The Florida star., 1901-04-26

.11aes "nl participate IN the plctur-
esque Southern Cross procession dress
ed In appropriate costume.
The Sons OF Confederate Veterans
VIII also play an important part in the
coming reunion. for upon them viii de
Volve the work OF entertaining the
sponsors and maids Of honor; also they
Will arrange the social functions of the
reunion and win, In addition to that,
take active part In the exercises.
or the attractions at the coming re-
union one might write many columns.
There will OF course be parades, camp
fires. receptions and all that. but what
promises to be one OF the most pleasing
features OF the occasion will be the
floral parade. The latter part or May
is a time especially propitious for a
floral display In Tennessee. and there
will be seen miles OF roses, miles OF
magnolias, miles OF every flower grow
ing In this section OF the south. There
Will be traps. drags. landaus, stan
hopes, phaetOns, surreys. buggies. auto
mobiles, runabouts, tea carts. tallyhOs,
floats. dog and pony and goat carts or
wagons and every conceivable vehicle
that runs on wheels In the immense
procession. and each and every one OF
them will be decorated. intwined.
smothered with flowers In endless pro-
fusion. presenting a picture Of lowell
ness quite indescribable. The flower
parade which was given here in May
last during the Dewey reception, which
was a remarkably pleasing and pictur,
esque exhibit. may be taken as fore
cast OF the one to be held during the
Confederate reunion. though the latter
will be Infinitely more elaborate and
beautiful than the former.
AS a companion piece TO this feature
OF the reunion the naval battle and fire
works on the river will be correspond
Ingly elaborate. The spectacle will in
clude the firing of OF thousands OF
rockets along the entire water front
and will close with a realistic repre-
sentation OF the famous battle which
was fought In the harbor at Newport
News between the Confederate ram
Merrimac and the United States steam
er Congress. when the latter boat was
blown up and sunk by the Merrimac
The battle will be fought by actual
boats. which will pour broadsides into
each other TO the heroic accompani-
ment or a background OF brilliant and
eye dazzling fire display reaching from
the horizon to the zenith. There will
also be fire pictures or several or the
most noted generals OF the Confeder-
acy.
In this connection may be mentioned
another attraction which will interest
thousands OF reunion visitors. Ii will
be the appearance OF the United States
warship Bancroft. which will steam up
the Mississippi river from New Or
leans and anchor in front OF Memphis
at the time OF the reunion.
Receptions will be held on board the
war vessel. and daily call TO quarters
and inspection drills will be given for
the benefit OF those whose intelligent
curiosity conducts them down to the
broad, picturesque levee TO the waters
edge SalutPs will be fired from her
decks and In her maneuvers. while. cir
cling up and down the river. she will
discharge ear splitting volleys at the
city In perfect imitation OF one OF the
terrible bombardments OF years ago.
The last day of the reunion will be
known as Forrest day, and the exer-
cises occurring on that date will be
dedicated to the memory OF Tennes-
sees famous cavalry hero. Lieutenant
General Nathan Bedford Forrest. There
is something especially appropriate in
the selection OF Memphis as the place
for the meeting OF Confederate Veter-
ans. Ii is In the very center of the
southern states and is brimful OF his
toric interest from the time that De
Soto discovered the Father OF Waters
at this point TO the time Of the naval
engagements and bombardments dur
ing the civil war. Ii is altogether a
fitting place for the veterans OF the
Confederacy 10 meet again and renew
and revive the associations and expert
ences of the camps and battlefields OF
that fateful internecine struggle in
which the record OF their devotion and
valor will forever remain unchallenged
and undimmed.
LEONARD BALDWIN.
1t was held recently in a London police
court that no one has any right 10 force his
yyay into a railway carriage already full.