The meeting lasted three days. Literary exercises alternated
with excursions to points of interest in the neighborhood, at all of
which she was in authority, and the celebration was brought to a
brilliant close by a banquet, to which men were invited. At this Selma
acted as toastmaster, introducing the speakers of the occasion, which
included her own husband. Lyons made a graceful allusion to her
stimulating influence as a helpmate and her executive capacity, which
elicited loud applause. Succeeding this meeting of the Federation of
Women's Clubs came a series of semi-public festivities under the
patronage of women--philanthropic, literary or social in character--for
the fever to perpetuate in club form every congregation, of free-born
citizens, except on election day, had seized Benham in common with the
other cities of the country in its grasp, to each of which the
Governor's wife was invited as the principal guest of honor. Selma thus
found a dozen opportunities to exhibit herself to a large audience and
testify to her faith in democratic institutions.
On the 22d of February, Washington's birthday, she held a reception at
their house on River Drive, for which cards had been issued a fortnight
previous.
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