The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-19
THE MAlfEST AT Hampstead
EVERY DETAIL ADDED TO IT'S
GREAT SUCCESS.
Miss Clarke Was Crowned as Queen
with Hehtting Ccremonies--A Fine
Basket Dinner Enjoyed.

Hampstead. Texas, May lS.---Just as the
pale rays OF the approaching sun slim-
mered through the eastern treetops the
thunder of thirteen cannon shots, with
their echo reverberatlng through the en-
tire neighhorhood, served az announce
ruent that Hempstead's Maifest was on.
The Hampstead that arose today was
not the city which went to sleep last night.
Miles of flowers, flags, bunting and ever
green had taken the place OF everyday
life and appearance. Worldly cares have
made way for Joy without care, the real
is displaced by the fantastic, the air of
paradise covers all. Father Sol and all
nature smiles. and humanity Is happy
upon this. Hempstea1s gala day.
The preparations made for the occasion
were on a most elaborate scale. and the
firemen, under whose auspices the affair
was got up. have worked early and late
to make IL a gigantic success.
sfIhe crowds came in early. Visitors IN
larEa numbers, Ia fact. were in from dis
tnat points yesterday already, Wagons
enptied living freight by the hundred
They calre from Austin, Grimes and liar
ris tounties. and It looked as II al of Wal
ler3county were in town.
h The procession formed in front of the
Firemen's hall at $3.50 a. M. headed by the
SECOND regiment band % Brennan, fol-
lowedfby floats handsomely decorated, real
moving towers of flowers inhabited BY tie
handsome young of the gentle sex iron
Hampstead and neighborhood; then came
a halfmile of carriages, all decorated
with flowers and flags. On both sides OF
the procession were guards OF honor,
81 ah4
rade with their wheels wrapped in ma
terial beautifully colored
Mr.. Louis Amsler as marshal Of the day,
got things moving promptly and al 10
m. the procession proceeded TO the home
of the May queen, Miss Sarah Clarke, and
her royal escort. AS the queen ana her
attendants entered the royal ioht aprneuse
burst from a thousand throats Clad in
snow white, the queen and her royal al
tendants were an inspiring vision, hcwi.-
dering to the onlooker and oewitehins a
transformation from the world which is
TO another which is supposed TO be.
The procession. thus completed, doubled
back to town end thence to the pavilion.
Here the coronation took place Sir
Knight James b. Hubbard, in a neat ad-
dress, crowned the queen. The attendants
sang Hail the Queen and the band
Joined in To make the measure full and
complete. amid thunderous applause the
band and chorus gave Dixie The
queens answer was short, but about as
beautiful and pointed as It SSs possible
to make It. The addresses made by the
lady attendants were all neat and point
ed.
The flower drill. one of the prettiest
features of the day, wound up the affairs Of
The coronation proper The flowers were
deposited in half circle around tia lower
part Of the royal throne. the upper part
twined in the beautiful green Of nature,
the throne itself formed by the charming
queen. dressed in white, and there was a
picture no painter dare approach 10 irni-
tate.
Mr. Coleman of Houston appeared an
orator of the day to take the place Of
Judge Reese, who was unavoidably kept
away. Mr.. Coleman's oratorical ability is
well known throughout South Texas.
which he fully maintained in his address
today
Dinner was then announced. basket
dinner pure and simple, so it was an
| nounced and the ladies sent baskets with
out end II was grand dinner ard plenty
of the best of the land for everybody
During the evening the little folks had
a. dance; there was amusement o. all sorts
| for the boys
It is a rare day. indeed, with pleasure
| for young and old and what is better
| still the entire surrounding country Is
| laughing with us and drinking the draught
of pleasure to the bottom
Hampstead particularly appreciates the
action OF Brookshire, which not only sent
| her fairest daughters and best young nlen,
| but also a chariot drawn by six horses.
and a band Of music.
| There were two games OF baseball. The
| second nine Of Brennan downed Hemp
stead's second nine In The morning, and in
the evening Bellvile went down before
! Hempstead's team.
The ball tonight is more largely attend
| ed than any ball in the history Of The
| town. Thus the whole celebration over
shadows all our past records.
Too much can not be said Of the fine
work of the Second regiment hand of
/ Brennan and their able leader, In closing
this report 1t is but just TO say chat much
/ of the success of the day is dse to the UNI
! firing energy of Miss Edith Young, who
supervised all the details of SO much OF
| the affair as was to be managed by ladies'
and children.
The french have set e pace which viii
be hard to overcome by organizations
who will get up celebrations in Hemp
stead in the future