Nellie, though but twelve when her father left the capital, left a memorial to her kindly heart among the poor children of the city, for she organized and was the first president of the Christmas Club which, the first year, collected more than twenty thousand gifts of toys, sweets, and clothing for the needy little ones—an institution which has never been allowed to lapse.
In June of 1882, the Army of the Cumberland held its annual meeting and resolved to erect a monument to General Garfield. Adjutant General Swaim of the army was appointed to make the necessary arrangements for a bazaar. Circulars were sent broadcast, appealing for contributions of every description. Every trade, profession, and science was besought to give or loan material for exhibits.
As the plans progressed, it was decided that the only place suitable to hold such an ambitious function was in the Rotunda and Statuary Hall of the National Capitol. Accordingly, the proper officials were interviewed and the privilege granted by Congress, so that the fair might open on November 25, 1882.
The next step was the formation of many state boards or committees to assist by taking charge of booths. Notable among these were the booths of Iowa, New Jersey, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Arkansas, and New York.
When the truck loads of donations began to arrive, the great historical pictures of the Rotunda were covered with canvas and the marble statues were moved back out of the way in Statuary Hall. When the decorators had finished placing the loan exhibits of art, the bunting, and the flags, no one would have recognized the Hall of Representatives, whose lofty ceiling and dim corners sent back echoes of the oratory of Webster, Clay, and Calhoun and caught the last uttered word of the venerable John Quincy Adams. Instead of marble busts and bronze figures, booths appeared, gaily decked with jewellery, perfumery, candy, fancy aprons, pincushions, dolls, and crazy quilts. From some, the new-fashioned “Mother Hubbard” gown swung to and fro. Sewing machines, pianos, organs, vied with clocks, churns, and washtubs, and all imaginable utilitarian and ornamental household articles. Kansas wheat, corn, and great roosters of wood, busts, portraits, and paintings of Garfield, Henry Clay, and other notables distinguished the booths of the various states. The Rotunda was turned into an Art Hall. Vinnie Ream Hoxie had charge of the arrangement and made the spot one of rare beauty and interest with the aid of flowers and numerous loaned portraits, among which was one from the British Minister, of Queen Victoria in her royal robes.
Finally, all preparations for the evening were completed, and at noon, November 25, 1882, the Garfield Memorial Fair was formally opened by President Arthur. The Marine Band played lively national airs and gay music. The enthusiasm and the joyousness of the crowd were in vivid contrast to the scene of fourteen months before when the place was shrouded in crêpe and the body of the slain President lay on the catafalque less than a dozen steps from where his successor now stood. Less than four years after this spontaneous effort to start the fund to memorialize Garfield’s life and administration in marble or bronze, the President who spoke so feelingly of his slain chief was also in his grave, as were a number of officials who cheerfully and earnestly participated in the opening of the bazaar—David Davis, and Secretaries Frelinghuysen, Folger, and Howe.
Every inch of space was occupied—all Washington, his wife, children, and lap dogs were present—for this was the period when the lap-dog craze swept the city on the Potomac with the same force as the fad for crazy quilts and the Mother Hubbard gown, which was so much the other extreme of tie-back skirts, street-sweeping trains, and bustles. Papers of the day tell of diminutive lap dogs with costly rings on their paws and engraved visiting cards for calling.
All of the city attended, black and white alike seeking to see and to buy. Most popular of all attractions was the selling of chances on the elegant diamond earrings, the finger-rings, the lovely India shawl valued at $1,500, the handsome saddles, and other much-desired articles.
From November 25th to December 3d pandemonium continued with the usual disputes, losses, and thefts, and when all of the débris was cleared away and the basement disgorged the loads of boxes whose contents had never been exhibited, it was found that, instead of the huge sum expected from the $50,000 gross receipts, the amount had dwindled through expenses and other channels to $7,000, the sum General Swaim was able to turn over to the Army of the Cumberland. So many charges of misappropriation of beautiful articles designed to be raffled or sold, so much of plain stealing was apparent, that a group of army officers conducted a quiet investigation, after which it was concluded wisest, safest, and best to drop the entire subject.
Frances Hodgson Burnett, it is said, gave the Mother Hubbard its best advertisement at the fair, appearing garbed in this style gown made of lovely violet silk and elaborately trimmed with bolt upon bolt of dainty narrow lace and fluttering ribbons.