she did prove her
alibi and the absence of the King
remained mystery.
No one seems to have recorded how
the event turned out financially.
1t was not till eight years later that
permission was again given for a
similar event. At the centennial tea
party some damage had been done to
| the walls and there was always tbs
fear that the famous Trumbull paint
ings which lined the rotunda might
| be injured President Garfield's as
sassina ton a few months before had
aroused the Nation, and 1t is probable
/ that had his name not been connected
with the request it would have been
refused.
There had been organized IN WASH
| ington the National Aid Association
| for the Garfield Memorial Hospital.
The ladies of the association, as thes
we're spoken of by the press, argued
the committee in charge Of the Capitol
/ into allowing them TO use it for a
benefit tea The Garfield Memorial
Hospital was much before the local
citizens in those days The Medical
| Society of the Dlstrist of Columbia
went on record as favorlng it on
May 10, 1882. However, the women OF
4 the National Aid Association must
have been busy with their plans before
this. because they gave their famous
Garfield tea party in the Capitol
Building on Saturday evening, May
s, 1882.
President Arthur and many Of the
diplomats added dignity to the party.
as we'll as did the sedate Mr.. Justice
Miller of the Supreme Court. With
out doubt most of the members OF
the District Medical Society attended
and 1t is almost certain that the
President, DR.. F. A Ashford and the
secretary, DR.. T, E McArdle, were
there. DR.. Samuel C. Busey, who pub
lished his "reminiscences in 1895. would
not have missed it for worlds, one may
be sure. He loved life too much to
miss such memorable tea party.
All of these gentlemen may have
added dignity to the party. but It
was the ladies who made it gay. They
charged ST admission and every one
was urged to buy the wares which
were displayed in the l3 booths
around the rotunda They we're pre-
sided over by ladies from the various
states who had decorated each booth
with coats of arms, flags, many palms
and flowers They we're dressed as
Puritan maids. Priscilles. Dutch frau S
and in any other costume which might
be becoming. provided it had slight
historical significance. Flowers we're
sent from the White House and sold
for fabulous prices.
The Marine Band again gave its
services and the tea finally devolved
into a promenade concert. Some OF
the younger danced in the old Hall of
Representatives, cavorting blithely and
unasl>amed before marble figures of
Roger williams and John Winthrop.
THE gayety of the affair was due
in a great part to the author,
Francis Hodgson Burnett, who lived
: in Washington. She was young, being
only 80, pretty and far,ous. She
!; presided at the Tennessee table and
took upon herself the role of a pea
} nut vender. She had one peanut
and two shells, which she sold over
and over again from silver tray,
Even the most staid of the mon
present lost their financial heads and
bid exorbitant sums for her wares,
which were no sooner SOlO uldn Iiley
were returned to be sold again. DR.,
Swan M. Burnett, her husband, Yves
no doubt proud that night; ne had
been one o. the signers of the favor
able report which the District Medical
Society had presented to Congress
concerning the Garfield Memorial
Hospital.
They say it was Sunday morning
before they left. because the sponsors
could not go home until they had
counted the money taken in, which
amounted to several thousand dollars
From November 25 to December
of the same year there was another
semi-social event of somewhat dif-
ferent character. Again the name
of Garfield opened the Capitol to an
organization. The Garfield Monument
Committee Society of the Army of ths
Cumberland, we're allowed to give what
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