The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-09

boats. The tug of course leads the pro-
cession, and the smallest of the other
craft concludes it.
The form of decoration varies with
the taste of the people who have the
event in charge: 1t also makes a great
deal of difference as to whether or not
the party is composed Of persons pos
sessing plenty Of money. These water
fetes can be made to cost as much or
as little as it is desired. The decora-
tions may be Chinese lanterns or cleo
tric lights, and either give a delightful
effect at a short distance. Of course
the Chinese lanterns are the cheapest.
Or, if one wants imitation electric
lights, they can take ordinary CHM
neys colored, secure a wooden base at
a very low cost, and place inside the
chimneys ordinary spermaceti candles.
No one who has not seen this combi-
nation of candle light and chimneys
can imagine how charming the effect
IS. There is an excursion steamer
which travels about New York daily
that Eliminates itself at night in just
this way, and the chances are ten to
one that persons who have never been
of colored electric lights. It is a great
expense and vast amount of trouble
to have a procession Of this sort wired
so as to have electric lights. Naturally
the electricity cannot be supplied from
any one source. so it is necessary that
each boat have a sufficient number of
storage batteries to supply the neces-
sary fluid. Any one who has had to
pay bills relative to storage batteries
knows what that means in the matter
of expense.
The water fete idea first made its
appearance in New York about two
years ago. That is, it's first appearance
for a long time. About six years the
idea was carried out to a slight ex-
tent by very wealthy people, but, In
asmuch as it took such a tremendous
amount of time, trouble and expense,
no one cared to continue 1t another
season. This year, however, what with
the boat races here and abroad, it has
become quite a fad to go upon the
water, and naturally that led to eff
forts to introduce some novelty The
evolution OF all this is the present
water party, which Is really like fairy
land af1oat. AS a rule the number Of
boats participating in an affair of this
sort is limited to twelve, for that is
all tug can tow comfortably Not
that she lacks power to tow more, but
she can tow this number in way that
will not disturb the party.
The boats used vary, as stated, in
size, but usually nothing smaller than
g. ships jolly boat is employed, and
from that 1t ranges up to an eight
cared barge. Occasionally steam or
naDhtha launch Is called into play,
but this is rather unusual There is
still another kind of procession formed
entirely of row boats, the boats in a
number Of instances being propelled
by oars In the hands Of young women,
who have displayed exceeding skill in
this athletic accomplishment It must
not be supposed that Wellesley, Cor
nell and Vassar have the only femi-
nine boating crews. The Hudson
river has half dozen Fights who have
never rowed in shells, but who can
make an ordinary eight-oared boat
travel over the water at an exceeding
ly lively pace.
The Hudson river Is favorite re-
sort Of these athletic young women.
About four crews, as a rule, gather in
their boats and start out 1t is a
charming sight to see the gaily deco
rated craft nraneuver as If possessed
OF human instinct. They will execute
all kinds Of eyolutions and 1t Is quite