Milford chronicle., 1928-05-11
APPLE BLOSSOM FETE
DRAWS THOUSANDS
TO STATE ORCHARDS
CCOntinned from first pags]

means of visibly impressing upon
the people of this section OF the
country the greatness of Delaware
as a fruit-raising State; thirdly,
that it awakened the people to the
5, supsr7fine network of improved
D roads possessed by the State, and
also that Delaware is alive to ltS
opportunities and greatness ana
can display its greatness in the
light of IAN equally great festival
and carnival spirit.
AS the Governor finished his re-
marks, all eyes were turned to the
stretch of green in front of the
State House, which had been set out
as an open-air stage. There the
last part of the program opened
with a series of songs by the chorus
of the Delaware State Federation OF
Women's Clubs, composed of mem
bers of the Acorn Club, of Seaford,
the Dover Century Club, the New
Century Clubs of Laurel, Middle
town. Milford. Newark and Will
mington. and the Washington
Heights Century Club, of Whining
ton. Miss Agnes Reifsnyder, of
Philadelphia, directed the chorus,
and Mrs. Emmett F. Hitch, of Will
mington. was the accOmpanist.
The climax of the pageant which
followed, came at the very end
when Miss Frances E. Robinson
daughter of Governor and Mrs. Rob
inson, was crowned Apple Blossom
Princess of the festival, with
wreath of apple blossoms. Miss
Margaret Magg, who took the part
of PersephOne, crowned Miss Rob-
inson. while her attendants in the
pageant. symbolizing the coming OF
spring, bowed before their new
princess. Miss Robinson wore
believing hoop skirt of white crepe
paper. with fiOunces of apple bios
SONS, made in the style of colonial
days. She made a pretty picture,
all in white, against the bright
green of the grass and encircled by
the bright costumes of those who
took part in the pageant.
The story of the pageant was
taken from the old Greek legend OF
Persephone, daughter of Ceres,
Mother of the Earth, who was stolen
one day from her garden by Pluto,
King of the Underworld. Ceres in
her grief, struck all vegetation dead.
Zeus orders Pluto to return Perse-
phone, but since she ate of pome-
granate while she was in the low
er regions, she must return to Pluto !
for four months of the year. The !
months she is with Pluto are win
ter. The months when she is on i
earth are spring.
The pageant was delivered in |
three episodes: the stealing OF Per-
sephone, the death of the flowers
and the lamentation of the people. J
Finally Persephone returns, the |
farmers triumph over the pests, and
the Apple Blossom Princess is
crowned.
The entire proceedings were
marked by an entire absence OF
hitch or mishap.
To many the crOWning feature OF
the day was the colorful parade OF
floats that paraded down State
street to the green, circling around
it to the State House, between lines
of people 10 and Is deep. 1t was
hard to choose the favOrites among
the 40 floats, all were so cleverly
and colorfully conceived. But there
were several which seemed to draw
the fancy of the crowd more than
the rest.
One of these, 1.-THE Passing OF
the One-Room School," prepared by
the New Century Club of George
town, was particularly effective. 1t
showed a schoolyard with pupils
playing happily among the bios
SONS, a distinguished professor in
black frOck coat, spectacles ana
tall black hat, ringing the bell Tor
them to come into classes in the
little red school house. And in back
of the school dangling his bare feet
into an imaginary stream, sat a I
farmer lad truant, hsh- {
ing with a pole !
The float of the Delaware DlVl- :
sion of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Z
with a complete model train, bear E
ing car loads of apples, was enthu- :
5iastically applauded. The double (
float of the Town of Dover, decor Q
ated in the blue and yellow colors /
If the State and showing the Duke 9
Of York granting the charter to Will
lam Penn, on one end and the Cae- G
;ar Rodney Signing the Declaration O
If independence of the other, was fl
me of the best. Camden-Wyoming's A
loaf showed a charming orchard n
scene with an apple tree in full a
blossom on one end, on the other r
tree heavy laden with the ripe,
ed fruit. Fl
One of the most unusual was the h
loaf of the New Century Club of a
showing the schooner "Sus- "
lex" The automobile was conceal a
ID by a perfect reproduction of
mall sailing vessel. !,
BETSY Ross sewing the first flag !,
3 a colonial room, was charmingly a
in the float of the Wash ii
ngton Heights Century Club of Will
1ington. nj
Smyrna's float showing the first al
1eeting of the General Assembly in c.
uII swing with members debating A
nd protesting and the speaker rap T
ing for order with his gavel, was G
well done. pl
Cheers all along the line greeted gi
he appearance f the enigmatic h,
oat of the Delaware W. c. T. u, OF
oat completely in white, drawn by OF
vhite horses, driven by a Negro T
river, all in white. Four girls in re
-hite stood at the front and at the II
ear, behind an immense white ball, I'll
TODD a woman in white with a gold bi
orn raised to her lips. Many in
uiries were heard among the crowd m
S to the symbolism of the float and oil
l particular as to what the white al
all meant. tr
Tho - Co.. +1,o ,a,oda x,yaS oIaar- n