Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-06
ELECTRIC PARADE TONIGHT
Ak-sar-Ben " Will Give His Loyal Sub
jects Another Great Spectacle,
WONDERS WROUGHT OUT IN BRIGHT LIGHT
Twenty FlontS and Fifteen Bands
Will Make Gorgeous Combinn-
tion of Briliinnce and Melody
Plans for the Court Hall.

The knights of Ak-Sar- Ben had some
tired men among their number yesterday,
but a little rest after their long ride through
the principal streets of the city made them
feel as though they had drunk of the foun-
tain of youth and all are ready to par
ticlpate in the grand electrical parade this
evening.
There has never been a pageant in this
section OF the country on which so much
| time and money have been expended, and the
knights who have had the pleasure of see
ing some OF the floats illuminated declare
that they are by far the most beautiful
ever seen. There are twenty of the floats
and each is lighted by several hundred in
! candescent lamps, Popular subjects of mod
ern history are represented by the floats,
and the heroes of the late war with Spain
are given especially conspicuous positions
Interspersed among the floats will be fifteen
of the best bands that can be secured and
the South Omaha Equestrian club will ap-
pear 100 strong, with as many fine steeds
| The Board Of Governors, as Is its custom
! will ride at the head OF the column
! There is something else courses through
| the veins of the knights beside the "rch
! red sporting blood" that has made the in
| ttiatiOns of the last six months such highly
! enjoyable occasons-for all but the initi-
| ates. There has been manifest desire on
the part of each succeeding house Of this
| branch of royalty to excel the previous
! houses in the Department of Pageantry
! When the present king, AkSarB Ben ",
! as crowned he took a solemn oath-his
! first and last-that he would show to the
| good people of the kingdom OF Quivera the
! grandest parade their eyes had ever behed,
| in recognition of their goodness in building
-
! Whether he has kept his word will be seen
! this evening. To surpass the pageants of
| former monarchs is no easy task, but a
parade constituted almost wholly of the
most brilliant forms of electricity by which
| the counterfeit presentments of popular sub
| jects appear resplendent is unique achieve
ment in itself This burst of glory will
| conclude the pageants of the autumnal fes-
| tivities of King Ak-Sar- Ben ".
| Court RaII Plans.
There will remain the coronation OF the
| king and the queen to take place at the
royal castle on Friday evening. In honor of
| this event the castle has been thoroughly
| renovated and most beautifully decorated.
| 1t will appear like bit of kSar Ben Won
| derland with its thousands of incandescent
| lights in red, green and yellow, with it's
| real waterfalls and picturesque grottus and
| with its SURPRISING picture of knights and
bellies, beautifully attired, dancing here and
there and making merry over the coronation
of the king and queen, who will preside over
the destinies of the house of Ak-Sar-Ben
! for another year.
! The grand march Of the royalty appareled
| knights will take place promptly at o'clock
and Immediately following this will be the
| coronation of the king and the queen, whose
| identity is the leading question of local So
| ciety today 1t is planned to make more
of the coronation ceremonies than ever be-
fore and the grand march of the knights
| will be a bit of regal splendor in itself.
After the king and queen have received
| the matrons of the court, the ladies in wait
| ing, the maids of honor and all their at
| tendant knights, the dancing will be begun
| A program of twenty-five regular numbers
| has been provided and between the dances
will be promenades, which are not unlikely
| to be converted into deuX temps dances
| Two bands, the McCook brass band and the
| Seventh Ward band of Omaha, will furnish
| the music. The one will play the regular
| dances and the other the promenades, so that
! there will be a continuous concert of de-
| lightful music from the royal lancers until
| the strains of Home, Sweet Home" an
nounce the breaking of the first morn of
| the reign of King Ak-Sar-Ben ".