The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-30
FAIRYLAND.
The Floral Parade a Dream of
Beauty,
Far Beyond Expectations of
Even
THE PARTICIPANTS.
Months of Preparation For the
FeStal Event.
More Than Rewarded By the
Pleasure
Given to $4,000. Spectators on
the Streets.

~~ ~ - ~ w.
Today is the apotheosis of summer.
Fair women in flower bedecked char
lots rode down our magnificent avenue
with garlands draped from windows
and balconies on either hand, while
thousands of people banked a halfa
hundred deep witnessed one Of the most
beautiful spectacles ever designed.
A matchless summer sky, blue as in
June, bent over the gorgeous pageant,
and summer zephyrs gently stirred the
masses of blooming color as if Flora
herself We're deceived by the false pre-
sentiment. All the gardens of the earth
appeared to have been rtfed of their
beauty to make a Festival in honor OF
the queen of the flowers.
This beautiful sight was provided by
the women of Topeka to gladden. the
eyes of the aged heroes who fought for
our common country. After the ter
rors of war have faded, and the last
cannon shot has been muffied in the
silence of thirty years, the glorification
of peace is more fttfngIy represented
by a symbolizing of the blossoms scat
tered from the hand of Mother Nature
as generously as she spreads the green
over the torn fields of Gettysburg and
Antietam.
This was a new Decoration day, and
such an array of loveliness was never
before seen in the land which Coronado
found and thought a desert centuries
ago. The Floral procession started at
8 O'Clock from the corner of Tenth and
Harrison streets.
In the procession were the following.
In the haste of preparation few may
be accidentally duplicated:
The float of Flora, Queen of the Fes-
tival, was a pretty sight. It was in
the shape of swan. Miss Tella Knox
as Flora" sat on a throne at the back.
Above Miss Knox was a canopy of
white with a white plume above it. Her
seat was an immense golden lily. In
front of her were twenty little girls
dressed as the different flowers, the
Queens subjects. Miss Knox was
dressed in white The swans were
driven by reins of roses and the whole
was covered with garlands of roses and
flowers. The float itself was done in
white and gold.
The ladies of Lincoln Post circle and
rode about fifteen ladies decI1ed with
flowers. They were the soldiers wild
Ows. The float itself was a platform
trimmed with evergreen and a wall of
evergreen running through the center
and trimmed with fieur d lis. On one
side of the wall in pink roses were the
words, Ladies of the G. A. r. and on
the other side Lincoln Circle No. l.
The whole was covered by a canopy OF
flowers.
The Topeka Relief corps No. "a had
in the parade a brass field cannon dec
GRATED with red roses and white lilies.
On it rode five little girls in white.
Topeka post had for it's float a
camping scene with tents pitched, a
fire burning, and arms stacked. 1t was
done in green and the wheels and
horses decorated with flowers.
The float of the Knights and Ladies
of Security of Columbia council was a
lodge room scene with the degree team
Of ten in its robes. The float was done
in pink, white and yellow chrysanthe-
NUNS and evergreen. Two knights in
costume rode at each side.
Philip Moeser's float was trimmed in
red, white and blue and flowers and
foliage. The feature of it was cakes of
ice in which were frozen all kinds of
roses and flowers.
The Topeka" and Kansas" float
was a massive affair and beautiful.
In this float rode in front Mrs. B. s
Foster of Hiawatha as Kansas" This
was the character Mrs Morrill,, wife of
the governor, was to have taken, but
her illness prevented it. Mrs. Foster
was dressed in regal robes of purple
velvet and stood upon an open plain
carpeted with suf1oWers and grass. She
stood beneath an immense sunf1OWer,
which served to keep off the sun, and
was attended by two little girls in yellow.
Miss Thomas stood within a low wall
of iris rocks, put together with white
rose mortar. The gates of the city
were a solid mass Of water lilies.
Individual Turnouts.
Miss Belle Vansant, Miss Bertha
Whitmer Miss Emma Whitmer, Mr..
r. RunI1lis; carriage decorated in pink
poppies and morning glories. Ladies in
pink gowns, carrying white parasOls-
Miss Sue r. Whittlesey and Miss Joe
Norris in a DhaetOn decorated with
varied cOlored pOppies.
Mrs. r. T. ROby, Mrs. H S. Knox and
little GlOrietta Neece in 2 buggy with
pink and white chrysanthemums.
Mrs. B. T. Lewis and Miss Edna
Crane in a phaetOn decorated with pur-
pie and white iris and chrysanthe-
NUNS. Ladies gOwned in white; white
parasOls.
Mrs. J. R. Haines. Mrs. D. A. Blood,
Miss N. Baird and Mrs S. NJ. Wood,
driving Mrs. Woods carriage decorated
in chrysanthemums; harness trimmed
in pink
Miss Bessie Buhre on a wheel twined
with rose foliage and la france roses;
dressed in black suit.
RaIDh RabcOcIx and Carl HeudersOn-