The age-herald., 1898-02-22

you, too, are a son of the royal nine of zeno and Hera Therefore, we welcome you thousand times to the one city made famous by the early planting of the greIat and original Vulcan.
 Oh, thou noble scion of such noble side! We bow in thy presence. we resist none of tiny demands and we would conn., fort thee in thy sojourn here by loyaaiy obeying thy every mandate Between the sebdng of two sums and continuing through the lights and darkness of the nights which follow, be thou at hosne aunong us. Thy subjects here shall not sleep. but keep vigils for thy care For thy presence tney shall eat, drink and be merry. The doors shall be opened to you and to them, and even tine police commission shah learn that the l0ing is here, and turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the snouos of joy and revelry which are not disturb ing to thine ear nor ito the peace ana oag- ntty of this great city.
 Birmingham has progressed greatly since last visited by royalty. Twenty thousand dlIcaits have been expended on the van Hoose canal which will yet bear your majesty's ships into this port. The snaii- pox came and left again, eGd unlike Uncae Sam, discriminated account of cosor, paying all homage to the brother In olack. The Oriental dance came. saw, was soei and conuuered. Tlhe smoke from 0 dnou- sand industries has been supplemehteu py smoke from a thousand more, all Ted 1rom V,,,cans bed of iron. Political demagoSues have been transformed into statesmen ana one hundred or more stand ready ana WaIl- ing to accept tine onerous duties or Wie several offices which are soon to be nllen. The Lion and the Lamb, the police commas szicn and the board of aldermen, judges and ward politicians, democrats and popu- lstts gold bugs and silverItes, are iylhs down together in pastures green; anu as thou art the son of prophet View ulie field and tell us, your highness. 1T uhe political millennium is not close at hand
 Our treasury is flush, and the taxpayer groans under the weight or our coiiers, Accept this key, relieve the burden, ana if the watch-dogs of the treasury lnou- sand in number, bark at thy feet. they shall not harm thee. This barking IS but a trained habit with them, and Will work no evil to thy royal highness.
 Tn this great city, founded by the mouse of Vulcan, your subjects make iron ana steel for living, but your possession or this key to the city is an emblem or your authority, and while you possess It, they cannot rob you of your good name.
 Take it. sir, and behold thine own do- main, and the thousands of thy loyal sup jects, in whose name Welcome yoo 'o the Magic City.
 Grand Marshal E. J. McCrossin, on De- half of ihds majesty, responded to the may or's welcome, and in turn presented nim with beautiful gold medallion, conIerrlhg upon him the title of Prince Of Mozam- bioue The modest mayor, thus lifted into the rank of royalty, was overcome with pleasure and surprise, and bowed in rev erence before the king. He then presented him with beautiful horseshoe wrought of Birmingham steel, which Grand Mar shai McCrossin gave orders to have affixed to the royal hoof.
 Todays Program
 After the procession disbanded the revel- ry continued and the streets were alive with maskers in the height of hilarity. The festivities will be continued today The merry-making will be confined to the street maskers until 7:30 p. m Then the grand official night parade will take place, after which the Rex ball will begin at the Auditorium.
 This feature will bring the festivities to close and promises to be the most elaborate social function ever given in the city.
 Rex will crown his queen and at midnight the royal party will raise their masks ana solve the great mystery of the carnival of 1898.