The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-02-21
KIRMESS A FINANCIAL AND
ARTISTIC TRIUMPH THROUGHOUT
Nations Gather in Beau
tifuI Array Of Bright
ness and Carnival
Spirit Reigns.
avon snnlatls Advertiper.l

Artistically, financially and socially
the Kirmess held in the old fshmarket
last night was one Of the greatest
successes Honolulu has ever seen. From
the time the maulSa door was thrown
open to the early Corners until the
crowd inside became so great that there
was danger of crush, those attending
were carried away with enthusiasm
over the fairyland scene. At the height
of the evening the crowd inside was
much too great for comfort and was so
congested that it was more or less of
an impossibility for the buyers to buy
or the sellers to sell, while outside,
anxious to get in, were at least thou
sand people, with other hundreds sim
ply hanging around.
In spite of the crush, however, the
various booths sold out and the dining
booths, the luau tables and the re-
freshment counters were swept bare.
What the total proceeds were could not
he ascertained last night, but it is GER
tain that in the neighborhood Of ten
Thousand dollars is in the hands of the
various cashiers and treasurers to be
pooled for the benefit of the Palama
Settlement.
The enormous amount of work done
by the ladies and gentlemen Of the
Kirmess brought its reward in the ex-
clamations of delight heard from the
throng. The interior of the gaunt
structure had been transformed into a
beautiful street, arched over by a net
work of incandescent lights Iron sup
ports had been transformed into doric
pillars; where generally pake fruitsel-
lers hold forth had become delightful
Japanese tea gardens, dainty and ar
tistic bits of French garden; cleaning
bowers for oriental beauties, retreats
where one was transferred by magic
carpet to China, the glistening ford Of
Norway, the lakes of Killarney, Edin-
boro TOon, Sunny Spain or Fruitful
Portugal. On one hand the viands of
tropical Hawaii invited, on the other
stood Colonial mansion, in the holly
hooked garden of which we're spread
tables with the dainties of "Down
South" lp-to-date darkies with their
compilations bleaching under the
stress of unaccustomed work, and
dainty damsels of the DAYS of beaux
cessfully to pleasure the hundreds of
guests
Music of every cline mingled in glad
sounds. Banjo and ukulele, samisen
and flute, the Hawaiian band with its
singers, the tambourine and cymbals,
the coneertina of Russia, the orchestra
of Hungary, together with the squeals
of the pig being ratified in Ireland, all
strove to compete with the clash and
the bang of the Chinese orchestra. It
was all merry If mot tuDeful
Hundreds of gay maidens, of north
and south, of several different centl-
ries, of scores of nationalities, fitted
about among the people with one pur-
pose, to see that no one went away
without buying something that was
needed With them, twirling NOUS
taches that threatened to come off at
any moment, clanking spurs, swinging
kits and adjusting cloaks, were their
escorts, birds in gay plumage, pictur-
esque and debonair.
With these masqueraders were the
scores of nationalities in the costumes
that were theirs by right of birth. 1t
was Kirmess and not altogether one
of costume alone.
The Canterbury Pilgrims.
With thousands of people massed in
at the commencement of the program,
had to overcome an obstacle which at
first seemed impossible. That was to
form lane through the crowd and
directly in the center of the building
for the pilgrimage of the Canterbury
characters. For many weary minutes
they figured on how to move the crowd,
deciding finally to ask the masses to
part This they did at once and cheer
fully, and this was the spirit prevail
ing in the acknowledgement nature and
Willingness to conform to any request.
Finally, above the hum of eonversa-
ton, the barbarie music of the Russian
dancers at their booth, the lifting songs
OF the Hawaiian musicians and the call
of the barker, came a cadeneed note
ringing above all Others. The converse
ton ceased, other music died away, and
penetrating every corner Of the great
building the chant of the Canterbury
Pilgrims was heard. The lane opened
wider, and down it, as leader, came
Harry Won Holt, attired as one of the
characters of Chaneer. Behind him fled
the pilgrims, the line being q long one.
There was a knight, nuns, characters
with queer headdresses - strange
mediaeval gathering, thrown into the
midst of mOderns. The chant was car
ried from the first to the end of the
line, and all interest was conferred in
the strange procession. Down the hall
1t passed and then upon the stage,
where there were marches and counter
marches. II was a page torn from a
book Of medieval times, one OF the
most complete groups in costumes.
The pilgrimage was the signal for at
tention to the stage, which unfortu-
nately was not high enough for all the
crowd TO see the really attractive series
of national dances shown thereon. The
plans of the management had been for
the placing OF hundreds Of chairs in the
foreground, but the press Of spectators
was 20 rent that this became impOs-
sible Those who did see were reward
ed, and those who did not missed a
spectacle which rejects credit upon the
klrmeas management.
The Chinese we're called upon 10 show
Themselves before the spectators. Chi
nefo, native bora, and Foreigners Ia Chi
neae costume passed in review before
tho audience fans working lndHliTieualy.
The epsiumfs we're rich, Il lowered ailk
mateflalf, and fhe hfaddrffsef 81 The