The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-14
BY ANNIE kENpRIcK WALKER.

BY ANNIE kENDRlck WALKER.
 The social interest of the entire south was centered the past week in the re- union gaeties The season in the far south, always waning with the coming Of June, was prolonged on account of the reunion, which brought a week of great social brlliancy And if the charm Of entertaining in the souta at this season had never been fully appreciated before rhe past week with it's perfect days and evenings was charming enough to make even the southern people wonder if any where else in the world could the monsh of June be so beautiful.
 The out-of-door pageants in the south ere so entirely dependent upon fine weather that the committees arranging them are quite on the verge of a nervous breakdown in their anxiety. To have euch continuous week of sunshine fol. lowed by perfect nights meant the frui- ton of the elaborate plans for the maia features of the reunion, while even for the large indoor balls at club houses anu for the private entertainments the beau- tiful weather was considered a good omen for all the week.
 As far as possible all of the private entertainments were al fresco. It was only at luncheon or dinner that the guests were entertained indoorss and as for that matter many hostesses and hosts at the club had their guests to assemble on the verandas for luncheon and din- Ter.
 The reunion gaieties continuing through the week did not really end until last evening, when many dinners at the eluo assembled congenial parties. The large balls of the week-four brilliant balls be- ing danced-the luncheons and dinners and garden parties, made week quite memorable in the social annals of the south.
 Almost all of the smart houses had house guests and luncheon parties for from 10 to 30 guests were given daily.
 MT and Mrs. Exum gave large buffet luncheon to Gen. Irvine c. Walker os South Carolina, and the lovely sponsors for that state.
 Governor Conner and Mrs. Conner gave an elaborate luncheon to the members Of the governors staff. The reception an1 garden party at which Governor Conner and Mrs. Conner entertained on Tuesday evening was a brilliant and beautiful oe- casion of the week. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jemison's garden party to Mrs. Clay Clopton on Friday was a charming oc- easion, while among those entertaining .requently at dinner, their guests includ- ing the visiting veterans and sponsors, were Governor and Mrs. Conner, Colonel e.nd Mrs. Bush, MT. and Mrs. Robert temison, Lieutenant Governor and Mrs. Henry B. Gray, MT. and Mrs. Exurn Mrs. Louise Bankhead Perry, MT. and Mrs Barrett, Gen. and Mrs. Rhodes, MT and Mrs. Priestly Toulmin. MT, John Mcqueen, the Bachelors, while at the cubs there were so many dinners and luncheon parties that it was almost continuous performance.
 Society permitted itself to become wil1- ly excited over the veterans parade, cheering them on from club balconies from office buildings, from which fiu+ tered thousands of handkerchiefs, while beautiful women almost screamed them selves hoarse in their tribute to the marching hosts.
 The magnifcence of that martial pa rade will not soon be forgotten It col ored the whole week with it's beauty, with it's wonderful significance as m historic pageant. Not soon will those broken ranks marching beneath tattered flags be forgotten. The tremendous in- Iression of that scene made all the other features of the reunion sink into nsgnifi- canoe, as magnificent as were balls and flower fetes
 But the flower parade that wended .ts brilliant length through the streets was also a pageant of surprising beauty and Interest. Society will tall of it for weeks 1c come. In the thousands who wit ressed it were many who had seen the flower fetes in other southern cities and in California, and were in a position 70 make comparisons.
 Not even the American feet said a visiting club man. was greeted with q more gorgeous flower pageant
 The floral parade seemed to embody all the poetry and music of the south. It was Mrs. Letter who said of her daugh ter, the late Lady Curzon, that she did not know what it meant to be vicerene of India until she saw Mary riding on an elephant at the India Dunbar, so that really flower pageant in the south makes you realize as never before the beauty of the southern woman in the setting of a floWer-laden carriage drawn by handsomely caparisoned horses.
 Among the handsomest carriages was Mrs Gray's Victoria, done in hand-paint- ed morning glories. Hundreds of them were used in it's decoration, and the very moment her Victoria turned into the ave- nue it was pronounced one of the most beautiful ever seen in a flower pageant. Driving with Mrs. Gray was Miss Flor ence Smith.
 MT. and Mrs. Richard Massey were in their Victoria, which was done in yellow