Arizona republican., 1916-03-25
! DREAM 0F BEAUTY

Despite the indictment weather Of Thursday night, delighted crowds throngcd the aisles of the Toggery at the formal opening of it's Spring Fashion Show. For several days the windows had been most tantalizingly covered and at twelve NJ, Thursday Mesa's big store was closed to per- init the finishing touch to the inter- for Promptly at five P. NJ. the win dows were undraped and the doors swung open to the eager public.
 Tn attempting to describe the beau- tiful and harmonious scheme of deco ration one must needs begin with the large show windows. These as well as the interior decorations are the work of Mr. R. A. Lehrke. a master artist in his profession. Each of the windows were decorated with lattice work intertwined with apple blOs- sons. The mems window had a show
 ing of the latest in spring wear. The center window was devoted to ladies outer wear, rarasols and millinery while the shoe window gave ample hint of the immensity of the assort- ment carried by the Toggery. Each window had painting done by MT. Lerhke. one a view of the seventeen mile drive near Monterey. Calif.. and another an eight foot canvass done in oil picturing the Roosevelt dam. These paintings were taken from or dinary postcard views.
 Inside the building the lattice work designs with lilies predominated. while stretched from pillar to pillar was a net work of rope trimming in green. Everywhere were wide ribbon bows with flowers. But even the beauty of the decorations and the ele- earce of the goods of every descrip tion in wonderful profusion did not create more comment than was ex- pressed in the admiration of the. guests for buyer who dared to load his counters and shelves with such Il mass of merchandise for a community of the size of Mesa. All felt that i. spoke eloquently of the faith the big store had in the loyalty of our citi- zenship to support it's home stores if | only the goods desired could be found | And those goods. Mems wear. | spring trousers, sport shirts. classy 1 ties, bananas. straws. light colored and white felts. everything new and 1 up to now for the man who wants the hest and latest for his spring ward robe.
 | In the ladies departm6nt-Well now the idea of mere man trying to tell about it. There were afternoon and evening dresses from the simple girl ish lingerie to dazzling creations in Georgette crepe. crepe de chine and taffetas. in old rose. Copenhagen, mil itary blue. corn color and white, some with silk over drapes in black net and others with beaded net. and all fresh 1 from New York City. Millinery. more than was ever seen in Mesa and the
 Toggery affirms more than will be seen in any one store in the valley
 this season. One enthusiastic young
 lady remarked There are sixty hats that I can wear nicely" at which re-
 mark. Papa standing near suggested
 it was time to go home.
 The store interior looked as if it
 were about to float away under a lift
 of opened parachutes. only the par
 chutes were parasols. Parasols every l " HCIc, OII up Ol lllt SIelNeS, SUSDeIlu
 ed from ceilings, lying on carpets. in
 the aisles hundreds of them in the
 daintiest of silks and most varied in
 due. The Chin Chin style of sun- | shade was much in evidence
 Ladies suits and ready to wear
 dresses beggar description, waists of every kind and with big lot of tub
 silk ones in late stripes and checks. Silk petticOats that were simply rav-
 ishing, and show case full of some
 thing around which the young ladies
 chattered and "oh'd' and How lovely'd," until they attracted the at
 tention of the writer who innocently
 asked what the garments were. now
 there was nothing wrong in that question. They were the sheeniest of
 silks trimmed with the filmiest of
 lace. but those girls just glared at
 the questioner until Geo. Johnson, the
 genial manager pulled the offender
 away and whispered "combinatior
 suits Well they were-a combina- tion sufficient to make a shoplifter
 out of an honest women, they were
 SO adorable.
 The men of the store decked out in
 full dress suits met the guests and
 the ladies of the Toggery force dain-
 tily arrayed in evening dresses, an- swered smilingly the delighted ex-
 pressions of the visitors. No goods were sold but red carnations were f presented to each person entering the ! store.
 Il Because of the indictment weather the display will he continued today
 and tomorrow.