The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-01

IT, a. ATFERBACH,
Chairman OF the Committee on Carriages.
tolled forth the hour of doom. Father
Time tore December, 1900, from the call
endar on the wall and threw it as the
the defunct century
The Twentieth Century's first glimpse
Of Topeka was a sight that it is the lot
Of few youngsters Of so tender an age
to gaze upon. Topeka's pride and chiv-
airy awaited his coming attired in its
most. Individual and collective, glitter
ing armor and cloth of sheen, in the
stately court into which the Auditorium
had been transformed
The boy came out of the southeast
wing. crept around the orchestra, perch
ed on its broad dais, and stood on a
chair on the brink of the stage that
looked out over a great level shining
square. Before the squires and their
gentle DANES had trodden the space at
all il was white as with the cleaning
silver crystal bands that Jack Frost had
woven over the windows Now it shone
smooth and treacherous with its waxen
II don't like the looks of that he
might have said. sIall just stand here
and examine the surroundings. He il
supposed to b. Esrg hiase -aTld nncon-
venIionaI young chap, this new century,
but this is the first time he ever saw
such a scene and it would he little won
der if ne were transported by it. HE
let the old century do all the talking
and was speechless himself, as a. matter
Of fact.
Around the sides OF the open square
We're ranged the gallant men and fair
women who had gathered there to bid
him welcome. AdOring femininity
smiled most graciously at him and look
ed radiant in their bright and simmer
ing gowns. The men, supple and strong,
in their modish and conventional dress
were attentive and merry and but few
wished they were somewhere else And
martial figures in the blue and gold of
the Topeka City Troop.
In the great balcony that overhung
the real scene Of activity many auditors
stiN remained to view his debut from
the advantage ground Of height. A few
moments before his entrance the gallery
had emptied the greater portion Of its
crowd to the lower HOOrs on invitation
Starry and crimsOn-streaked flags were
hung and dral ed everywhere They be-
gan al one corner of the gallery parapet
and swung around the three sides Of the
hall to the other opposite corner. A
fringe of small flags We're thrown into
another continuous line that depended
from the under side OF the balcony also,
stretching from post to post The pillars
Of cleaning white garlanded with
spirals of evergreen, were suggestive Of
marble Roman columns decked cut in
cetepfaI1On OF a great Roman triumph.
Behind the astounded representative of
the new century another mass of flags
btazed on the east wall At his feet
SlLGltAE4 around the arc OF the mann
moth stage, like a fringe of palms on a
coral isle, a seTni-circle of ferns and
lilies made bank of yerdant foliage
over which he peeped in a curious way
NEW CENTURY USHERED IN.
Led by the hand by the venerable old
century the little fellow had thus been
ushered before the world. Robert Sem
PIE impersOnated the time -hOnored
patriarch, and Master Paul Raymond
Warner, years OLD, typified the century
lusI porn OLD Time carried a scythe
and his voice was hoarse and deep as it
pushed its way through his patriarchaI
beard in reciting the following poem
composed Tor the occasion by Eugene
Ware:
7 am the Century. 7 am Ola Time.
i We visited every land and cline.
I've brought to ali both happiness and
uzsd to have seythe. ana ! moved
The high ana low in country and ia town
Ve 4qowned the rich, and then I've raised
I've made the pauper grsat-the great OBJ
I've :stubbed out slippers and made
threadbare coats;
I've ripened whisky ana I've outlawed
Much goog. much II. we done IN my
But now I'm going for to 20 away.
= new man takes my place hope
And make things lively. as i sdid. for You.
And. So farewell, Topeka. fare You wen,
I The incest dearest Town in which ~
dwell.
4 Goodbye. Old Town zrood-hve-Y,av 7-as-e
is rum
Ny year has gone, and I, like It. am done.
No sooner had he uttered the word
Done, than every light in the house
went out and the halI was left in com
plete darkness. AT the same instant
the bells began pealing the guardsnen
banged OF a laundering salute whistles
shf1eked afar off and the orchestra
drummer rolled a solemn dirge. 1t was
surprising and weird effect Where
moment before ali had been light and
gayety- and TO the strains OF a dreamy
waltz they had danced the old year ont
ana lhe new year in. and brought ia
their representatives to fulAlf ffe a1Ia-
( soEy now darkness covered all with ii
chilling gloom and a profound silence
fell on the assenblage
1t took quite a nainuteA to break the
4 spell Some one gave the moonshiners