The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1920-11-11

WAR MOTHERS FLOAT
That the Spirit Of the Gold Star"
and "In Flanders Fields Where Pop
pies Grow" are one in the hearts of
the War Mothers of the World was
+ shown by their float, The Spirit of
the Gold Star" which followed the
marching veterans of the World War.
The statue of a soldier boy in uni
form was surrounded by a field of
blooming poppies where five little girls
were picking armfuls of poppies to
lay at he soldiers feet. soldier
disabled in the war who could not
march took the part of the soldier
statue. The five little girls were Jean
Shiveley. Mary Shiveley. Virginia
Brookbank, Catherine Cook and Anna
Frances Puckett.
The Pilgrim Mother" holding
baby in her arms with a little boy
and girl clinging to her skirt. who has
just left the Mayfower. and is facing
the wilderness which she has crossed
the sea to make her home, was the
heroine of tht historical float of the
War Mothers. Standing in brave si-
lence she faced the bare trees. bushes.
brambles and snow covered ground of
bleak New England on a November
day with the same courage with
which the mothers of today faced the
Great War The part of the mother
was taken by Mrs. Arthur Whallon
The children in the tableau were Wini-
fred Cummins and Richard Gennett
on the back of the same float, the
mother of today was shown in "A
War Mothers Room of Today" Mrs
A. w. Roach, a war mother of Wayne
county, was shown seated at her desk
writing to the soldier son whose pic
ture rested on the desk.
italian Citizens.
Columbus, the Giscoverer of Amer
lea. was ably portrayed by the citizens
of Italian extraction of Richmond on
their float The Coming of Columbus.
Their huge float, which was 2S feet in
length, was covered with cloth painted
to resemble the ground where Colum-
bus landed. A background depicted
Typographical features. In the center
of the scene Columbus knelt holding in
one hand cross, and his hat in the
other. Three Spaniards stood nearby,
and close at hand were two monks.
one posed as though asking the Divine
blessing, and the other in a prayerful
position. Three guards in appropriate
tie Representations
Along the side Of the float were the
words, The Landing of Columbus.
Oct. II, 1892" Behind the float walked
eight men Of the colony dressed as
hunters of the 18th century. f. A.
Mariana deserves credit for much of
the work on the float representing the
local Italians.
New Garden Township.
Memories of the days before the
Civil War when the Underground Rail
way was in active operation were re-
called by the float from New Garden
township. 1t was a three-piece affair.
the first section consisting of wagon
on which rested an accurate reproduc-
ton of the old hotel run by Levi Cot
fin and his wife about the year 1887,
Two characters representing the pro-
prietor and his wife were seated at
the door.
This building was a station In the
Underground Railway. At one time
al many as IS slaves were concealed
there on their way north. Fountain
City was named Newport at that time
and the building bore on the front
sign saying Newport Underground
Railroad Station"
The second section consisted OF a
wagon in which the slaves were CON
ceaIed, and the third was a number
of characters representing the slave
hunters, all mounted, and wearing
dress in keeping with the period.
IT.