THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
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especially an occasion for Southern women to show their executive ability, courage and persuasive power. There is no more striking instance of this than the erection of the Texas State Building. After six months of hopeless effort the Texas World’s Fair Association announced its inability to erect a building, and forfeited all right to the ground set apart for Texas. It was then that Mrs. Benedette B. Tobin, president of the Woman’s Board, came forward and obtained a promise that if the women would begin work in ten days after July 19, 1892, the site would be reserved for them. Mrs. Tobin immediately took out a charter for the Women’s World’s Fair Association of Texas, and assisted by the other members of the board, began the difficult task of raising money, handicapped as she was by the failure of the old organization, political dissensions, and the financial depression that the people of Texas were laboring under. Sufficient money was finally raised, and the beautiful building, which was copied from the Alamo, in San Antonio, was considered by architects and artists one of the most artistic in Jackson Park. Thus it is to the ceaseless labor and indomitable courage of Mrs. Tobin that the people of Texas are indebted for representation at the World’s F'air, and well may they be proud to do her honor.
Another Southern state which is largely indebted to the work of her women for a state building is Arkansas. When the legislature failed to make an appropriation, in 1890, for a creditable display of her resources at the World’s Fair, Gov. James P. Eagle, who realized what such a failure meant for the state, called a World’s Fair convention, and an association was formed to raise funds by popular subscription. Mrs. Eagle then asked that a clause be inserted in the by-laws of this association creating a woman’s board. The request was granted, and thus officially recognized the women of the state commenced their valuable work. Mrs. Eagle, as president of this board, did most valuable service in collecting funds and perfecting organization. She was efficiently aided by the other members of the Woman’s State Board. Women’s Columbian Clubs were formed in all the large cities of the state, and each club made most valuable contributions to the work.
In speaking of Southern waiters, the woman who compiled “ Living Female Writers of the South ” some years ago spoke in her preface of the slight encouragement given the women who had ventured upon a literary career. In the case of Rebecca Harding Davis, Mrs. Terhune (Marion Harland), Margaret J. Preston, Catherine Ann Warfield, Virginia L. Townsend, and many others we might mention, the world of letters has welcomed their ability and genius with generous praise and acclaim. The prolific pen of Augusta J. PAans has, it is true, been severely criticised, but “ honor where honor is due ” has surely been accorded these early writers.
Today we point with pride to the young women who are undoubtedly set high among young competitors for secure distinction in the noble art of letters. Amelie Rives, that wild bird of brilliant plumage, who appeared so suddenly among the sober- tinted song birds of the South, has called forth more criticism, favorable and unfavorable, than any young writer has done before or since. Coming of a family of talent, it is not remarkable that her first effort should have shown great strength. She is a realistic writer, and raised, as she was, afield and on horseback in the balmy climate of Virginia, she seems to have absorbed the tropic sun of many summers, and the intensity and fierceness of an ungoverned mind is everywhere discernible. Her writing has been pronounced inaccurate and not painstaking, but there is nothing tedious in it, and her prodigal use of fervid and intense words leaves a highly colored picture in the mind of the reader which is not easily forgotten.
Entirely different are the wonderful pen pictures of" Miss Murfree (Charles Egbert Craddock), and her correct representation of the queer people in the mountain districts of Tennessee has been received with enthusiasm by critics. The highest praise a young writer could ask was given Miss Murfree when her delineation of character was compared to that of George Eliot.
Pressing close upon these two daughters of the South, most famous for literary distinction, come Mrs. Burton Harrison, Grace Denio King, Julia Magruder and