I
THE OMAILY DAILY BEE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER
3
3$
1, 1905.
JLlR 11 .
1
K7
7 XI
a feWsa. nft M m .JR. . -M JO
Confessions of An Ak-Sar-Ben QueenBy One of Them
TO RE chosen consort of the great King Ak-Sar-Ben
and queen of all Qulvera; to know the homage
of a vast multitude and to be robed In royal gar
ments such as many -women never know; to be
central figure yes, the very central figure of a spectac
ular ceremony that Is the climax of a brilliant carnival
season and the moat speculated about and talked of
woman In the state for weeks before, photographed and
written about In newspapers and magazines for weeks
after, Is an honor that comes to few young women In a
lifetime, but to those who have enjoyed that honor the
experience Is fraught with Incidents that serve to stimu
late a sympathetic understanding of that uneasiness that
is ascribed to the head that wears the crown.
The first Inkling I had of what was in store for me
came about two months before the Ak-Sar-Ben ball. I
overheard my father and mother talking It was a dis
cussion of my ability to endure the nervous strain, the
probable cost of equipment and the advisability of letting
me know anything about It until the last possible mo
ment. I had caught their words by merest chance, but
what girl could be expected not to listen, much less
blamed for pricking up her ears. For fifteen straight
minutes I stared at the magazine before me, straining
my ears to catch every word, and when it dawned upon
me what it was all about I Just sneaked upstairs to my
room and locked the door. I tiptoed over to the window
and peeked out, and as a branch brushed against the
screen I Jumped back and screamed. Then that saying
about what a guilty conscience can do with a shadow
came to me and I sat down on my bed and laughed aloud.
In another instant I found myself looking into my own
face In the glass before me and wondering if I had hys
terics. Uneasy Lies the Crowned Head
For a whole week I waited for somebody to break
the news to me, but the whole affair was evidently being
managed In true royal fashion. I found myself swelling
with an indignant sympathy for royal personages I had
read about who are married off or made queens by their
relatives without even being consulted as to their own
feelings. I got so furious that I decided to even up with
them all by refusing to serve when they should finally
deign to submit their plans to me. But that very evening
when my father called me into the library and told me
I was to be Ak-Sar-Ben queen, I astonished him by giving
him a mighty hug and saying:
"Oh, I know it; ain't it fine and dandy?'
Then a whole hour was spent Impressing upon me
the necessity of absolute secrecy and offering a few sug
gestions for throwing people off the track should any sus
pect all this cautioning, to me who for eight days and
nights had lived along as usual with my family and
friends and not so much s given them a hint of the secret
that I carried. And this was Just the beginning of the
preliminary to the actual event. Yes Indeed, there Is
something besides honor and glory or social triumph in
being an Ak-Sar-Ben queen. It entails a lot that means
sacrifice, regret and even remorse, and I have seen the
day since, and many of them, too, when I would have
traded the whole thing to regain the confidence of the
girls I had sacrificed by my lies for the sake of guarding
that abominable secret.
1 The details of choosing the coronation gown I do not
care to recall. It is enough to say that, had the respon
sibility fallen upon me alone, that gown would scarcely
have cut the- important figure at the coronation that It
did. In vain I racked my brain for an idea and finally a
local modiste arranged It all, but, ungrateful wretch that
I was, I offered no correction when the newspapers later
gave the credit to a Paris designer.
All Queens Are Liars
It is bad enough to be deprived the satisfaction of
sharing this great glory with one's best friend without
being actually compelled to prevaricate about it. Talk
about tall and adroit story-telling I fairly lied away my
reputation. At first It wasn't so hard. The girls took it
for granted I was to be maid also. My name had been
announced with the rest, but gradually people began to
question me. It had gotten out somehow it always does
and then, how I did fib. I felt as though I could never
look the girls In the face again after it was over.
It was really a mighty awkward situation. I was
responsible for the keeping of that secret, but I had a
feeling that it was bad policy to let anybody know Just
how good a story teller I could be and I knew that even
tually everybody must know. I planned gowns with the
girls and even had a new white dancing frock made up to
be passed off to help carry out the bluff. That seemed
more convincing than even my stoutest denial that I had
been chosen for a higher position than that of maid.
For want of something better I even began to growl
against those adorable algrets that the girls always
wear in their hair. I likened them to those red and blue
brush concerns that band wagon horses wear strapped to
the sides of their heads. I vowed I should never wear one
and that started something among the girls and, to my
consternation, some of the others took it up and hard
feelings actually grew out of the Incident.
A Very Embarassing Situation
To make matters more comrortable T overheard one
girl telling another that she knew I was to be queen
because her father had said my father had the pull to get
my appointment. That was not a pleasant dose, but then,
there 19 something in having a father who has pull and
I found consolation in the fact that I was still better off
than some girls of my set. Next day I received a note
from a young woman employed in one 'of the downtown
stores informing me that she understood I was to be
queen and requesting me to wear and then return to her
a pair of pink silk garters that she informed me she had
mailed to me under separate cover. This was too much
and I determined to make a success of my bluff if it cost
me a spell of nervous prostration.
A few evenings later I was staggered by an Invita
tion from a friend to take me to the ball. I swallowed
hard for a minute and then accepted it, trusting to Prov
idence to find a way out. But the more I thought of It
the plainer this very invitation presentee' Itself as the
best possible solution of my trouble. I determined to go
with him to the ball; to wear my new white dancing
frock, algret and all, and accompany him to the Pen and
to make use of the queen's dressing room after I got
there. It was a mean trick to serve him, but then, it
Isn't every young man who Is privileged to escort a queen
to her coronation and I figured that the risk was not too
great.
Some Terrors of Anticipation
Being listed as one of tlie maids afforded excuse for
an unusually early start and speculation as to who the
king and queen really were constituted the greater part
of our conversation en route. And all of the time I re
membered with humiliation that in the same royal fashion
in which I had been "selected" queen, the ball committee
had refused to enlighten me regarding the identity of him
with whom I was to share the throne. By dint of pouting
and teasing and finally by falling back upon my woman's
dignity I had extracted from one of this supreme trio the
names of two men, one of whom was to be king. I had
personal acquaintance with neither of them. Several
years before I had once seen one of them and by chance
learned who he was, but I was by no means confident I
should recognize him should we meet again. The other
man I had never seen. It had evidently not occurred to
the committee that an introduction mlsht relieve the
possible embarrassment of such a meeting, or if it had
they evidently preferred risking' a hitch ia the smooth
ness of the coronation to trusting the other half of the
great secret to a womnn.
With the assistance of my faithful dressmaker I got
into my coronation robes, red velvet mantle and all, and
I had been dressed fully a quarter of an hour before the
bugle blew the preliminary to the royal entree.
Facing the Fiery Ordeal
In another minute a tap at my door summoned me
to the little passage way that lead out to the floor and
from where, trembling all over, I Jivatched the procession
pass by, waiting to fall In. At last my turn came and I
stepped out, adopting the measured tread as nearly as my
shaking knees would allow. I had gone but a few puces
when I. was brought to a sudden stop and felt a queer
sensation as though the back of my gown was being
pulled out. One of the little girls who served as page
and bearer of the coronation robe had stepped on my
train. Again I started forward conscious only of the glare
of lights, the blare of music and something dragging
behind me. I forgot all about the handsomest gown I
ever had In my life or ever expect to have except as it
was brought to my mind by being stepped upon at regular
Intervals crossing the floor.
At last the steps to the throne loomed up before me
and I began to climb with a prayer in my heart that my
shaking knees would serve me to the top. Midway of
the red velvet ascent a tack had given way allowing the
carpet to slip beneath my feet. For one awful, intermin
able moment I struggled for my balance. A vision of
myself sprawling out on that red velvet approach flashM
before me and I could hear, or thought I could, the
whole multitude catch Its breath. In another second
my other foot had found the step above and I was safe
and a few more steps brought me to the top.
Won't Some One Introduce Us
As I looked into the smiling face of my king I
thought, "Who on earth are you, anyhow," for, if I had
ever seen the man before I had no recollection of it. As
though from miles away his voice came to me saying,
"How do you do, Miss Queen," and I stammered out,
"How do you do, Mr. King." I was scared to death for
fear the people had heard me, though they were applaud
ing wildly.
It has come to me since In my hours of more serene
reflection that a training school for kings is a much
needed Institution in connection with the coronation.
At least I should advise a rehearsal, and also that the
queen be admitted to it. I recall now that, as I dropped
upon my knees before the King for him to place the crown
upon my head, I noticed his hands were trembling. In
another minute I felt the weight of the crown upon my
head and then was conscious something was wrong. In
stead of resting back on my hair It seemed to come down
over my forehead as though it might be much too large
and I felt something stiff poke against the bridge of my
nose. I ventured to look up and it was well that I did,
for the crown was hastily snatched from my head ami
turned over. This time it rested quite comfortably and
I realized he had gotten it on upside down the first time.
Begets Sympathy for Real Royalty
Throughout the rest of the ceremony I guess I did
my part at least no one has ever been unkind enough
to tell me of anything wherein I failed but personally
I recall nothing but that sea of faces until it came time
for the congratulation, and then I came to. As opportun
ity afforded I glanced at the king, and I think I realized
something of what real royal ' women must feel even
amid the brilliancy of their coronation as they look upon
the kings who have been chosen for them. At any rate
I am confident it is a mistake, and here I am sure all
my predecessors and all who have come after me will
agree with me, that to choose a married man for king
deprives the experience of every possible bit of romance.
It spoils the whole thing, for the queen at least. When
ever I screwed up my courage to appear friendly with
that man I had never seen before I was sure to remember
that he had a wife somewhere down in that multitude
before us and the fear that she might be a Jealous person
froze the smile on my face.
All in all, being crowned Ak-Sar-Ben queen is not an
unalloyed pleasure. A church wedding is not to be com
pared with it. I know, for I have gone through both. But
worse still than the actual ceremony is the squaring
things with, one's friends after it is all over, and the
regaining of one's reputation for truthfulness.
The Most Complete Cleaning and Dyeing
Plant in the Kingdom of Quivera
When we clean
your carpets and
rugs, we get ALL
the dust, kill aU
the moth, raise
the nap and
brighten the col
or. We dq not
crack the warp
nor injure them
iu any way.
c
Tel. 963
S7
t ; -
j
i
rtCv ... '. .. ; .-v ..
r u&siai
When we clean
your clothes, we
remove all dirt,
grease and germs
and put the
stamp of newness
on them. We
press them back
to their original
shape and
beauty.
Tel. 963
In building and equipping- our new 3y house we are simply meeting the emends of a discriminating- end appre
ciative public, who know good work when they see It and have learned from experience that when they have their cleaning
and dyeing done at The Fantorium they will get the beet that (kill and experience can produce.
We have always made It one of our strong points to give our customer the best work possible and at prices as
reasonable as good work can be produced, '
Before Installing our Carpel and Rug Cleaning plant we visited several eastern cities and corresponded with various
manufacturers and Anally decided on the one that had given general satisfaction to every Instance we Investigated.
We also clean or dye iace curtains, draperies, portieres, stand and piano oovers, etc In our Alteration and Repair
department we put new linings in coats, overcoats. Jackets and capes; put on velvet collars, new buttons, reblnd skirts and.
In fact, do all kl.-ds of altering and repairing In a first class manner. When you want the best, try us.
THE PANTORWM
EXPERT CLEANERS AND DYERS.
407 SOUTH iSTH ST., OMAHA, NEB.
We pay special attention to out-of-town customers anl are always glad to answer inquiries
and furnish estimates.
Not " Raffles the Cracksman "
but Black the liatsman .
f''-'' ,.. it"'" ' ;'- - , .... :v-. V. 't-' ', f1 ( ".
of - ? -
mm v-- . -
-A
. .
N- s
I k
1 i.i
MEN! FELLOWS!! CHAPS!!!
Spend 12.50 for a hat like this and you can look like me PERHAPS!
BLACK THE HATTER
Talking shop about the Florae Show and Ak-Sar-Ben Ball.
Now, Father You remember last year when mother I don't mean your really mother but the mother
of your children wanted you to buy a Silk Hat. you replied that you wouldn't pay 16.00 to 88 00 for a Silk
Hat to wear once and after that to use it for a foot ball for the baby. "Big Hearted Charles" has solved the
problem by selling a genuine, new, up-to-date Silk Hat for 92.50. Some people say that boy takes foolish powders
but never mind about that, get In on a Silk Hat for f 2.60 while they last, and save enough to buy a bottle and
a bird after the show. ,
Full Dress Shirts, Collars, Ties and Gloves same old stand.
BLACK, 107 S. I6th St., Omah a.
A
i
I
r
LL
.
I
(
