The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-12
Semi-Centennial Ball an Event
full One.
Beautiful Visiting Girls Guests
of Honor.
THEY ARE POPULAR
Topeka Maids and MatrOns Give
Way to Visitors.
karnival Surprise a Delegation
of Ghosts.

| Centennial celebration--the bir hall
neld IN the Auditorium Monday night
was brilliant affair. The Visiting
girls from eleven Kansas towns who
we're the guests of honor and the 9th
ers present seemed to he fully impress
| 60 W tn the realization that the social
| junction was something that could be
enjoyed but once in a lifetime 1t
~ Vas the gaia feature If the celebration
u lne nItleth anniversary of Kansas
| Iopeka did herself proud in the en-
ttertalnmeEt of the guests of honor.
Inc visiting pretty girls did not lack
attention. Topeka had advertised that
tney would be shown the time of their
lives ard every effort was made to
n axe good the promise. Distance is
supposed to lend enchantment and il
was with no difficulty that the young
Srclety men of the city were induced
| to go out of their way to do the po-
lite" by the maidens hailing from vari-
Gus Kansas towrs-in fact they Jump
ed at the chance, and did not wait to
be urged.
Because of the fact that promises of
a rare good time had been made the
s1rls for once the matrons took back
scat in the boxes and permitted their
husbands to "trip the light fantastic
With the guests Of honor.
Ray Halls fourteen piece orchestra
furnished music that would give the
most sedate individual the impulse to
get out into the whirl on the dance
floor.
Then between dances w. F. Roehr
played on the pipe organ some selec-
tions which he has received from Chi
cage especially for the occasion and
the out-of-town visitors expressed
themselves as being delighted with the
great pipe organ and the manner in
which it was manipulated.
Two Hundred in Grand March.
In the grand march there were 200
people. There were perhaps another
200 persons on the ground floor who
chose to be mere OnlOokers, and in the
gallery there were five or six hundred
others who took keen delight in watch
ing the Kaleidoscope effect produced by
the gay dresses and the whirling fig
ures-in fact the gallery was the best
place from which to view the dancing.
Many of those who were told that a
canvas floor would take the place of
the rough board floor of the space al
lotted for dancing in the hall were more
or less skeptical, but the 5000 square
feet of canvas was stretched tight and
served it's purpose well.
From II to IL O'Clock refreshments
We're served on the platform under the
direction of Mrs. M z. Riley of the
Commercial club cafe.
KarnivaI Ghosts Appear
At midnight a muffled sound was
heard and the surprise of the evening
was sprung Thirty-five lengthy ghost
like figures that made the cold shivers
creep up ones back-35 of them
marched into the hall in lock step and |
solemn demeanor. Skeleton faces they
had and they wore long white robes |
and elongated white pointed caps
In the lead was the ghost of a small |
boy and he carried a huge "K K"
banner. Around the room the spooky |
figures marched while the orchestra |
played funeral dirge of a mournful |
nature.
Presently after all of the ''ghosties.''
as the colored uncle might say, had |
encircled the room there was deep |
silence. Then all of a sudden the |
orchestra struck up "A Hot Time in |
the Old Town Tonight and the spec |
sort of a dance.
If this is a sample of what will be /
pulled off, on Karnival night by the |
Karnival Knights, the parade will be
that would have made the scene more |
grueSome would have been to turn /
down the lights. The merrymakers
dispersed almost Immediately after the /
Knights made their escape.
Some Pleasing Features
Soon after o'clock the grand
march began. The floor, in fact, was
just little crowded, but the parade /
was stately and beautiful, nevertheless.
The leaders of the march were Mrs.
Norman Wear and Mr.. Arthur Cap
per. The reason why the choice fell
on Mrs. Wear is quite apparent for
she easily stands among the first of
Topeka's most charming society wor-
en-. Besides being good looking and
always well gOwned, she is possessed
of certain queenly dignity that espe-
cially fits her for position of promi-
nence on state occasions" Her gown |
last night was black satin made with
low neck and square train. The short /
sleeves were worn with long white
gloves and the dress was draped in
beaded net. She carried an arn1fuI of |
American Beauty roses. After them. /
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mitchell fell into
line, leading one of the columns, when
the ranks divided. Mrs. Mitchell was
becomingly gowned in white.
OF course, the main feature of the L
grand march for the spectators. was L
the view it gave them of the much
-alkedof visiting girls; for all the
girls marched; the Topeka matrons.
society girls, and debutantes giving
place to the strangers. 1t required
nearly all the men in the crowd to
supply partners for the guests and the
lew Topeka women who marched.
,ome expecting to take part in the
yayety, judging by their appearance in
business clothes, were induced to take
J place in the procession and danced /,
LII evening, which reflected credit on II
heir good sense and their hospitality.
But considering the girls they had to
choose from, 1t would not have been
n masculine human nature to turn
lown the opportunity, even had they
been there in the sort of attire that
ome of the entertainment committee
wore at the auditorium in the after !
loon while they decorated for the
lance, one of whom was out in Cor
ather out of a costume that showed j
where he had been vaccinated. Be |
ides the out-of-tewn guests, about /
wo hundred Topeka society people ,
marched
But to continue about the Kansas
iris in whose honor the party was I
-iNen (fnr the men don't count anu- [