Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-29


a moss covered frame, in which hang
floral bells made of red and white roses
with crosses of blue, representing the bells
of an old mission church. Here is a collec-
ton of rare plants, there fernery and yon-
der orange and lemon trees in full fruit. \
scene that evokes more than passing adj
miratlon is n miniature representation of
the MCnticeto valley-not as it is today,
with its pretty villages and fruit farms and
scanned with railroads, but as it was 100
years ago.
Far up on the mountain side are the live
oaks and shrubbery covering the hills and
rocks where neStles Il little adobe hut.
Down the shady valley Mexican vaquero
Creeps along, laden with provisions for a
camp on the mountain side. There is the
old mission, adobe walled, tile floOred and
with the embematic cross upon its tower.
One of the old Franciscan monks sits out
side, and not far away is a native blowing
with wooden pillow pulled by the patient
oxen. Farther down the valley is the far
famed mammoth grapevine, beneath which
a Mexican is taking his MONDAY siesta and
drumming a guitar Still farther is an
adobe hut, before which sits an Indian
woman, with her black serape thrown over
her head. Against the sunburned wallis
strings of red peppers are festooned, every.
Moorish pavilion under the great dome is
made of 5000 callas.
But the browning feature of the festival
is the procession. Along the sides of the
street, upon big platforms and on palm be,
speckled lawns, the people begin to cOngre
gate early in the day to be ready for the ex.
pected pageant. 1t is finally heralded by a
squad of mounted men, the grand marshal
and his aids upon flower bedecked horses.
Then come the procession of floats, carts
and bicycles, covered with gorgeous and
beautiful designs expressing some pretty
idea.
Some Beautiful Floats.
The float of the Floral Festival associa-
ton, which leads the procession, is illustra-
tive of the four seasons. On Il sea of green
leaves float four pink conchshells, each con-
tanning maiden in garments representing
one of the seasons. One i'll green costume
represents spring, another in a robe of pink
roses summer, ii third in a robe of painted
leaves autumn, and winter is personifed by
a robe of white roses. A silken canopy is
suspended above them, held by golden
spears, around which are curling vines.
Following this is a boat float. In sea of
marGuerites a boat is led by two proud
swans, while the occupants ply the mar
guerite covered oars. The sides and ends
of this float are covered with cypress and
evergreen, forming a background for the
floral designs.
A massive coach, hidden by thousands of
Duchess roses and wiSteria and filled with
merry men and maidens in colonial cos
tunes, glides by.
Floats, a mass of waving pampas plumes
and yellow mustard blooms or covered
with pepper branches and roses; carts deck
ed with hundreds of the waxen Gala bios
g
follow in enhancing procession.
There were &C, 0C0 marguerite blossoms on
the Yosemite coach
group of Spanish peasants singing the
songs of sunny Spain to the music of
Guitar pass in wagon drawn by four
white mules. This is decorated with the
purple brodea blossoms
cart draped with gray Spanish moss
had over 1000 roses in stars, crescents, etc
Easturtiums, geraniums, dusty miller bam-
boo, ferns, carnations, sprays of peach and
cherry blossoms marigolds, verbenas and
date palm blossoms and numerous others
make pageant beautiful and artistically
The Battle Scene.
AS the procession comes abreast of the
tribunes, as the raised platforms
are called, where 5000 people wait, a sharp,
quick bugle call sounds, and the signal for
the battle has been given. Then we know !
what the huge baskets of flowers were for
hat we had seen being brought in from the |
gardens of the suburbs in the morning
First few scattering shots were fired-a |
bouquet was tossed to favorite. Then |
they grow more frequent, the interest quick |
ems to ardor, and the air grows dark with
flying flowers that are rained upon the |
tTibunes and sDiritedly returned uDOn the |
procession as it passes slowly along, and |
the battle only wanes when the ammunition |
becomes exhausted aud the participants |
yield to fatigue, regretting that no more
flowers We're at hand. G. p. SMITH