the State to commemorate the valor of the Iowa soldiers in the war for the suppression of the Great Rebellion.
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LIDA SCRANTON.
SCRANTON, Miss Lida, social leader, born in Scranton, Pa.. 20th July, 1868. She is the only daughter of Congressman Scranton, of the 11th Congressional District of Pennsylvania. She made
her début in Washington during her father's second term in Congress, in 1884 and 1885. She is descended on both sides of the house from families of historic renown. Her father belongs to the celebrated Scrantons, of Connecticut, who settled in Guilford in the latter part of the seventeenth century. Her mother was the daughter of General A. N. Meylert, who was associated with all the early industries of Pennsylvania, and the granddaughter of Meylert, who was an intimate friend of Napoleon I, and fought on his staff as volunteer aid during the temporary illness of D'Abrantes in the battle of Friedland. Miss Scranton has inherited all the noble qualities of her ancestors, which make her a general favorite. Her eyes are dark brown in color. Her hair is tinged with a shade of
gold in the sunlight. She is vivacious in manner, intelligent and witty. She is a fine horsewoman. A great deal of attention has been paid to her musical education, and she sings and plays exquisitely, having a rich contralto voice.
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FLORENCE E. SEARING.
SEARING, Miss Florence E., orchestra leader, born near Mobile. Ala., 16th October, 1868. She has made New Orleans, La., her home since childhood. Her father was R B. Searing, of New York, her mother, Miss Sibley, of Alabama. In 1887 she offered her professional services as pianist for teas, dances and receptions, and by reason of her attractive presence, marked talent and winning manners she soon held a monopoly of the business in all the fashionable gatherings of New Orleans. She was so pretty and so evidently to the manner born that society people were pleased to have her appear as an ornamental adjunct to their entertainments. Her music, they discovered, was selected with exceeding care, fragments culled from light operas that had failed in Paris, but had dancing gems worth retaining. She avoided all hackneyed airs, often getting new waltzes from Europe before their publication in this country. She conceived the idea of forming a string-band, and to that end added one violin, then another, afterward a bass, and next a clarionet, until now a full orchestra of many pieces is admirably trained under her leadership.
SEARING, Mrs. Laura Catherine Redden, author, born in Somerset county, Md., 9th
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LAURA CATHERINE REDDEN SEARING.
February, 1840 Her maiden name was Laura Catherine Redden. She was made deaf, when ten years of age, by a severe attack of cerebro-spinal meningitis. She lost the power of speech with hearing, but she retained her memory of sounds and her understanding of rhythm She began in youth to write verses and contributed both in verse and prose to the press. She was irregularly educated. Her parents removed to St. Louis, Mo., where she attended the State institution for the deaf and dumb. In 1860 she adopted the pen-name "Howard Glyndon" and became a regular writer on the St. Louis "Republican." That journal sent her to Washington, D. C, as a correspondent during the Civil war. In 1865 she went to Europe, where she remained until 1868. perfecting herself in German, French, Spanish and Italian. During her stay in Europe she was a regular correspondent of the New York "Times." Returning to New York City in 1868, she joined the staff of the " Mail," on which she remained until 1876, when she became the wife of Edward W. Searing, a lawyer. During her eight years of service on the "Mail" she studied articulation with Alexander Graham Bell and other teachers, and learned to speak easily and naturally. In 1886 her health
