The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-04-30

Every year the May song changes. 1t
/ is always the popular song of the day and
this year-can you believe it7-the pretty
little maying parties are getting ready 70
sing ta-ra-ra- boom-de-ay, and "My
Sweetheart's the Man IN the Moon. -
But there are many songs preferable to
J these.
AT the close of the May song, each one
of the subjects lays a gift at the feet OF
| the queen. The prettiest gift is flower
or bunch OF flowers and, If the queen be
a very little girl, she is sometimes nearly
covered by these floral offerings showered
upon her by these subjects.
The browning of the queen is sometimes
left until after the May pole is "wound;'
in that case, there is a master of cere-
monies who crowns the queen and speaks
a little piece to her expressing the JOY OF
| the occasion.
W hen the children have all taken hold
! of the ribbons and are marching around
the pole singing, the sight Is as pretty a
one as ever was, The ribbons Irvine
around the pole, making beautiful
closer to the foot of the pole, where sits
the queen on her fowery throne. When
all is wound the ribbons are dropped and
the pole is laid aside.
This is the May pole proper. And this
is what New York children do every
| spring. Scarcely child but is in q May
party and some are so fortunate as to be
invited to May parties during all the four
Saturdays of the fiowery month.
THE MAY FEAST.
| AS may be imagined, the May-farers do
not go all day without substantial
luncheon. Indeed, as you watch May
ing procession, you will see that each one
OF the subjects, girls and boys alike. car
a hoy no. f,,l 10
| flowing with good things.
Ii you could look in a May-day basket
! you would see dishes of Strawberries, all
hulled and sugared, and you would see
oranges peeled and torn into strips. You
| would see sandwiches. made of chopped
chicken and hard boiled eggs, finely
| powdered, and you would see bottles of
milk to drink and even little cups OF
salad and plenty of fancy cake.
| Maying parties have very good things
| to eat and the mistress OF ceremonies
| wisely orders that ham sandwiches and
other things which will make them
thirsty are to be left at home. A great
deal OF fruit goes to the Maylng parties,
and great deal OF milk, or lemonade. in
Central park there are refreshment
rooms, where tables are set aside for
picnic luncheons, and sometimes the May
ing parties go to these and have their
grass. But a May lunch really tastes
better, if there is a grassy tablecloth with
big leaves for dishes and a bundle of
leaves for seat; and so if the weather is
not too damp and cold you will see the
Maying parties lunching outside, instead
of indoors.
At the least all lay aside their char
acters for the time being, and are plain
everyday children enjoying holiday
feast. The queen is, however, given the
most distinguished seat, and is offered a
first taste Of everything, and the king
being next to her, shares in her good
fortune, while the jester stands behind
and disputes their claims in pantomime.
Last year many OF the grown people
who saw the Maying parties going to the
park. wished that they might join them
and enjoy good days outing in the
open air. And this year no one will be
surprised if the May parties have an audi
ence each Saturday of grown men and
women who stroll up to the park just to
see how pretty such an annual custom
may be when carried out in all its charm
ing posi- bilities.
MoCKiNG BIRD AND HER CHILDREN.
Natural History Observation in