CLARA BARTON GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Thomas, M Louise Dec. 1886 - Apr. 1890Tacony, Philad. Dec 27, 1886 My dear Miss Barton, I am going to ask a favor of you, and hope you will not refuse. On the 20th of next month - January Sorosis, the Women's Club of New York of which you are an honorary member, and I the President, will give its annual reception. It is the only occasion in the year when gentlemen are invited, and they are always very pleasant. We meet at Delmonico's at 6P.M. at 7 dinner will be served, and at its close we have the true "feast of reason and flood[?] of soul" in after dinner speeches of 5 to 10 minutes each with Music etc. etc, The one thing I need to be perfectly happy, is your presence among us, both for the love I feel for you personally for the great joy it will give all the ladies, and because I want you there.to say a few words for the idea enshrined in your Red Cross movement. It will do those women good to have some like thoughts put into their heads. You will wear the Red Cross insignia beside all your other rare decorations, and if you will show me the way I will wear the red-cross also. Now, will you come dear friend? This, you know, is not the formal official invitation which will come, if you permit, but the [n?e?est C?om??'s?] to win your favor, and let you know the day, the hour, the place, so that being fore warned, you may keep the day open and free from other engagements. If you will come, I will be glad to entertain you in a snug little villa I have at Fordham a suburb in the upper part of New York, above Harlem, where you can sleep just as long as you please next monring to bring back your roses. Delmonico's is at the corner of 26th St and Fifth Ave. New York. the 20th comes on Friday. I will be more careful of you than your own mother, if you will come. Wishing you a happy Christmas and New Year Yours Sincerely M. Louise Thomasand wraps - go into a large suite of parlors - when we meet and converse until 7 p.m. When we enter the large dining hall to the sound of music. After dinner more music, speeches, toasts, - recitations, poems, and general good feeling until a later hour. No wine! Have I told you all you need to know? If not, let me know, and I will try again. However much we may strive to look our best, we no sooner find ourselves in such a crowd of elegant women & men, than we forget ourselves in the very hopelessness of outdoing those who make dress the chief study of their lives. I just don't try to compete. but dress as a well bred, refined lady of common sense should. Trust that nothing will interfere to prevent your being with us, and Dr Hubbell also, I am Affectionately yours M. Louise Thomas Tacony Philad. Jan. 10. 1887 My beloved friend: - How good and kind you are my dear, and how grateful I feel to you for giving me the hope of seeing you here in New York and among the noble good men and women to whom your presence will give such genuine pleasure. It is the only time in the year when gentlemen are invited to [Lor?is?], and the things you will say about the Red Cross movement may be like seed sown on good ground and may bring forth fruit. You will not need to do more than a ten or fifteen speech, let it be either written or oral as may best suit you. There will be both kind during the evening. Robt. Collyer will be there, and P.T. Barnum and Stoddard, Will Carleton, many of the New York editors, judges, and literary men & women of every degree. Your presence, your voice, and a very brief exposition of your life's purpose, will be your best appeal. Do not worry about your dress. - it will be sure to be just the thing. Wear your best or which ever you like yourself in best. No hat, but you can if you like wear a pretty lace on your head, and lace or fine ruching at neck and wrists. The dress may be either walking length or en train - you will see both these, and many most exquisite costumes, but nothing in the rooms will be so beautiful to me as your face, and your well earned decorations, all of which I want you to wear. And if I had a real pretty Red Cross I would wear it with you, because you see, I intend to help you all I can. My own dress will be a black velvet, en train lace at neck and sleeves, [Sorosis?] badge pin (which you also have, I think) and fan and flowers at my waist. That is all. If you can come either the day before, or early in the day of the 20th. you will come first to my house at Fordham a suburb of New York, and if Dr Hubbell likes plain simple ways of living and will take a small room with a genuine welcome, I will be glad to receive him also. and show him the hospitality of [Sorosis?]. There is no need of him going to a hotel, if he will accept such as I have to offer, which is I know just what you will like because it is plain and free from conventionality. The only drawback will be, that if we are detained till after 12 we shall have a long street car ride, but the cars are heated, and once at Fordham, we can sleep as long as we like in the morning. Your gloves may be either light, or medium shade. Better not black unless in mourning At Delmonicos, we enter under an awning - present our tickets at head of the stairs. are shown into a dressing room - take off hats[*If not claimed return {?] L. Thomas, Tacony Philad. Pa in 5 days R Dec. 27 87 Jan 9 - Dec 28 1886 Mrs. Thomas invites to [S?owus?] 20 Jan. 37*] Miss Clara Barton, Washington, D.C. [*39 Invitation*] 680 Lexington Ave. New York Dec. 11-1889 Beloved Friend, The Medico Legal Society of which you are a member, will hold its annual banquet on the 18th inst. at the Hotel Buckingham New York and president Clark Bell and others of your friends have asked me to extend a special invitation to you to be present with us on that occasion. I trust it will be convenient for you to come. It will be a notable gathering of [leading?] men, and I feel sure you will find yourself refreshed by it, and your presence will also add greatly to the interest of the occasion. It will give me sincere pleasure if you and Dr Hubbell will come directly to my house and make it your house during your stay in New York. I also invite Dr Hubbell to the banquet with sincere regards. Please let mehear from you as soon as convenient. If you can come, it will gratify me if you will arrange to be here over a Saturday [eving?] either before or after, when I would arrange for a reception at my house. Affectionately yours M. Louise Thomas [*Washington. Rec'd. Dec 28? 188? Dec 29 - 8?? Mrs Louise Thomas*]680 Lexington Ave. New York April 19-1890 My dear Miss Barton, Clark Bell President of the Medico Legal Society writes begging me to "beg buy, or borrow" a photograph of you to place in a group of the women members of that Society. Now I am really ashamed to have to tell him that I do not own so valuable an article myself. Wont you then, my dear send one direct to him, as quickly as possible and make him a very happy man. Address:. Clark Bell Esq. 57 Broadway, New York. Several ladies have asked me lately, how they shall join theRed Cross Society. What shall I answer them? I think we might gain some substantial good for it if the women could be made to feel that they have a duty toward it. Two ladies in Danbury Conn. and most excellent ladies they are, would like to organize a branch for active work if they only knew how. One of them is Rev Lotta C. Crosley and the other Miss Martha Tomlinson. I would be glad if you could send either to them or to me any printed instructions you may have. With kindest regards to the good Doctor Faithfully yours M. Louise Thomas I enclose Mr Bell's note. Do send the picture.