The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-09-20
"a PERFECT DAY"
Rendition of Popular Classic Furnishes
Fitting Finale for Novel Occasion
Decorations are Children
Prominent Among the Guests.

Gritty years is a mighty space
yes, but that is the length of time that
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard G. Lewis have
been married as is evidenced by the
fact that they celebrated their golden
wedding this afternoon at their home
on south Exchange street. The novel
function was a brilliant affair. With
decorations of golden-rod and wood
bine and gifts of gold displayed from
piano, table and mantel the reception
bequeathed fortune of golden memo
ries to the bride and groom of half a
century ago.
The celebration began at high noon
with dinner for Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis.
Covers were laid for fifteen guests all
of whom were relatives or close friends
Of the principals An excellent menu
combined with a real nuptial spirit to
make the luncheon an appropriate pre-
lude to the more pretentious wedding
festivities Of the later afternoon.
At 800 p. m., the reception proper be-
gan. Eighty guests from Kenosha, May
fair, Cleveland, Minneapolis and Rock
ford were received by the children of
Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis and ushered into
the par1ors Of the Lewis home. Here
in bowers of gold and green they in
dulged in gay stories of the past and
present and vague prophecies for the
future.
At the appointed hour w. Wesley La
Violette played the Lohengrin wedding
march chosen for the novel occasion.
The first strains of the music were a
signal for silence and an expectant hush
fell over the guests gathered in every
part of the spacious parlors at the Lew
is home. With the stage thus admir-
ably set for an effective entrance the
bride and groom slowly descended the
stairs. Seventy years young, they
marched in perfect time to the rythm
of the music and convinced their friends
that their hearts were still young de-
spite the wrinkles on their cheeks and
the fringe cf gray above their temples
Smilingly they took their position in
the center of their guests and gracious
1y received the congratulations extend
ed to them by people strangely awed
in the presence Of love so old in years
and yet so youthful in its charm and
| power.
/ The social hour which followed was
given over to reminiscent. With some
little coaxin.- Mr. and Mrs. Lewis re-
called their guests with their stories
of the other wedding so many years
ago. Tt was somewhat less elaborate
than the celebration of today. In COM
pany with Mr.. Lewis sister and her
sweetheart they slipped away to the
parson s in the family carriage and
were quietly married by the village
preacher, Rev. Hart, Of the Congrega-
tional church.
CIT is so many years ago." said Mr..
Lewis, "but it seems like it was only
yesterday Time goes pretty fast when
you re happy and I guess that's the
reason it seems so short to US. They
say Opponents dom usually turn out
well but ours-well, it WASH It exactly
one but they call it that-must be the
exception required to prove the rule
| In late afternoon the guests gather
ed around the piano and sang "The
Perfect Day" With Mr.. LaViolette at
the piano and Miss Harriet Lewis and
Mrs. Lottie Loveioy leading the rendi-
ton was both artistic and impressive.
At the beginning of the second stanza
the bride and groom joined in the sing
ing. With voices a little weak with
age but strong with feeling, they
brought tears to the eyes of their guests
as they sang:
"We1l this is the end of perfect day,
Near the end of journey, too,
But it brings thought that is big and
strong,
With wish that is fond and true.
For Memory has painted this perfect
day
In colorg that never fade,
And you find at the end of perfect
day
The souls of the friends you've
made"
/ A more appropriate ending to the aft
ernoon' s celebration could not have
been conceived and the impressive fin
ale sent the guests to their respective
homes with new vision Of the beauty
Of life and tie Immortality Of love.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis have lived most
of their married life in Kenosha. After
their romantic wedding near Bellevue,
they lived on the farm for a while and
then went to Norwalk, Ohio, where Mr..