The San Francisco call., 1896-05-13


nuptial reception at the Hobart mansion
on Van Ness avenue.
Unfortunately, this was not to be so.
Arrangements for the wedding were ali
conducted on the simplest and quietest
o ans in Difference to the brides mother
who has been an invalid for the past six
teen years and to whom the slightest ex-
element might mean serious if not fatsl
consequences.
There has always been an indescribable
charm about a May wedding, and yester-
DAYS ceremony was no exception. All
nature seemed to smile approvingly. The
sun shone clear and bright. The slight
breeze just served to temper the burning
rays and make the tall pine trees that line
on either side the avenue that leads to the
rose-covered cottage sway slightly, as
though in courteous welcome to the we'd
ding guests.
The large garden that surrounds the
cottage in which roses grow and bloom in
wild and artistic confusion added TO the
general picturesqueness of the scene and
lent that necessary touch of the ideal that
is essential to May wedding.
The beauty without hardly prepared the
guests for the beauty within. The Neil
cottage is a home that lends itself readily
TO the art of the decorator. The rooms are
large and furnished in that old-fashioned
way that is ever beautiful and artistic.
bdT6 pleceS VI antique IuInltuI6 anu ValQ-
able pieces of old china add to the general
beauty of the interior and serve to tell the
story of the ancient and noble lineage of
the Neil and Williams family.
AS far as was consistent, pink was made
the predominating tone of the decorations.
In the family sitting-room, where the cere-
mony was performed, this color scheme
was carried out with the happiest effects.
The bay-window was the decorators OBJ
iective point. The four large windows
which formed the large EN- brasure were
hid behind display of fishnet, studded
with pink locust blossoms. The net was
carried forward to the ceiling, forming
overhead a triangular floral canopy. On
either side OF the window were banks of
pink hydrangeas. 1t was in this floral en-
brasure, kneeling on white satin cushions.
that the happy young couple were made
man and wife.
For the other apartments, on the same
floor, which were all placed at the disposal
of the guests, no set form of decoration
was adhered to. There were simply flow
ers everywhere. Here an enormous bunch
of choice roses nodded in a costly vase
and there perhaps long, heavily laden
branches of hawthorn filled a CRYSTAL
bowl, or else wild brakes formed cool
and pretty background for a rare bit of
bric-a-brac.
On the walls hung the family pictures,
giving W buc SAtAC cCcuc q Ie6llnR Of
home security.
To the minute, as the town bell chimed
the noon hour, the bridal party entered
the room where the ceremony was to be
performed.
The strains of Mendelssohn's wedding
march mingled strangely with the shouts OF
boys, from Tamalpais College, Just across
the road. The ceremony was simple and
impressive. First came the maids oi
honor, Miss Ella Hobart and Miss Juliet
Williams. Immediately following them
came the bride, pale and beautiful, lean
ing on the arm OF her grandfather, Robert
+. Neil. The groom, attended by his best
man, Harry Stetson, stood at the Bishop
elbow waiting his bride.
The brides mother, reclining on q divan
to the left of the floral bower, witnessed
the ceremony.
After the final words were pronounced
the friends of the happy young couple
crowded round them and offered their
congratulations.
At 1890 o'clock Mr.. and Mrs. Hobart
led the way to the dining-hall, where the
bridal breakfast was served. The guests
were seated at two tables. At the bride
table the decorations were most beautiful.
Duchesse roses arranged in large baskets
were used with most pleasing results. A
basket occupied the place OF honor in the
center and at the lower end. Bows and
streamers of pink ribbons, the same here
as the roses. tiled in the intermediate
space. At the upper end, in front of the
covers laid for the bride and groom, orange
blossoms formed a pleasing decoration.
The immense bridecake occupied the place