Kansas City journal., 1897-10-08

Bell, James Cowden and ]. w. Baldwin.
and were representative colored citizens of
the city.
As the division fell into the parade the
tall drum major, Arthur Lee. at the head of
Blackburn's Military band. doomed up like a
house afre. He was dressed in gaudy col
ors and his altitude of six and half feet
In his stocking feet was Increased to over
eight feet by his tall white drum majors
hat. There came a signal from somewhere.
Straightening himself to his full height ne ne
his baton under his chin for second. and
then. as he blew his silver whistle, gave his
baton a whirl that had the effect OF making
one dizzy. Simultaneous with this exhibi-
tion he whirled face about and dressed up.
The division moved off as if hit with an
electric shock below the belt.
Each of the twenty-four members of the
Blackburn band wore white duck coats and
dark blue trousers. Following them came
Ward SCHOOL, Then p"phh the q oat schoo
No. 2" Twelve young schoolgirls dressed
in white occupied seats under canopy
formed OF the Carnival colors. They ap-
peared to be applying themselves diligently
to their books under the supervision of
r. I. Cole. their teacher The schoolroom
occupied about half the float. In front of
the door was an old-fashioned well, which
was shaded by two small trees The iloat
OF ey
after knowledge of books and literary
education.
Suwanee River Division.
Captain Lewis Thompkins was marshal
of the ninth and last division. The colored
veteran of the late war was commanding
figure on horseback and a bright blue sash
designated his authority in the division.
His aides were Smith Ewing, Thomas
Tornney, Tobe Hunt, Frank Williams.
Charles Mosby apd Smith Brown. the as
sistant division marshal In this division
the negroes made an exhibition that no
one else could initiate. 1t was strictly
original with the race, and the negroes in
the division aimed simply to be themselves
they used to be.
The chief feature of the division was the
Suwanee river float, representing scene
in the South before the war. The float was
drawn by two horses, and represented a
cabin on the bank of the Suwanee river.
A few feet from the door of the cabin ran
the placid waters Of the river, and boat
rocked on the waves. On the side of the
cabin was nailed a raccoon hide and on the
aground were several broken jugs. The rep
fsesentation of the boat rocking in the wa
r Ger was very realistic. Blue cloth repre-
sented the water, and the boat was piv-
oted SO that it rocked back and forth.
Now 1t was originally intended that the
quartette Of colored musicians should lie
lazily about the doorstep of the cabin, play
ing their banjoes and singing the old negro
melodies The idea was clever one, and it
was carried out when the parade first
started as it was originally conceived by
the managers of the division. In the door
sented by Morris Wilson. a typical old ne,
Occasionally treating her five unrufy picka-
Ain "Ain't a an ! done iD toie You ehilluns to keep
clar way from de ribber 70 .you'se
drowned" was the excuse she gave for ap..
the performance was as real as the gen
uine article. but the little pickaninnies did
do and into nspng ms aS o Silly
per. and in place of lamenting their wrong
doing they simply grinned at the crowds
boat. During numerous applications Of the
slipper the musicians reclined about the
door. playing their banjoes. while from in
viol. w. NJ Chambers was the leader OF
the musicians; Lewis Morse played vio-
lin. and L; E; Cherry and G. w. Henry
The division had gone but a block. how
ever, when the idea of lying on the ground
reserved as "land' was small AS the
melodious airs from the violin and banjoes
the peaceful river. William Henison got out
Of his seat In the boat. and. without wait
to reach land Eaye typea anS
then to the end Of the parade the Suwanee
river float was a scene Of the widest h1iar,
no more, and the old nanny, despite her
corpulency, Joined in the enthusiasm of her
race. The scene on the "Suwanee river
rSsr tsef was eady
Following the float came carriage con-
tanning J; W, Hall, the dancing master at
Woods, who got up the division; J. F. Cole
and ]. T. Robinson. Then came sixteen
members of the Lincoln ward school ca
dets. in command of Captain w. H. .Dod-
son: The boys wore green sashes and gar
ried wooden guns. Captain Smiths Pick
aninny band, twenty-four strong, wearing
gray coats and white trousers, tucked into
Five uniformed members of the colored So
ciety of the Knights of Pythias rode behind
the band on horseback.
family riding in his own G rig. % lie had % taken 1
advantage of the crowds that would view
the parade to advertise himself On the
sides of his wagon were placards herald
ing the fact that the old man done white
washin'." He had attempted no cartoon,
but his rickety wagon and aged horse were
so much worse than that the humblest
quently greeted with applause. Thrown
over his nags back was blanket made
from sack.
Reckon you keep your horse blanketed
SOS the hay will stay in." shouted boy
as the rig numbered along.
Will Smith drove an attractive pair Of
prize winning animals to brougham. a la
donkeys. one especially attractive, owing to