Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-04
ohivalry and Beauty Of Imaginary Empire
At Regal Court Ball,
MISS COTTON APPEARS AS THE QUEEN
Thomas A. Fry Figures as the Eighth
Ruler of Kingdom OF QuiverR-
Queens Costume Marvel
of Beauty,
Royal House of Ak-sar-Ben.

w. ID. McHuEh.. .....MisE Morse
II. $. WilcOx.... Nv .....,Nfiss Allen
Il. Il. Peck. k........ III Miss KountHc
| c. Il. Yost........ IL Miss Dundy
| Il. VI. BRrtlett..... Miss wOolwOrta
The scepter has passed to another Arm
hand; the consort's crown rests upon an
other fair head All Quivera pledges 10y
atty anew and the realm resounds with an
| echoing shout.
| Called from the ranks Of a toilinR
knighthood even as CincInnatus from his
plow. Thomas A. Fry sat last night upon
| Ak-Sar- Ben's throne, the only monarch OF
a proud, unfettered West. Called from a
legion of the gentle fair, Ella Cotton sat
beside him, sharer OF the power, the pleas
ures and the prestige that we're his. Cas-
tie Mueslloc, far to the north. knew for an
eighth time the glories Of a coronation.
It's jeweled concave canopied once more the
beauty and the chlValry OF a proud domain;
its historic old walls echoed anew the
alarm of martial trumpet and inspired
string; the sprites of mysticism that lurk
about its stern gray battlements laughed
again at wonders they had wrought and
gloried again in pleasures they designed.
| The potentates Of Reality came humble
| subjects OF the monarch OF Pnantasy ana
the sable garb Of the tailor-made served
! only as background for the splendor of the.
royalty robed.
Magnificent was the picture. everlasting
is its memory The history Of the whole
Ak Sar- Ben dynasty records no reign more
ausplciously begun than this.
CIimnx of Kingdoms Jubilee.
| The coronation. as in previous years, cli-
NAKED a kingdoms jubilee. Exuberant
subjects who, ever since his majesty's
coming was herslded, have paraded by day
and innocently reveiled by night, defiant
OF a clouded heaven and frowning con-
stabulary. lapsed into no breach OF court
decorum upon this occeslon, yet suppressed
! no measure OF the enthusiasm felt. 4.
| First to signal the drawhridse were
those knights who, being indebted to his
| majesty for the accolade, were now to
serve in his triumphal suite. Then fol-
| lowed the less circumscribed legions Of the
| loyal some in emblazoned chairs with out
riders and brilliantly livered lackeys, some
in palmer chaise with postillions distin-
guished only by numbered tags, and some
| in that party conveyance which has sin
gle chime in front a lance on top and
| deafening rumble underneath
As the portcullis lifted for these eager
arrivals and they were conducted to the
robing rooms and then on to the corona
| tion chamber, their eyes beheld the splen-
dor of the old palaces revived.
Throne "a Bower OF Beauty.
The throne surmounted a red tapestried
and red carpeted stage at the northern
extremity OF the great hall. its pyramidal
approach velYeted for the royal feet and
! all about the base the luxuriant foliage Of
! Quivera, with brazen statues Of old gods
! and heroes to provide a further contrast.
! Under the green blades and vari-colored
blossoms was the subdued glow Of an hun
dred colored globes and in the draperies
hundreds more, those at the edge of the
stage all red.
! In the center Of the room naiads sported
in fern hedged spring Of life and dashed
| its laughing waters giant high to watch
the prisms fash as they fell back over
| corruscating glass.
From the castle dome dangled two NAM
moth baskets. each freigbted with verdure
! that sparkled as with morning dews. Far
up in the ceiling arches twinkled a thou
sand merry stars and below them great
! festoons OF red, green and yellow bunting.
with strings of green moss looped from
pillar to pillar and baskets OF the same
suspended from the center Of each alternate
| arch.
And witness to all this host OF Ak-sar-
Ben's subjects. gathered from all quarters
balcony overlooking the theater OF corona
tion. Every eye glowing every face radi-
ant with Joy. every nerve s-tingle for the
monareh's coming.
Silence! The castle chimes are tolling
Q. The hour has come. Announced by a
blare OF trumpets and prompted by the
strains OF a martial air one hundred
knights. all in costume. emerge from the
robing rooms near the east entrance, pa
rade the hall, execute some simple figures
and finally form In a row encirciing the
chamber. Another trumpeting and the
| board Of governors appears from the same
mysterious grotto. marching straight to
the foot Of the FIRST approach to the throne.
And then-the king himself, Ak-sar-Ben
VIII.
Stately and tall, he moves through the
| hall,
Chief Of a thousand for grace"
CARRIED in soft-hued red. and with a
| great robe trailing behind him, he walks
with easy stride to the throne steps and
mounts to his exalted seat. Removing his
mask Immediately. his identity Is revealed
and a wave Of applause sweeps over the
crowd.
Queen Has Come.
As this subsidies the musicians change
to a gentler strain and twelve Of the maids
Of honor, all in white, move TO a station
with the governors. seconds wait and
the salvo OF applause tells listening ears
that the chief actor in the royal drama has
arrived Preceded by a graceful little page
| bearing on q velvet cushion the consort
crown (the king wore his when he entered
and followed by two equally graceful and
small misses bearing her train. she ad-
vanced slowly but unhesitatingy to the
feet of the king. His highness has arisen
with the love light in his eyes, and grasp
ing the gem-studded diadem with graceful
hrmness he places Il gently on the fair