The age-herald., 1899-05-04
An English May Day
 Celebration at "The Oaks"

Mrs James Bowron entertained the Highland Book club and few other guests yesterday morning at "The Oaks" The programme for the open meetings of the club is arranged by the hostess, and for that of yesterday Mrs. Bowron arranged an old English May Day celebration The entertainment began in the drawing rooms, where the guests were received. Miss Gockel and Miss Clara Gockel gave se- lection from the ever popular opera, Cavalerio Rustieana, the latter presiding at the piano and the former at the organ, the organ nstes pealing out with unusual sweetness.
 Mrs. T. o. Smith read a paper recalling the May Day celebrations in England, which was full of interest and which she read in her usual charming manner. Mrs. D. G. Chandler gave a beautiful solo, which was followed by an instrumental solo by Miss GockeI, and later Mrs. w. B. Catch ings sang.
 The brilliant feature of the programme included the famous scene from Shake speares Henry V, when Katharine is wooed by the king. The doors of the li- brary were opened and revealed typical dancing room play, with Miss Bertha Lewis as Katharine and Mrs. Blount mas querading as King Henry, with far more effectiveness than one would have thought to have been possible with the tailor-made woman of today.
 black military cloak hung from her shoulders, concealing the shirt waist and skirt and she wore a brown hat hared in front and caught with a blue plume. A sword hung by her side and she moved fair Katharine with such degree of in- tensity that the good queen afterward con- fessed that 1t was with difficulty she re- membered those dear little French phrases that were supposed to fail so lightly from the lips of the French. Miss Lewis, as Katharine, affected the hundred little IS and graees of the French coquette She Wore beautiful toilette of satin, with the we'll and head dress of the period Les danes ct demolselles your etre baisees de- want leur noces'il nest pas la coutume de France she would say to the English speaking Henry, who would appeal to the lady in waiting for interpretation. Miss Anna May Phelan, as Alice the lady in waiting to the princess, was gowned in white silk with pearls. She was wonder fully graceful and pretty, and spoke broken English delightfully."-. It was an altogether charming scene, augmented by the soft lights of the apartment, and the effective furnishings A curtain of ferns and piah roses was dropped across the library door.
 Following the successfuh wooing of Katharine came the Nay-pole dance out on the tennis court This was participated in by twenty. boys and girls and the guests sat on the picturesque balcony and watched the pretty sight It was one of the pret- -tiest scenes imaginable. The lawn sloping toward the court, and in the center the pole with its many eolored ribbons and beyond the dark-green of the hills.
 The May-pole dancers wore the typical costume, the girls in white frocks with crowns of roses and the boys in white shirts and black knickerbockers and rustic hats.
 The latter part of the morning was spent on the lawns where an elegant luncheon in courses was served on small tables. The scene on the lawn was a charming one, with the brilliant summer frocks of the guests augmented by the brilliant sunlight of the May day. At the close of the luncheon occurred one of the prettiest in- cidents of the day. Mrs. William H. Mur- dock, for Mrs. Bowron, presented to Mrs. R. D. Johnston, the president of the club, that exquisite little volume Shadows on the Wall" by Miss Howard Weedon. Re- ferring to the May flowers, Mrs. Murdoch said: q present, for Mrs Bowron, this beautiful book to Mrs Johnston, the flower of the club I do not know what flower to call her, but I am sure that l will express the sentiments of the club if I call her our queen."
 Mrs. Johnston in thanking Mrs. Bowron and the club said that there had been so much sunshine in the club it was fitting that she should be given some shadows" The occasion was distinctly beautiful one and a perfect reproduction of the English May day celebrations long afo.
 Mrs. Bowron received in white toilette and was a gracious and charming figure for the picturesque settings of an al fresco morning at "The Oakks.'