Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-06-03
An Ideal May Party.

The poetical and romantic custom
of celebrating May with dances round
a. May pole and twining it with bright
colored ribbons and the coronation
of a Queen of the May was prevalent
in 1.-The days that are no more" but
in this prosaic age it has been neg
lected in Virginia, although l think
it still prevails in Merry England. !"
Last Saturday it was revived with
all of it's pristine beauty. None of
the accessories to make it complete
success were lacking. The weather
was delightfully."- warm without being
oppressive, and beautifully bright
without the slightest suspicion OF
chilliness. 1t was absolutely perfect
The spot selected could not have
been prettier, more appropriate or
more accessible to the majority OF
persons at the Court House. A stage
was erected in the woods. The
throne was prettily decorated with
eyergreens and flowers, and the stage
was over two feet high, SO every one
could see the Queen of the May"
who was Miss Margaret Lilliston,
dressed in pure white, and whose
ringlets were SO golden gay they
looked as if never chilling touch of
time could turn them silver gray"
The first part of. the performance
commenced with a march of all the
attendants Of Her Royal Highness'
the Queen of. the May" until q
Sc mi circle was formed around the
throne with the smallest flower girls
and pages near the Queen. She re-
manned just without the circle until
the first flower girl, Miss Hardenia
Fletcher, with bewitching grace re-
peated from Tennyson's Welcome to
Alexandra, '.Welcome her, all things
Youthful and SWEET She was i'm
mediately followed by Miss Mary
Fletcher who recited the next line,
Scatter the blossoms under her
feet.n Miss Bette rooard, the first
maid of honor, repeated from TennY-
sons "Maud' one verse from the
part beginning, "Queen rose of the
rosebud garden of girls" Then the
second maid of honor, Miss Mabel
Mock, "There has fallen splendid
tear.n Miss Marcie Duncan, the third
maid of honor, "Were it ever so airy
tread.n Master William P. Bell
glittering with all of the insignia of
his high rank as crown bearer, &C
companied by pretty little girl, Miss
Lizzie Parker, the garland bearer,
and Master George Doughty who was
given the honor of browning the
"Queen of the May" waited with
her until just before she walked up
to the throne. There kneeling on
white cushion making beautiful
tableau, Master George Doughty
crowned her, and made graceful
allusion to the Springs bright bow
ers.n In fact, he displayed the self
possession, grace and dignity OF a
Roman senator or an English orator.
The Queen of the May replied in four
verses of poetry:
ooh deck me not with gems.
But give me fairy flowers"
Every member of her court, con-
sisting of over fifty pages, flower girls
and maids of honor, walked up to
the throne and kneeling before her
ma esty kissed her fair hand and
made their exit from the charmed
circle. All OF the girls in the process
sion wore white and carried flowers
and it was exceedingly picturesque
and artistic. The pages all wore
rose bud and looked handsome. The
girls were all pretty with flowing
ringlets and sweet young happy
faces.
1t was well patronized. There were
several carriages from distance.
The ices and cakes were delicious,
and brought twenty dollars for St.
James.
If the fates are propitious later in
the year we will have "a Midsummer
Nights Dream
Miss Lola Byron Coleburn and Miss
Lena Phillips fastened the garland
on the Queen of the May