The San Francisco call., 1896-05-30
LAS You Like tt Played Under
the Trees and Calcium
Lights.
R0SALIND IN THE REAL WOODS
Dancing Around the Maypole-Prizes
for the Boys Bicycle
Parade.

Though the skies were dark and lower
ing yesterday the grounds of the Alamada
floral fete On its last day were bright with
color and the bloom of Fairyland. The
pretty little park, with its evergreen and
its smooth, grassy levels, is an ideal place
for picnic. 1t is the private grounds of
Captain r. R. Thompson, one of the En-
cinal city's prominent citizens, lent to the
Woman's Relief Association for the noble
purpose of charity. The owner once lived
there, but fire few years ago destroyed
the splendid residence, which has never
been rebuilt. Luxuriant vegetation has
hidden the traces of ruin, and the hand
some garden resort is complete
Among the shrubbery the marble
statues that escaped the confagration
gleam Whitley on their pedestals. One is
Flora, the presiding and graceful genius of
the place, who looks out upon the howery
bowers where Summer-go gowned girls con-
gregate.
he Woman's Exchange and Relief
Society of Alameda is a very worthy asso-
clation, and was formed for the object of
assisting deserving poor people who are
unable to help them selves and to find en-
ployment for households in distress. The
prominent ladies interested in the society
are as follows:
oficers-Mrs. Z. Minor Smith, president:
Mrs. E. II. Monten, first vice-president; Mrs
K; Frank CLARK, second yice-nresident; Miss
Ida Spencer, treasurer; Mrs. w. H. Souther
secretary; Mrs. J. Rathgeb, corresponding sec
retary.
Board of directors-Mrs. R. Frank Clark
(chairman), Mrs. E. H. Montell, Mrs. George II.
Waggoner, Mrs. S. A. O'Neil, Mrs. E. Minor
Smith, Mrs. A. o. Gott, Miss Ida Spencer, Mrs.
J: Rathgeb, Mrs. George r. Rossiter, Mrs. w.
q. souther, Mrs T. P. Winter.
Relief committee-Mrs. S. A. O'Neil, presi-
dent; Mrs. T. P. Winter, vice-president; Mrs
A. O. Gott, treasurer; Mrs. J. Rathgeb, secre-
tary.
The cloudy weather has kept the floral
decorations as fresh as when they were
first placed there, and yesterday the park
looked Its prertiest. The booths, where
fruits and ices were sold by the fair young
maidens OF Flora, were crowded with visi-
tors, and ON the green plats little children
played in true May-time gayety.
In the afternoon the juvenile bicycle pa
rade took place. Each youngsters wheel
was prettily and ingeniously decorated
with flowers and ribbons. Most of the
riders carried hower-covered umbrellas.
though the absence of the sun made an
awning hardly necessary. The following
prizes were awarded to the best decorated
wheel:
Third prize, bicycle lamp-Clifford BURY.
Third prize-L. S. Ramsdel. Fourth prize
Leon David. Fifth prize-Fred Heuer.
The maypole dance, in which number
of little boys and girls took part, came off
later in the afternoon. The young folks.
becomlngly dressed, grasping the long red
and wife ribbons suspended from the tin
of the pole, tripped over the green sward
as the Presidio band played the pretty
"Over Sticks and Over Stones spirited
melody.
in the evening the ever beautiful wood
land drama, "As You Like It." was PLAYED
under the oak trees. The strong calcium
light cleaned adown the leafy avenues
making the miniature Forest of Arden a
scene of exquisite beauty. In an ordinary
theater among canvas trees and painted
foliage the old play is ever an entertain
ment, but in real wood amid the deem
sylvan shades the rendition is nearly per
fection.
The performers, under the training of
Nine. Julia Melville-Snyder,w were thorough
in their roles and the singing of the mefo-
dies, "What shall he have who killed the
deer" and "UDder the Greenwood Tree"
by the Knickerbocker quartet was excel
lent. Miss George Eliiot's PLAYING of
Rosalind was fully up to her performances
of the role at Sutro Heights several
months ago.