The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1913-01-04

Remembered.
.. |. The opening of the dining room III
the Great Southern Hotel in Gulfport,
Miss, Sunday evening, proved to be a
decided SUCCESS. many friends of the
house and ite popular manager, w. N,
Driver, being on hand to grace the oc-
casion with their presence, Gulfport
contributing largely to the event, while
there were also representatives of New
Orleans, Mobile, Jackson, Hsttiesburg,
Biloxi and other towns.
During the summer. the Great South
ern has undergone extensive impruve-
ments, which have added much to it's
appearance, but in no part of the hand
some building have the changes and
improvements been moro marked than
in the spacious dining hall, which has
been decorated in the most artistic man.
ner, giving it bright and cheering ap-
pearance that it did not possess before,
thanks to the good taste Of Manager
Driver and Decorator Norton.
At six o'clock the heavy doors of the
spacious dining room were thrown open
to the public for the first time in sew
eral months, and from then on until 9
o'clock the beautiful hall was hiIsd with
bright, bewitcning ladies and co0rte-
Gus gentlemen in full evening dress,
the assembly proving one OF the most
noteworthy ever seen undes tho roof OF
the Great Southern, which has shell
tered some of the most distinguished
people in thecoantEy.
4 An air of cheer and welcome pervaded
every part of the roons which had been
beautifully decorated for the opening
event. Bright lights lit up every nook
and corner of the room, while garlands
and festoons besetted with white and
crimson roses artisticslly designed and
deftly placed transformed the hall into
a veritable bower of heanty ~. 9shdued
individual lights upon each table b6fied
in mass of ferns, flowers and roses,
added cheerful glow % the setting.
On spotless linen covers rested the
finest Dresden Chinz, polished silver
ware and sparkling cut glass designs OF
nobbiest patterns, and at each plate was
an elaborate menu printed on vellum.
The center-piece, designed and exc
cuted by the chef Of the house, claimed
the attention and received the praise OF
everyone present, all expressing aston
ishment at the cleverness displayed in
the work of art before them. 1t repre-
sented lake, with craggy, rocky shores
that finally lost themselves amid ferns
and plants in the crystal waters below
There was a welcome lighthouse of at
tractive pattern and correct proportion
on promontory overlooking the lake
and shooting beams across the pellucid
waters, and hard by was a neat little
church of primitive pattern, wherein
glowed a cheerful light, as though in
viting the members to service. A ship,
with white, fluttering sails bearing the
inscription, "The S. S. Driver" floated
on the surface of the lake, and miniature
sailors were at their post Of duty. The
hillside approaches to the lake showed
massive boulders and steep ipclines
covered by ferns, flags, and flowers OF
many hues, all most artisSically wrought.
On one side of the lake was pyramid
OF crystallized fruits, the base being
made of grape fruit, upon which, in
symmetrical proportion, rested oranges.
apples, pears, peaches, cherries, ba-
nanas, etc. On the opposite side rested
catch of red fish, decorated with my
onnaise and permentos; while on the
other shore was bag OF game consist
ing of birds, ducks and squirrels.
There were numerous other examples
of culinary art, rejecting great credit
upon the chef who conceived the idea
and on those who assisted him in ear
rying it out.
During the evening the orchestra,
which had been specially engaged in
New Orleans for the occasion, discoursed
sweet music under the direction of Prof.
Geo. L. O'connell. The singing OF
Miss Anna vocchini being the feature
of the evening.