The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-02-27
A COLONIAL TEA

A SSASGNL<1A L4SE1s It is well to make legal holidays the occasion of some observance more spec
 ial than pleasure excursion, or sim pie rest from the daily routine of work, though these are also quite to be re- | commended. The Phelps school is evil dently of this opinion, as all those who were so fortunate as to be present at the Colonial Tea" given in honor of Washington's birthday would willingly testify.
 The tea, so-called, though the 'cup that cheers was not strongly in evil dence, and indeed was not at all neces- sary to the cheerfulness of the occa- sion, went off in very pleasant fashion, with telling toasts and happy response; and when these were ended, and the scene changed to the gymnasium, which was brilliant with light and color even before the entrance of the costumed guests; and then became a sufficiently animated spectacle, in which powdered hair, high combs, black patches, 'ker- chiefs and mob-caps, knee and shoe buckles performed picturesque part, to say nothing of the quaint fashions of coats and gowns, some of which, though of a date not so far removed as the colonial period, certainly could not often have seen the light of day since they ceased to be the fashion of the time-the prevailing mode. Very quaint and peculiar they appear to modern eyes, but not more 50, perhaps, than will those of the present day to the fashionables of fifty or a hundred years hence.
 number of characters were very well personated. John Quincy Adams would certainly have smiled indulgent- ly could he have looked in from the spirit world upon his latter-day repre- sentative. sltt,d General Washington might have re- pudiated the red coat as not of the pro- per color for rebel of that date, and might also have felt his dignity as- sailed at being himself so sadly shrunk- en from it's generous proportions.
 Uncle Sam was beyond criticism, ex- cept that his straps were missing, and would have had to be very protracted in order to reach from the bottom of his striped trousers round under the soles of his buckled shoes.
 Ichabod Crane, the schoolmaster, was notable figure in solemn black, with iron-gray pernke, but happily with nothing to remind us of the unlucky end to his wooing.
 The prettiest and most graceful part of the entertainment, however, was minuet, or Sir Roger de Coverly dance. The costumes of both lady and cavalier were true to the period-lovely in color, and greatly heightened the grace and charm of the movement, which was the very poetry of motion-full of repose and dignity.
 The "favors' were punches of cher 1 ries-reminders of the immortal tree, which might have attained to such | fruit but for the famous little hatchet. 1 This in spite of the recent attempts to discredit the oft-hold tale-proof of the iconoclastic temper of the generation which strives to pull down the pedestal upon which have stood William Tell and the apple, little George and his hatchet and many another legend or truth of the picturesque past.
 The old Virginia reel gave us another | backward glance into the former times, and of course the modern two step'' had it's share of the Tight fantastic l toe" ~ .~j.
 Patriotic songs had their place, too, as well as the school glees, and nobody could wish to hear the Star Spangled
 Banner more stirringly sung than by the fresh young voices of the Phelps
 school girls. H. c. l..