The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-07-20
QUEEN OF THE CARNIVAL
BY Charles ). Rayne.
Copyright. 1905. by w. r. Hearst,

glory of he Venetian carnival and an
other glory of the annual festival held
under summer skies on one OF the most
perfect Observation-Disclosures n
calm and transparent---in all the south.
The proud contestant who can float to
victory on that June night and crown
a queen Of the carnival knows that he
has made the surest voyage into that
young Woman's good opinion.
Featherstone felt in his heart that
he needed some such victory as a pre-
lude to one for which he had long been
striving, for Cecily's seashell ears had
inclined p~rovokingly toward more than
n manly embe of the Lakeside. club
who chose to whisper under he will
lows.
So Bob's brow gathered darkiy as he
surveyed the work of decoration and
watched craft after craft tricked out
in varied forms and colors. For the
contest, be it known, was not of speed,
but of taste and beauty.
He walked ava from the blossom
ing fleet which encircled the boat
house, and an idea sulfused itself over
his ace in a light smile.
"Cecily," he said, do you Think you
can row alone and keep up with the
proceSsion?"
What a question to ask a Na4ad!
The water was her element, n she
gave him in return a confident smile
which made him ashamed.
Very we'll, then; you shall be queen
of the carnival"
He walked over to the secretary and
registered.
"F~ifty-nine!"
He was at last in the long process
sion
Then Bob and Cecily disappeared,
whispering and laughing softly.
The night could not lave been more
o1ISnicjrnc ThpJ2 was no moon to dim
the lustre Of the illuminated boats as
they tugged at the painters. They
We're buried in flowers built up in the
forms Of swans and dolphins and float
ing castles, their pickering lanterns
dancing on the sole night wind. The
long overhanging gallery, brilliant
with its sweeping arc of light, was filed
with a multitude OF spectators whose
toilettes rivalled the richness Of the
scene below.
The steam launch at last pushed off,
drawing in it's wake the first fairy ves-
sci, to which another was attached in
turn until the long line was extended
upon the bosom Of the lake, across
which the bright procession began like
a serpent of fire.
One, two, three-nfty-eight! Where
is Featherstone?'
away in the distance. No one saw a
light craft, carrying twenty square
yards of canvas and no light. shoot
out from a narrow inlet and take its
place imediately in the rear. Nor did
they see the dark convoy which quick
ly followed.
Far down the lake the first BOAT
could be seen making the turn, fol-
lowed at regular intervals by the rest
of the brilliant fleet, swinging around
in a graceful curve to return along the
opposite shore. a burst Of applause
greeted each luminous device as it
passed the club house.
"One, two, three-fifty-eight! Where
are Cecily and Feathestone?" the group
of their friends, We're thoroughly be-
wildered.
AS if in answer to this last hopeless
query, a vision of dazzling loneliness
arose at the end Of the line which
eclipsed all its floating rivals as the
sun burns up the stars. The nvoy in
which Bob and his ingenious mechan-
ism bore escort was concealed by the
spreading sails of No. SO, which had
suddenly leaped into life. Down the
broad eXpanse Of canvas rushed a cat
aract which seemed to circle and seethe
around the white-rcbed Undine whose
hair hoated about her like an ~aureole.
Her bare, round arms piled the oars
to and fro with an easy grace which
added to the animation of the picture.
gigantic water lilies gradually emerged
behind her, each golden heart suddenly
bursting into lame as the rockets rose
and burst against the sky. The dol
phins in rainbow hues sported about
her and the tall reeds tossed in uni
son with the Rhythmic stroke Of the oar.
a more exquisite moving picture was
never thrown upon anvas
How tame were the l~ifeless mimicries
further along the line! No Triton
wound his horn; no swan could bend its
+ oI'1 pafijl Throat The c11cb mi i,1o- I IN
dine in her enchanted element was
~throbbing with life and motion; all else
vas a painted pageant.
A mighty shout shook the long gal
lery and a wilderness of handkerchief
huttered out toward the nynlph and
the boiling cataract Which had risen
from the water.
AS the line of boats turned again 10
pass down the hither side of the lake,
the vision disappeared for 81 moment,
but as the procession slowly heightened
out, arose once more in all its beauty.
The onVoy was again hidden by the
canvas A dead silence greeted every
float as it filed before the club house
and the judges until the Jndine came
alongside, and a roar Of applause,
mightier than the first, greeted the
splendid apparition.
The judges saw there was no occa.
sion to deliberate. n without moving
from their places gave their decision for
No. 50.
A few moments later Teatherstone
stepped upon the veranda of the club
house and in the center of the pavilion,
before the dancing began, placed upon
the Undine's brow q coronal Of water
lilies.
1t was a graceful, happy little speech
he made, and won a shower of APP
plause, but as he fioated off In the
mazes OF the waltz with the queen of
the carnival there was another little
speech more graceful still which was
not without its own species of ap-
plause.