AMONG the social events of the visit to St. Louis was a reception given
in the lodge and club rooms of the “Elks.”[42] The event was regarded
as of so much interest and importance, and the Elks is so excellent an
institution, and the affair so different to anything associated with
the theatre in England, that it merits special attention. The local
reporter will not, I am sure, feel annoyed if I call in his aid to make
the record complete:—
The lodge and club rooms, the hall-ways and the corridors, were
decorated for the occasion. The lodge-room, where the formal
introductions took place, was festooned with flags and evergreens. The
yellow light of the chandeliers was in striking contrast with the white
rays of two Edison lamps, that were artistically hung at each end of
the hall. Two handsome crayon portraits of Irving and Miss Terry were
displayed above the platform at the east end of the room. Directly
above them was the coat-of-arms of England, draped with the English
flag and the Union Jack, while below and immediately over the lounge
was a bank of white immortelles, framed in flowers and evergreens,
and bearing in the centre the words, “Our Guests,” worked in purple
flowers. The platforms at either end of the hall were decorated with
rare plants and exotics, interspersed with evergreens.
In one corner of the main room supper was spread upon a table, the
decorations of which were very dainty flowers interspersed with
culinary trophies. About half-past nine o’clock the guests began to
arrive and disperse themselves here and there about the rooms. An
orchestra, under the direction of Professor Maddern, furnished the
music for promenading; and an agreeable little concert of instrumental
and vocal music led up to the entrance of the guests of the evening.
“About eleven,” says the local chronicler, “they arrived, and were
escorted to the lodge-room, where all the other guests had assembled
to receive them. Mr. Irving entered, escorting Mrs. John W. Norton,
while Miss Terry was escorted by Mr. John A. Dillon. As they strolled
here and there about the hall they were introduced to those present.
Mr. Irving’s countenance, when in repose, was rather inclined to be
sombre and solemn, but immediately assumed a pleasant expression when
he was introduced to the ladies and gentlemen who had assembled to do
him honor.” Mr. and Mrs. Howe, Mr. Wenman, and several other members of
Irving’s company, were present, and as one strolled through the rooms
there was something very homelike in these familiar faces intermingled
with the crowd. Says the local chronicler:—
Miss Terry was the soul of life and animation. When she was not
chatting gayly with some lady or gentleman, who had just been
presented, she walked about with her escort, and commented in a bright
and interesting way on the decorations, pictures, etc., that adorned
the walls. She was becomingly dressed in white silk, trimmed with
Spanish lace, flowing brocade train of white and crushed strawberry.
Her only jewelry were gold bracelets and a pearl necklace. On her
bosom she wore a bunch of natural flowers.
After a half an hour or so spent in conversation and promenading the
guests repaired to the club-room and partook of supper. Here the
greatest sociability prevailed. Mr. Irving walked here and there, and
conversed pleasantly and informally with all the people he met; while
Miss Terry, seated in a large chair, was surrounded by a gay throng of
young folk, and appeared the youngest and gayest of them all. A number
of beautiful roses were taken from the table and presented to her by
ardent admirers, for all of whom she had a pleasant word, and some
little coquettish reply for their gallantry. About twelve o’clock they
left the rooms, and the guests slowly dispersed.
Upwards of five hundred hosts and guests were present. Among those
present[43] were Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. Thomson, Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Todd, Mr. and Mrs. Gus. Ewing, Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Whitney, Mr. and
Mrs. J. W. Norton, Mr. and Mrs. Jos. F. Foy, Mr. and Mrs. A. S.
Aloe, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Walsh, Judge McKeighan and wife, Mr. and Mrs.
Geo. H. Small, Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Leigh,
Mr. and Mrs. H. Clay Pierce, Miss Alice B. Hart, Mr. and Mrs. R.
B. Dakin, Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Wood, Mrs. R. E. Collins, Mrs. C. H.
Tyler, Mrs. Bradford Allen, Judge W. C. Jones and wife, Mrs. and Mrs.
A. A. Mermod, Mrs. Garlick, of Galveston, Rev. John Snyder, Rev.
Father Betts, Mr. and Mrs. Home, Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Norris, Rev. Dr.
Sonneschein, Mr. and Mrs. G. Lamar Collins, Mr. and Mrs. H. Clay
Sexton, Miss Georgiana MacKenzie, Miss Florence Bevis, Miss Lizzie
Bautz, Miss Julia Dean, Miss Kimball, Miss Bogy, Miss Lizzie Reed,
Miss Adele Picot, Miss Waples, of Alton, Miss Francis, Miss Roland,
of Danville, Ky., Miss Pallen, Miss Olive Harding, Miss Agnes Farrar,
Miss Wagstaff, of Kansas City, Miss Ione Aglar, Mr. and Mrs. Blachly,
Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Taylor, Miss Bissell, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Coulter,
Miss Fairchild, Mrs. Cramer, Miss Ettie Isaacs, Mr. and Mrs. J. N.
Norris, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schnaider, Mrs. and Mrs. J. W. Paramore,
and Messrs. John A. Dillon, John M. Harney, Charles R. Pope, Dr. P.
S. O’Reilly, D. R. Francis Fred Schmiding, John H. Overall, P. Short,
B. H. Engelke, R. Maddern, A. F. Shapleigh, Jr., A. C. Bernays, J. J.
Kerns, R. W. Humes, H. A. Diamant, W. C. Steigers, John G. Chandler,
R. D. Delano, C. M. Napton, W. C. Jones, L. A. Clark, C. D. Colman, L.
D. Picot, H. L. Haydel, I. R. Adams, F. A. Beusberg, C. R. Chambers,
W. C. Coppleston, John P. Ellis, E. P. Andrews, Louis H. Jones, James
H. Palser, Geo. R. Kirgin, Gideon Bantz, John McHenry, Chas. E. Ware,
N. M. Ludlow, A. G. Thompson, Col. John M. Bacon, J. L. Isaacs, T. J.
Bartholow, Philip Brockman, R. Harbison, A. L. Berry, David Davison,
F. W. Humphrey, Chas. F. Joy, E. V. Walsh, G. W. Blachly, John J.
Meeker, Atwood Vane, David Prince, A. C. Stocking, H. D. Wilson, C.
P. Mason, Henry Ames, H. J. McKellops, J. N. Norris, M. J. Steinberg,
C. H. Buck, Jr., D. B. Dakin, Gaston Meslier, E. W. Lansing, Estill
McHenry, Dr. T. E. Holland, R. W. Goisan, W. H. Horner, R. J. Delano,
Ernest Albert, John J. Pierson, E. B. Leigh, D. H. Stelgers, John A.
Scholten, Mr. Sands and ladies, A. C. Bernays and lady, C. D. Johnson,
Louis McCall, Arthur H. Merrill, R. W. Shapleigh, D. R. Francis,
Charles Wezler, James Hopkins, F. L. Ridgely, J. B. Greensfelder,
Meyer Goldsmith, Henry W. Moore.
A newspaper correspondent telegraphed to a Chicago journal the
startling information that Irving was dissatisfied with this
entertainment, and left early. This was probably the reporter’s sly way
of complimenting Chicago. The rivalry between these two cities is often
humorously illustrated in the press. St. Louis is the elder and most
historical city of the two: but Chicago is the most prosperous, and
has, no doubt, the greatest future. St. Louis, nevertheless, claims to
have a population of nearly 500,000; it boasts double the park area of
New York, and stands “second only to Philadelphia in point of territory
devoted to public recreation.”