Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-26

day afternoon, which was of a differ
ent nature than anticipated, the hard
est rain of the season so far, render
ing it impossible to give the program
ing the people thru and thru. A crowd
numbering fully 5000 men, women and
children, drove and walked out to the
park, and got such a soaking as will
not soon be forgotten.
While the crowd was still on its
way out, many We're returning to the
city, wisely needing the thunder's dis
tant warning and the indications OF
rain. When the raindrops began to
fall there was little scrambling for
shelter under the trees, by those not
provided with umbrellas and many
already seated on the grassy embank-
ments under the shade OF the trees,
remained SO, calmly raising their UNI
brellas until the shower should be past.
Mad Rush for Cover.
All at once the heavy downpour be-
gan, women strove vainly to manage
their dresses, hats and umbrellas all
at once, while those near the band
stand fought, showed and pushed in a
mad rush for it's shelter. In twink
ling 1t was jammed with a struggling
mass the stairs were packed with peo-
pie and underneath them small boys
huddled and grown people sought some
shelter from the pelting rain. For
twenty minutes it poured, the rain
seeming to increase in violence every
moment, and the immense crowd in
Sunday attire, was drenched thru and
thru until clinging gowns and water
laden clothes made walking a bur-
den. Umbrellas became so water soak
ed that they afforded little protection
and the rain beat in on every side,
running hundreds and hundreds Of
pretty summer gowns, wash dresses
and silk dresses, sharing their fate
alike, while the bedraggled millinery
creations were beyond description. Hat
brims dropped disconsolately over the
faces of the dismayed women, and the
co1ors in the flowers and ribbons of
their trimmings ran away downward,
leaving a grotesque inharmony of color
in their path. Baby carriages became
so many leaky tubs in which the album
dant supply of rain water collected,
and many a mothers back ached with
pain, STOPPING over to protect her lit
tie one before the downpour ceased.
Situation Most Amusing.
Despite the wholesale destruction OF
clothes, the situation was intensely
amusing, and fortunately every one
lstook his drenching good naturedly
Strangers. looking at each other ir-
resistably laughed. and all expressed
their amusement at the appearance of
themselves and others. Indeed, the
most disconsplate looking objects pres
ent were the canine pets, who were not
Bashful about seeking stolen shelter,
under the empty park benches and plank
seats, the latter Of which became pop
ular, however, when the ground be-
came so soaked that many We're stand
ing almost ankle deep in the mud and
water which formed where the ground
was low and uneven.
Hacks Could Not Handle Crowd.
Cabs, hacks and buses did rush
ing business, and the supply'wa tot
ally inadequate to accommodate the
| crowd Offers of me ny times the sim
gle fare were fruitless and the drivers
absolutely refused brides to drive peo-
pie to their homes. Many, considering
| the limit had been reached, walked
| back to town thru the sticky mud that
had been deep dust on their way out.
Those with bicycles found themselves
afflicted with double burden, and
children, pulled off their shoes and
stockings and happily marched home
barefooted So desperate were the
people grown that the hacks ETC., were
filled before they left the highway to
go down into the park grounds. and
those waiting there soon followed the
example set before them.
Altho the sun shone out brightly for
short time after the down pour, as IL
in derision of the plight it witnessed,
and yet in kindly sympathy for their
discomfort, the park grounds held no
further attraction for that day. and
the crowd, fearing the heavy clouds
which heralded another downpour.
melted away as quickly as possible,
between showers. It is probable that
many will be prejudiced against the
park by the distance it is from town
and lack of shelter, which made the
situation worse. but it's natural beau
flies and abundant shade cannot fail to
prove an attractive spot on future
occasions.