The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-13
Streets Became Fairy Avenues, Pulsat-
ing with Life, Radiating with
Bright Color.
CAPRICIOUs MISS
APRIL
CROWNED, SMILED AND HAD MANY
FEMININE TANTRUMs.
Churches Were Crowded at Morning
Servfces-Sxetch of a Day of
Sunshine and Rain.

out honor IN this section or the country.
Unpleasant as it must have been to him.
he was impelled TO predict showers for
Easter Sunday, and the showers came. For
tunately for the weather man they were
typical April showers-the kind that bring
May fiowers-and there were intervals Of
sunshine that made possible the annual
Easter promenade.
The day was ushered in with a shower
that was a veritable spring thunderstorm.
The rain came down In torrents, the heav-
ems were black, and altogether 1t was
a disheartening. prospect to womankind,
for 1t BODIED i'll for Easter toilets 1t
meant life and beauty for all of natures
vernal attire, but 1T meant death and ruin
for the creations OF milliner and modiste
Eight o'clock and 8 o'clock came, and the
shower" still held on, with no signs of
abating; then, just when the fortunate
women who were all prepared for the grand
parade TO church were ready to cry of vex-
alton and disappointment, while their less
fortunate sisters were smiling somewhat
grimly, the elements grew more propitious
and the rain ceased. 1t seemed as If the
first church bells and sweet-toned chimes
had dissipated the clouds and brought out
the sun, reluctant at first but soon beaming
in full splendor His blessing and benediction
on world to worship bent.
CROWDED STREETS
And with the sunshine came the crowds.
The streets that a few minutes before had
been but dreary, deserted lanes, became as
IL by magic fairy avenues. pulsating with
life and respondent with color. There were
carriages galore. but for the most part the
the promenade's the thing on Easter Sun
day. Indianapolis is noted for her beau
tiful women and for her well-dressed wom-
en-, and to the stranger who mingled with
yesterdays crowds 1t was readily apparent
why this is so. Strikingy handsome wom-
en- and beautifully gowned women were
out by the hundred and even by the thou
sand. all radiant and smiling. and with
more than the usual Easter beatitude beam-
Ing from their faces as the reaction from
the gloom that had filled their hearts when
the weather had promised to be so unpro-
pitious.
Not all the world went to church. al
though 1t seemed that the greater part of
II did, for the capacity of the churches
is limited but all the world was out, and
of spring. Those who did not start to
church early found on their arrival that
the edifces of worship were full to over
flowing, and then they joined the throngs
that strolled through the streets and
through the little downtown parks
And then. just few minutes after the
services in the churches were over, cap
ricious Miss April sent another shower,
just to show that her graciousness in per-
hitting little sunshine should be appre-
ciated;; The incautious ones who had dis
dained umbrellas when they had left their
homes scurried for shelter. Many of them
were caught in the rain and many a dainty
Easter bonnet and many a beautiful gown
were ruined. The mathematical person,
who fairly exudes statistics, did a little
calculating last evening and estimated that
the noon shower cost the men Of Indiana
dollars in damaged and ruined Easter
finery.
SUN SHONE AGAIN.
The shower held on, Internationally but
uncompromisingly, for almost two hours
and II looked like there would be no more
sunshine during the day, but in the after
noon Miss April relented and her mood
changed again, The sun appeared once
more and with the first sign of fair wealth
er out came the crowds again, to drive
and promenade the streets The people
turned out In even larger numbers than in
the forenoon, If that were possible, and
until 4:30 o'clock the streets In the central
part of the city and in the residence por-
tons were fairly thronged. Hundreds took
the street cars and went out to the parks
anu INTO the SUBURBS IOT a taste OF the real
spring among the flowers and trees, such
as the heart of the city never knows while
hundreds of others turned toward the open
country In carriages, automobiles and all
kinds of vehicles, even on the unesthetic
and plebeian bicycle
Late In the afternoon the rain came again
and again 1t caught the unwary. The tor
rents abated before 8 o'clock, but early in
the evening they came yet once more, and
this time in veritable flood that continued
for over an hour.
IL
seven successive Sundays-so runs the
proverb of the fathers.