Evening star., 1927-04-17
CHERRY BLOSSOM
PAGEANT SUCCESS
SuuaII Fails to Dampen Spirit
or Beauty of Spring
Festival.

4
threatened to disrupt it at the outset,
Washington's first annual cherry
blossom pageant yesterday afternoon
fought its way through driving rain
to finish in a blaze of glory. Thou
sands of spectators who fled helter'
akelter 10 cover when the storm broke
returned as the skies cleared and
showered applause on the performers
who had stuck it out through the
worst.
In spite of the confusion the ele-
ments stirred up. the pageant hVed
up TO its promises of beauty, dignity
and impressiveness. Suferinr from
the additional handicaps Of one post
ponement, inexperience of some OF the
cast and failure OF the blossoms to
appear on time, it gave even greater
promise of greatness in future years.
Half an hour before the festival be-
gan. the sun was shining pleasantly.
During the few minutes it was de-
layed in getting under way, however,
clouds began to gather directly over
Bains Point, where the pageant was
staged. AS the prologue opened, gusts
of wind were limiting strongly at what
was TO come.
Song Opens Prologue.
The prologue opened with the song
'"The Years at the Spring" by Miss
Agnes Whelan, accompanied by the
United States Army Band under Capt.
w. J. Stannard. which furnished the
music throughout the pageant. This
was followed by the cherry petal bal
let headed by Miss Evelyn Davis, di-
recting school children. Four Japan.
ese children, Sutemi Murayama and
Hanako, Seiko and Sachie Nishio,
gave a dance Of japanese lutte boy
and parasol girls. The dancers then
separated, revealing Cherry Flower,
Miss Elizabeth Gardiner.
BY this time it was pouring. Sheets
of rain sweeping across the exposed
point scattered spectators right and
left and drenched the performers. The
pageant was halted abruptly while
dancers and spectators alike sought
what shelter could be found.
Most of the boXholders found ref
uge in automobiles and the children
were herded into the tea house nearby.
Members of the band heroically sacri-
feed themselves to keep their instru-
ments dry. The vast majority of
spectators, however, had come in
buses and had no place to go. Some
crowded under trees and others held
newspapers over their heads, but
there were soon blown away.
Tent Blows Down.
During the excitement an impro-
Vised canvas tent under which some
of the dancers had hidden collapsed.
Nobody was hurt, however. Scores
of little children and babies had only
their mothers arms for shelter
Crowds swarmed out into the road
and frantically hailed taxicabs that al
ready were filled TO oyerf1owing.
Throughout it all the Japanese Am
bassador and Nine Matsudaira and
Mrs. William Howard Taft, in whose
honor the festival was given. refused
10 leave their places. Nine. Matsu-
daira insisted that the rain should
not interfere with the pageant, and
30 after some delay it was resumed.
In pouring rain Miss Gardiner gave
Cherry Flowers dance. In spite of
the slippery ground and rain that
descended upon her in torrents, she
executed it beautifully. Following the
dance the legend Of the birth OF Cherry
Flower was enacted. A japanese lord,
played by Al Philip Kane, and his
retainer, Orme Libbey, came upon the
scene pursued by the spirits of the
storm. The retainer dies saving the
life of the lord and Cherry Flower.
During the intermission which fol.
lowed the prologue the rain abated and
the spectators began drifting back to
their seats. Most of the holders Of
boxes found that during their absence
the more hardy ones who had stayed
throughout had usurped their places.
Some of them stood during the rest
of the pageant. Others kept several
policemen busy for the rest of the
performance prying the stubborn CON
querors out of their dearly acquired
possessions.
Crowd Comes Back.
During the first act proper the rain
ceased, and before it was over several
thousand persons were crowding
around the space reserved for the
pageant.
The act depicted a festival scene in
Japan. Following a maskers' scene
poets entered and hung poems on the
trees, following an old Japanese Gus
tom. These poems werc the work oi
Nine. Matsudaira. Mrs. Doris Atkin
son Morrow then sang Puccini's Zone
Fine Day" She was followed by Jap
anese maidens and lantern dancers
Children from the Sidwell's Friends
School then sang a lullaby song
While all the dancers were assembled
the Lord Mayor of Toxic, played by
Elmo Whitestone, entered and pro
claimed that a gift Of cherry bios
som trees would be sent to America
He then read q poem written by the
present Emperor of Japan when ht
was Crown Prince. The act ended
with the people rushing to the ships.
During the intermisston Maj. Gen
III I'll, s,,%r A hos 1ny
Matsudaira. The Ambassador said:
This is a happy occasion for Nine
Matsudaira and me and for all Japa
nese in this city. For 1t carries u:
back to our homeland. bringing Il
mind many such occasions when the
coming of the cherry blossoms is cele
brated in similarly joyous manner.
Sees Spirit of Good VIII.
"This is a happy occasion for m,
also for another reason. In this beau
tifuI ceremony which you are initial
ing, | find an expression of friendli
ness and good will not only to m,
land, but toward all other lands a
well. know that so long as countrie
join in the celebration of so delicat
and so fragile a thing of beauty as /
the cherry blossom, there can be be
tween them only the finest sympath
and the deepest appreciation.
And, let me add, not the least o
the pleasures of the day is the oppoi
tunity of sharing them with tina
charming lady, Mrs. William Howar
Taft, who. a few years ago, while pre-
siding over the White House. grs
ciously received for your city tn
cherry trees which the mayor of TT
kio sent on behalf of his city-the il
cident which is so beautifully syn
bolized by your pageant today.
THE fact that you are celebratin
this occasion here today in Washing
ton has travelled widely among m
people. who deeply appreciate tn
spirit which has prompted this grace
ful action. / hold in my hand cabl