The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-25
A GAY BISHOP.
Father FrancOlon's Picturesque
Castle at ManitOu
The Scene of Brilliant Social
Gathering and Ball.
NEW KANSAS BISHOP.
Guests Clad in Colonial Gar
mentS Dance the Minuet.
COIOradO'S Four Hundred = A
Bradley Martin Affair.
NEW KANSAS BISHOP.

Manitou, Feb 25.-The new bishop of
COncOrdia, Kan, Father Francolon,
gave one of the SWEETEST functions ever
known in the annals of Colorado, Mon
day evening at Iiremont Castle. his
present home.
The wealth and beauty of Manitou
Colorado Springs and the distant towns
of the state were here, as were also
the representatives of many of the far
eastern cities. The brilliant decOra-
tons of the French and national flags,
costly draperies and paintings, cut
flowers and potted plants, the soulful
strains OF music and the merry dancers
in the dress of a hundred years ago
presented a dreamland picture such as
has never before been witnessed in the
beautiful little hamlet at the foot of the
great white mountain.
AS the guests arrived they were met
at the outer door, by a colored BODY
servant of Washington and ushered in
to the waiting room and a second col
ored body servant of the general stood
at the head of the stairway leading to
the reception hall. Promptly at 8
o'clock the soft strains of the man
dolin club were stilled and from the
upper hall Cassafs orchestra pealed
forth the stirring strains of "Colum-
bia, announcing the approach of the
Washington party Through the long
picture gallery, down the great stair
case and into the alcOve of the drawing
room they came. The party was headed
by two appropriately clad hcraIds, Mr.
James Thornton and Mr. Arthur James.
who cleared the way with great pomp-
business Next came two braVeIy at
tired aides de-camp. Messrs Charles
Smiley and Harry Thornton, followed
by Master Claude CHASER, who was at
tired as page in blue satin Louis
XIV costume. Then with all the dig
nifty of his six feet two inches came Mr.
David Lord. who admirably carried off
the part of George Washington. and
leaning on his arm was Mrs. c. w
Barker, who made an ideal Martha
Washington.
Following them in due order came
Washington's first Cabinet. John and
Abigail Adams being represented by
DR.. w. A. Bell and Mrs. H. H Grafton;
Thomas Jefferson and Mrs. Mary Ann
Wolcot by c. H. Peters and Mrs Mar
garet Adams; Alexander Hamilton and
wife by Major John Hubert and Mrs.
c. H. Frownie; James Madison and
wife by F. d. Fox and Miss Farrier;
John Jay and Mrs. General Lewis by
by George Rogers and Mrs. H. NJ. Ogil-
bee; Captain Paul Jones and Eleanor
Park Gusts by 1. T. Jones and Miss
Agnes Hubert; DR.. Warren and Mrs.
Governor WinthrOpe by DR.. B. B.
Creighton and Mrs. G. A Grant
The receiving party were no sooner
in position than the American music
changed to the French Marseillaise.
and with stately grace came General
General Roohambeau CMr. c. J. Holt,
to be the first to pay their respects to
the American court.
The first dance was the stately min
uet, in the reception hall before the
great fireplace with it's roaring fire of
piniOn wood.
The minuet was followed by the cotil-
lion, danced by eight couples, and then
came the regular dance programme,
including sixteen numbers of waltzeS,
twO-steps and 1ancers. The music was
furnished by Casseri's well known or
chestra of Colorado Springs. The
Manitou Mandolin club, composed of
Mr.. J. c. Smith, Mr.. O. L. Fleetwood,
Mr.. Walter Leibold and Mr.. Charles
Wells, played delightful selections dur
ing the evening.
Refreshments were served from 10
In all over 300 people were in attend
ance, and, as Father FrancOlon re-
marked, While the function was after
the style OF the Bradley Martin affair,
it differed from it in this, the Bradley
Martin ball was to spend money; the
ManltOu ball was to make money"
and almost $500 will be realized for the
public library building fund
MiremOnt castle was built last year
by Father FrancolOn after months of
deep study of which style of architect
ure should be adopted as the better
suited to the locality Romanesque
alone was found too uniform, Ionic too
classic for romantic Manitou, Gothic
too plOuS for a residence, Moorish too
pagan for clergyman and Colonial out
OF place in a mountain region So it
was decided by the reverend clergyman
to take some of the Romanesque,G Gothic,
Moorish and Middle Ages style and
blend them so artistically together as
to give at once satisfaction to the eyes
and make it appear as though built on
the border of France and Spain, cOun-
tries IN which Father FrancoIon traces
far back his ancestors. No architects
were employed, as it was feared few
would understand what was wanted
The plans were drawn by Father Fran
colon himself, every detail given care
full attention, and the work superin-
tended by him alone, from the begin
ming to the end.
The approach to the building is by
easy and very wide stone steps in the
a complete view of the castle is obtain
ed. In front of you the monumental
''porta cochere,'' resting on the center
of the massive Ute Pass stone building
At your left the cOnSerVa tory sur
mounted by the 16-foot window, an eX-
act copy of the windows of the Alham-
bra, in soft red stone and cathedral
glass, making a beautiful contrast with
the severe blue-g Ute Pass stone.
West of the conservatory is the private
chapel, unfinished, with it's large circle
window, surmounted by the great stone
tower, with small circle windows, and
crowned with Middle Age battlement-
East of the "porta cochere" are the
waiting room, the furnace, coal rooms
and cellars, all in massive stone wall
Higher stands the dining room with its
graceful half circle, cut here and there
by small roofs and shingled through