The Washington times., 1934-08-27

A1lu OLACAA' .>3::$:
present Mrs.
wilson is Helen Essary
making a fascinating trip. She
travels so quietly nowadays,
however, that if 1 had not had
an observing friend at the
Birchmont Beach Hotel on
Lake Bemidji, MINI. beautiful
name), I should not be able to
relay to you this interesting &C
count of a part of the holiday
of the former First Lady.
"By the shores of Gitchee
Gummee, by the shining big sea-
water" in the lake region OF
Minnesota, Mrs. Wilson and a
party of friends have been rest
ing for the past fortnight en-
joying the tang of the pines
and the invigorating effects OF
the Northern air.
With Mrs Wilson are Mrs.
E. T. Meredith, with whom she
has been visiting in Des MolneS'
Iowa. and her brother, J. r.
Boiling, of washington.
Daily motor trips through the
surrounding country occupy
the distinguished visitors. Mrs.
Wilson is entranced with the
scenery. She drives for nun.
dreds of miles, never out OF
sight of water, for the lakes
lit like Jewels in a necklace over
the entire region-clear, Deep
sparkling matchmaking vlStas
where the road curves through
the forests.
The objective in one OF the
trips was the annual pageant
at Itasca State Park, which IS
given during the summer. An
audience of $4,000 witnessed the
performance on the day that
Mrs. Wilson and her party at
tended. Her car was escorted
through the park to it's place IN
the pageant grounds by two
members of the state highway
patrol.
This patrol is famous for its
personnel and efficiency. Earl
Brown. the picturesque sheriff
of Hennepin county, during his
term of office several years ago.
realized the need for a crack
organization of highway police.
He himself financed the train
ing of a large corps Of picked
young men. He housed them on
his estate near Minneapolis for
the several months OF their
training.
Since the Northern Lakes
region is one of Earl Browns
hobbies, his hunting lodge and
game preserves occupy all of one
shore of Lake Mile Lac. He was
conveniently near the 1tasca
Lake and hurried over on this
particular Sunday afternoon to
do honor to Mrs. wilson's visit.
The Itasca Lake Pageant is
a story of early Indian life. the
coming of the French fathers,
the invasion of the white man
and the beginnings of the first
civilization in that part OF
America.
Indian dancers in full regalla,
chants and great choruseS and
a series of tableaux and panto-
mines make up performance
of brillance and color. 1t is IN
teresting to recall that Mrs. Will
son is herself descended from
Pocahontas, the Indian princess
who has such a long line of de-
scendants among Virginia's best
inhabitants.
At the conclusion Of the per-
formance, Mrs. Wilson left her
car and was introduced to the
pageant cast. She was delighted
with the Indian children who
took part. She was also pre-
sented to the crowd and re-
sponded graciously to the ap-
plause, although she declined
to speak to the gathering for
mally.
Mrs. Wilson told the members
of the cast, however, that the
pageant was marvellous, the most
Interesting she had ever seen
"Every State in the Union" she
said, should have State history
pageants similar to this one
every summer"
More than a thousand par
ticipantS made up the cast. The
pageant is rehearSed for months
before the opening, and is given
intermittently all summer. 1t
is taken to various parts OF the
State, where it can be given
with equal success. 1t would be
impossible to avoid finding a
superb natural setting for the
drama. Almost any place the
cavalcade might stop in the lake
region are waterfalls and wooded
banks and natural amphithea'
terS.
A band made up entirely OF
Indian children from the va
rious Indian schools, drum and
bugle corps, from the public