Washington sentinel., 1899-08-19
- az SENTINEL
strawberry Day in the Rockies.
Pail Nal Gazette.

Att Aft@he NN'~s'N~@
Strawberry Day is an annual
/ east in the Rockies, 1t is a sort
of cross between the Fourth OF
J July and Christmas, a social jollih-
cation and a time Of good feeding.
Last Saturday was Strawberry Day
at Glenwood Springs, says a writer
/ n the Chicago Times Herald BY
the morning train the Governor OF
the State and his suite arrived.
Also the Mayor of Denver and
various other dignitaries, who
might be good to hear, but Ger.
tainly were not much to look at
Earlier yet came the county peo-
pie by wagon and horse, ,burro and
local train. The town, or village,
or whatever Glenwood Springs as.
sumes to be when it is in gay
humor, was rugged out in fit fashion
of greeting. Crushed Straw
berry" was the extreme vogue a
decade ago, but this last Saturday
in Glenwood Springs any color
was correct so long as it resembled
a strawberry. The favorite ban
ners were white, with a huge Grim
son berry as device. These dangled
from almost every street corner.
The faVorite badge was twhite
celluloid button with a screaminglY
red strawberry emolazoned on its
shining surface. These buttons
were worn by the Just and the un-
lust, the visitor, the stranger, and
the simple home body alike
Others there were who prEfrrred
more elaborate tokens. These were
fringed badges Of white satin, with
clusters Of artificial strawberries
dangling therefrom, and queer
yellow ribbons embroidered with
the tou ,hing motto, I'VE are sugar
beets," though what that had to
do with strawberry day none but
themselves might guess
Looking up any OF the steep
streets one would observe a series
Of decorations sufficient TO cause
any artistic soul to take to the
woods. The utmost incongruity
seemed to have been struggled ioi
in the grouping together Of dis.
tressful colors. Preposterous red:
and green's, appalling puppies suc
yellows, especially yellow Of the
shade that suggests an overwhelm-
ing bilious attack, Haunted from
house to house. 1t was glad. IL
was also sad, for the colors were
so discordant that they outclashed
the all too frequent bands which
paraded the highways and byways
alike. In each shop window the
crimson berry shone resplendent.
This had its uses and It's abuses.
In the silver (plated) and cut glass
bowls oil the jewellers windows,
in the china dishes sold at the
stores, in the congenial surround
ings of the bakeries, piles Of huge
strawberries looked serenely al
home. But when the luscious truii
appeared appetizingly spread
among the pelts in a iurrier's shop
or shone ruby among the artificia
tresses dangling at the halrdress
ers', somehow ones inner con
sciousnes recorded a wholly differ
ent sensation.
But the feature of strawberry day
is the free feast which is spread
from II a. m. 10 5 p. m. for all who
come, and is without money anC
without price. The opera house
$50 indeed twas named), a new
barn, a lodge room over a hard
ware store, these were places used
by the dispensers OF berries ano
cream. All about the bare walls
were the Stars and Stripes. Long
plank tables were covered with
coarse white muslin cloth
neatly tackled to the boards, anc
all down the centre OF every tabl,
passed a thick row Of strawberrie.
in deep saucers; strawberries lik,
rubies and ,garnets set in white
metal, and the new spoons, with
their specious glitter, carried ou
the idea OF bijouterie. Cream wa
there in plen y, thick and excel
lent, in a series of fat pitchers
sugar in wide mouthed bowls
This was the feast. Every year it il
spread freely by the town for al
who co ne on that auspicious day
and everybody within a radiu.
OF twenty miles somehow manages
to be there. AT each end OF th,
barn an officer stood to keep offths
hungry crowd. Inside, the ladie,
OF the committee donned fresh
white aprons and carefully over
looked the tables to see that tn
arrangements were satisfactory
Reiniorcements Of cake, cream
and berries paraded in an extern
porized kitchen.
Long before eleven o'clock
crowd IF people appeared to pres
behind the barricaded doors, lik,
patient sheep in pens. The small
bows we're in the front rows, bu
the elders were nevertheless there
though in the background. Whel
the witching hour approached
there was evident uneasiness Ii
the sea Of people there was a bill
lowing to and fro, and then a corne
sounded boot and saddle" mos
inappropriatelY, the excited off
GERS on guard shrieked to know /
all was right and all was ready
The crowd seethed and vibra
ted, a commanding voice callet
Let 'er come" the bars were low
cred, and the human river f1ower
IN from the outside sea, quite re
versing the ordinary physical con
diricns II came and seefhed n