CII AS. GODFREY LELAND, Chairman,
WILLIAM V. MoKEAN,
PROP. HENRY COPPfiE,
GEOROE H. BORER,
CRAIG BIDDLE,
No. 7.
THE FAIB MOVE HE NT IN THE LOTAL
STATES.—No. 7.
THE FAIR AT POITO H K E E PS I E
[March 16, 1804.]
The “Ides of March,” 1864, will be long re
membered in our quiet rural city. Their
doors were opened to a marvellous exhibition
of taste and skill—of beauty living, and beau
ty in “still life”—charming to the eye, and
grateful to the patriotic heart. It was a fair
in aid of the United States Sanitary Commis
sion, for the benefit of the National soldiers.
It was the result of the combined and earnest
labor of women for little more than a month.
The inscription of this fair is an illustra
tration ef the truth in the juvenile oration—
“ Large streams {Tom little fountains flow,
Tall oaks from little acorns grow.”
At a social gathering at the close of Janu
ary, a delioate young girl proposed a Sanitary
Fair. The idea was eleotrical. It vivified
generous feelings which were too latent for
usefulness. It took tangible shape a few days
afterward, when a call was made for a meet
ing of ladies to consider the subject. An as
sociation was organized. An accomplished
woman (Mrs. Jambs Winslow) was chosen
President, and an equally energetio woman
(Mrs. Judge Ruqgles) was appointed Secre
tary. The latter immediately issued a spirited
appeal to the women of the city and county.
A cordial response was given, and in scores of
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE:
IN.
REV. WM. H. PDRNESS,
FRANCIS WELLS,
R. MEADE BACIIB,
ASA I. FISH,
CEPHAS G. CHILDS.
gentle:
PHILADELPHIA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15.
households there were busy fingers in patriotic
and benevolent work, day and night, for almost
a month.
A Committee of women, and an Advisory
Committee of men in the city, took charge of
the material preparations for the Fair. Ma
thew Yassar, Esq., the founder of Vassar Col
lege, generously gave them the use of a spacious
four-story building, which was speedily pre
pared for the purpose with conveniences and
decorations.
When the time drew nigh for the opening of
the Fair, school exhibitions, concerts, tableaux
vivants, and lectures, with generous donations,
poured money into the treasury and gave as
surance of success. For several days the
Fair was the all-absorbing thought in the
community. Our city and county have three
thousand soldiers in the field—precious sons
and husbands—and there was exhibited as
much zeal for the holy cause at home as these
noble defenders of the Old Flag had manifested
in marohes and battles. Heart was beating to
heart, hand working with hand for the love of
dear country. There were few idlers during
those days between the years of eight and
eighty. The contagion had become an epi
demic, and few esoaped.
The doors of the Fair were opened at 10 o’clock
on the 15th of March. Everything was there—
everything was ready, and every person was at
the post of duty. They were closed on the
19th, and the Treasurer (Miss Carpenter)
reported the receipts at over $lB,OOO. The
LADIES.
MRS. ROBERT M. HOOPER, MISS SARAH F. CUYLER,
MRS. E. S. RANDOLPH, MISS ANNA M. LEA,
MRS. WILLIAM S. PHILLIPS, MISS GRACE KIERNAN.
MRS. THOMAS P. JAMES, MISS LAURA HOOPER,
MRS. PHEBE M. CLAPP, MISS DELIMA BLAIS.
highways of the country were muddy beyond
precedent, yet hundreds came from far to see
the show and contribute their gifts to the good
cause. Through those doors a tide of life was
continually ebbing and flowing during those
four days. All came out with hearts and pur
ses lighter than when they went in. There
were so many persuasions to liberality, and
even prodigality, presented to the eye and the
appetite on every table, that few were proof
against temptation.
“Up stairs and down stairs,” says tho
sprightly, fair historian of the event. “ Such
bright eyes and pink cheeks, and real Grecian
heads, surmounted with the daintiest little
caps, were seen gliding in and out of booths,
and floral bowers, and from behind tables, be
guiling poor, innocent, unprotected young men
out of dimes and dollars, with such fascinating
grace—giving the hue of a blush to a cigar
case, or the flavor of a smile to an oyster stew;
that the highwayman’s time-honored demand,
‘ Your money or your life,’ was small persua
sion compared with theirs. When woman
‘stoops to conquer’ she is always victorious.”
In addition to the usual display of needle
work, and other productions of woman’s taste
and skill, there were several profitable attrac
tions. There was a gypsy tent, where a dime
was the magic key that opened the door of the
mysterious future;
“A little old woman, who lived in a shoo,
And had so many children that she didn’t know what
to do.”