Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-19

of the north where people have money to gratify their whims.
 
 We have read so much recently of the great convention of the Christian En- deavor society, held at Washington city, that we are beginning to realize the strength and power of this new religious movement, which has been compared to the reformation inaugurated by John and Charles Wesley and Whiteheld. From an insignificant meeting in the church parlors of the Williston chapel, Portland Me- one cold winter evening, this tremendous awakening began. The exact date was February 2, 1881, and there were present forty boys and girls, a few young ladies and the pastor, pr. Francis E. Clark, who is now president of the society. Organized, as 1t was, for the purpose of binding into close fellow ship for church work of the young people, the Society of Christian Endeavor took an immediate and firm hold upon those for whom it was intended, and 1t spread rapidly over the entire country and Tn certain portions of Canada. Every year the size of the conventions are largely increased because of the growth of the order, and it is now estimated that 3,00O,- 900 young men and women wear the badge of the society, which is merely the letters "C. E." The motto of the organi- zation, which was adopted at Chicago in looo, IS 'C0f1SI anu Ine C0uiCH lDl. Clark, the president of the society, as well as it's founder, is an earnest Chris tian man. His parents were Massaehu- setts people, but he was born in Aglmer, province of Quebec, In 1851. He was only years of age when both his parents died, and he was afterwards reared py an uncle, a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. pr. Clark is thoroughly educated man and gradu- ate of Dartmouth college. From the Williston church he went to church III South Boston, but in a few years resign ed his pastorate In order to devote all his energies and time to the Society of Christian Endeavor His home is at Au- burndale, Mass, from whence he directs this great religious movement among the young people of our country. ~
 At such resorts as Newport 1t is one of the fances of bicyclers to have what are termed Tea Cup races" which are thus described by bright newspaper woman:
 A half dozen or more riders, all women, and all, of course, attired in costumes that are chic and Frenchy to a degree, take their place beside their machines at the starting point. At a given signal all mount and wheel away for dear life to a point at some distance, where a number of men stand each with tray holding tea service. Each rider must dismount and drink a cup of tea, which is handed to her, remount and wheel back to- the starting point.
 The maid or matron winning the race Is awarded a beautiful Sevres or Dresden tea cup; second and third prizes, similar in style, being also given.
 This race can be made really charming and picturesque if the bicycles are elab- orately decorated with flowers; if one Is an expert rider and feels reason ably sure that no tumbles await her, a canopy, daisy-covered, or one a mass of roses or forget-me-nots. can be erected over her wheel, with the dress corre- spending in color and decoration. If one goes in for elaborate trimmings, many colored ribbons combined with flowers and foliage-ean be made effective.
 In the souvenir teaspoon contest there must be as many lines of spoons placed at regular intervals as there are riders. The one who succeeds in picking up all the spoons in her path, dismounting, of course, for each one, and reaching the goal first is the winner of all the spoons. This is rather an expensive sort of a frolic, but among the smart set money, of course, is no object.
 The luxe of flowers used in the doll competition will be as noteworthy as the bambinos and both will be very costly and very beautiful.
 The prize for this competition is an ele- gant trife, possibly tiny brooch of moonstones fashioned like a wheel, and
 
 genuity in dressing and placing the doll, which must be in cycling costume, mounted on miniature wheel and dis posed somewhere, somehow about the bi- cycle-possibly on little platform ar- ranged in front or over the handlebar. One fair rider for this competition Is go- ing to the trouble of having her wheel gilded; then she will have it trimmed from end to end with white roses, mak- ing the white and gold effect PEmpire.
 Another brilliant feature of the tea cup races will be the arch and basket compe tition. Under fiower-covered arches, placed at regular intervals-and there must be as many rows of arches as there are riders-the riders will pass and each will have a flower-wreathed wand with crook at the end. Suspended lightly from the arches will be small baskets, one after the other, and in all there will not be more than three or four, which can be hung on the handle bars of the wheel; and to be the first to capture the baskets and reach the goal is to be certain of a prize.
 The men, too, have show in this frolic; for one race, the boutonniere race, each rides to one end of the course and after having bunch of flowers fastened to the lapel of his coat by fair damsel, remounts his wheel and the one reaching the starting point first Is the prize win ner.
 The poster fad Is abroad in the land, in the west as well as east, and just here in the south there are many collections of these quaint highly colored pictures. This decorative branch of art, grotesque in drawing and tinting, seems to possess a peculiar fascination, which increases with time. The first Grasset poster was brought to America only few years ago, and 1t was immediately initiated by many of the artistically inclined people of the north. The work of American artists in this line is as much admired as that of foreign designers, and Is as eagerly sought by collectors of posters. Many of the wealthy and fashionable women of the country have rooms hung with these vivid and exaggerated advertisements These colored hangers have certainly proven very catchy and unique. The Century and Scribners' magazines were among the first publications to adopt this novel advertising fad, and several posters issued by Charles Scribner's Sons now command prices entirely at variance with their intrinsic value. Some of these remarkable pictorials are sold for $3 each, with prices advancing.
 A studio decorated with posters hung with Japanese lanterns and furnished x.ritb 1txrapc ond otbar aptfcinp aaca ip-