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[109]
Winter and spring passed rapidly, each season bringing fresh interest.
The picturesqueness of New Orleans, the many friends she made among its people, the men and women gathered from every corner of the world, well made up to her for the vexations which inevitably attended her position.
Looking back on these days, she said of them: “It was like having a big, big Nursery to administer, with children good, bad, and middling.
The good prevailed in the end, as it usually or always does, and yet I used to say that Satan had a fresh flower for me every morning, when I came to my office, and took account of the state of things.”
The difficulties with which the unfortunate managers were struggling made it impossible for them to keep their promises of financial support to the Woman's Department.
Things went from bad to worse.
Finally she realized that she herself must find the money to pay the debts of her department and to return the exhibits to the various States.
She wrote a letter to John M. Forbes, of Boston, urging him to help her and her assistants out of their alarming predicament.
Through Mr. Forbes, the Honorable George F. Hoar, Senator from Massachusetts, learned the state of the case.
The sum of $15,000 had been named as that necessary to pay all just claims and wind up the affairs of the Department.
At this time a bill was before Congress for an appropriation to aid the Exposition.
Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Hoar, a sum of $15,000 was added to this bill with the express clause, “For the Relief of the Woman's Department.”
The
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York. 1916.
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