Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-10
THE MAI FEST.
erand and Beautiful Procession through
the Streets.
The Entire Tsatsnic Population Turn out
En- Masse.
The Proceedings at lanes Park-SpeeCh
Of Herr 6~rOaauer.
The Song and Dance kept up till Midnight
Etc, Etc.

The Song and Dance kept up till Midnight
Etc, Etc.
Hall! thou the feet years pride and prime
Haill day which Fame should bid TO bloom
Hail! image Of primeyal time!
Hail. sam pie Of a world to comet
Translation Of an old Latin POEM % Ady-l
After the duh, tedious months of win.
ter, and the cold, raw, dripping days ol
spring, the outburst into virid beauty ano
true vernal bloom which Nature makes
al the end Of April and beginning of May
Is so sOul-inspiring, and excites in the
human breast feelings so joyous and ex-
uberant, that it is not to be wondered at
that mankind in all ages should have eel
ebrated ths season by some extraordinary
exhibition of these feelings. "A mad
happiness" says an old English writer,
" doth at this season go abroad over the
Earth, that Nature all eolde and dead
liveth and smileth againe." Our medie-
val forefathers, both Saxon and Briton,
seemed to have cherished this feeling in
an extraordinary degree; and when the
happy May time came, bringing with Its
warm sunshine the beauty and fragrance
of flowers, the songs of the birds amid the
trees freshly clothed in yerdure, and the
babbling Of the brooks long frozen, they
celebrated it with a mad rush to the fields
to revel in the feast which Nature pre-
sented there. With the ancients as with
the moderns, the first emotion seemed to
be to seize some portion of that vast pro-
fusion of blossoms and flowers spread
around them, and set it up in some deco
rative manner, and let the pleasure 1t ex-
cited find vent IN music, and song and
dance.
Until within a few years, compare
lively. this custom was almost universal.
It prevailed throughout England up to
the time of the visit of Washington
Irving to that country, and in France up
TO within the last twenty years. Now,
aIasl it is almost unknown in either
country, Both are becoming too utili-
tarian-too Americanized. The poetry OF
{ and the SGcTd aura fGmes-the in
cessaut search after the almighty dollar
do not 90 together. And to-day the only
people with whom it fingers with a SEM
blance of its pristine purity and beauty
are the Germans. Even they do not now
rear on high the May-pole and deck it
with garlands, exceptin some of the more
remote, mountainous districts of South
Germany, vet unbroken by railways las
at Berchtesgsrten, in the Bavarian Tyrol,
where within the last ten years the writer
witnessed this scenel. But enough of 1t
is preserved by them to make it a distin-
gushing feature of their nationality
among US more practical, money-seeking
Americans-as the yearly recurrence Of
such delightful festivals and reunions as
that at James Park yesterday,
THE GERMAN MAI FEST,
abundantIy proves. The whole German
population of Memphis, at one hour or
another during the day, was at James
Park, and took part in the festivities OF
May.
According to the programme, published
by US on Sunday and yesterday, the va
rious associations, after assembling at
their own meeting places, rendezvOused
at the south side of Market Square, where
about 10 o'clock a line wa formed in the
following order:
L. Band-HandWerker's.
2, An open carriage, drawn by four
horses, bearing the orator of the day, Jos.
Gronauer, Esq, and the Executive Com
mittee.
3. Bows from the school at Raleigh,
dressed in brown linen, and armed with
rifles.
4. The T%urnverein, dressed in brown
linen, and bearing their banner and the
United States flag.
8, German Benevolent Association.
6. Bruder Bund-with new and old flag
and American flag.
Z. Bakers Society, preceded by a BAN
ner, borne in front of two bakers bearing
an enormous beer pretzel. They were
dressed in white shirts, black pants, white
aprons, white square caps, black, gold and
red German national c%Olors) rOsetJes.
WAGONS
s. Plain trimmed with ever
greens and filled with little girls, dressed
in white, with German national rosettes.
g. Wagon of the German Benevolent
Association. This was a triumph of ar
tistic design and arrangement. The body
of the wagon was made to support q Cir
eulsr pedestal, fifteen feet in diameter,
which was draped with h German ma
tional colors, in three bands each eigh-
teen inches deep. On this pedestal was a
huge basket of the same diameter at the
TOP, and about six feet high-built in the
semblance of a huge card-receiver or
bread basket. This was gaily intertwined
with evergreens and flowers, and from its
center was reared a May pole, some
twelve or fifteen feet high, held firm in
its place by a well arranged system of
cordage and STAYS. 1t was surmounted
with the usual emblems of Maya rosy
wreath and evergreens. In or on the
basket were two rows of benches, on
which were seated some twenty or thirty
llhLAb RlElSs LIS ONL CftoCHtObC was WHY
fine, and we really think il the hand
soonest thing of the sort that we have
eVer seen.
10. Wagon OF the Bruder Bund. This
was drawn by six brown horses, and was
very handsomely gotten up. The body
was plain white, adorned with evergreens
and garlands. On this platform were
two tiers of little girls dressed in white,
and covered with flowers. The whole was
surmounted with a bower of evergeens,
in which sat Miss Josephine Werner,
as May Queen.
IL. Wagon of the Turner'S, This was
very plain but handsome. The decora-
lions were ~festoens of evergreens. 1t was
also filed with little girls,
u. The bakers wagon. This was the
sensation of the procession and of the
day. Imagine a brick baking oven, eight
feet long by six wide, with chimney and
all other appurtenances complete, placed
wheels, and you nave it. In front
hung a huge gilt pretzel, twined with
and evergreens. In the body OF
the 2 at the doors of the oven, stood
the bakers lin the costume described
sbove) at work. At every few yards on
the way trays of pretzels were drawn out,
and the buns scattered amid the multi
tudes which crowded around it.
Ii. The Casino Club, in nine per car
riages, handsomely wreathed with gar
lands Of oak leaves, and festoons of
Vitae.
THE LIN OF MARCH
down Main street to Beale, out Besle
10 HERNANDEZ, down fernando to Vance,
and out Vance to the Park. The process
sion through the city was like a triumph
ant march, and thousands on thousands
tbronRed the sidewalks to see the 'show"
- - n ,1-,.-zI Nhn aaranRonannf ut
The column, and went into raptures over
the decorations of the wagons. That of
the Benevolent Society received the full
need of praise, and it was well worthy OF
Il. On arriving at
THE PARK
The column broke, and Immediately the
crowd spread themselves under the UNI
brageous trees to rest and cool oil. Fritz
Siebert plumbers " Nine and Ten" made
famous by his poetry in the APPEAL yes
terday moTning) and Henry Luhrman's
stands were forthwith visited, and the
was washed out of many a throat
'aGch Gltem GebrGach," with foaming
glasses of the very best beer-namely,
Cherokee. A painting spell, and more
beer, taken by way of trial from the other
completely restored the lost Vi
vacity, and in g very short timetdanoing
was begun. This was continued with
INCIDENTALg
up to half-past pm. Among the in
we must mention the photograph
of the wagon Of the Benevolent Assoc
The first negative was not good,
but the second was very fine. Another
the first side waa taken about i've
and was successful. One or two
Of the wagons were photographed,
and good pictures made. The other ''in-
c~identals'f are hardly worth mentioning
at least up to this time. At twenty-five
minutes of two O'Clock, the band and a
composed Of selected singers from
the various societies, assembled round the
stand and sang
'DER Nal list GEKoNaES."