TTTE OMAHA STTKDAY BEK: OCTOHKU 1, 1011.
Maids of Honor from Out-of-Town Serve Well the Queen
IIINK of (he thrilliest thrill that you
ever experienced; then you'll know
how the young woman out of town
Teels v hrn she receives Bti official
lookirjg document w ith gorgeous coat-of-arni
and brilliant lettering In red
T
mm
ewr a.
and green and gold Inviting her to foe.
a maid of honor at the Ak-Sar-Ben ball In Omaha.
Why to foe chosen maid of honor to the queen
f Ak-Sar-Ben is next foest to being the queen her
self; and it Is a pretty sure sign that tho honored
young woman is queen of the particular rart of
the state which she has been selected to represent
at the big court festivity. In addition to these
flattering considerations, there Is the anticipation
of being present at the ball, which counterbalances
everything else.
But the fair daughters of the Antelope state
Who are chosen to attend the queen on the occasion
of her coronation, are especially Interested, for the
' glory of Ak-Sar-Ben is reflected throughout the
State. The chosen young woman gets out her
prettiest gown, what is more likely, one made es
- pecially for the ball with all the dainty trappings
to match. When the time of the event arrives, she
takes the train amid the envious glances of her girl
friends and bounds along to Omaha.
To many of tne out-of-town maids, as well as
to many Omaha young women the Coronation ball
is the largest and most brilliant affair which they
have attended. And you may be sure that tho out-bf-town
maid, especially If it Is her first ball, misses
hot a detail of the splendor of the occasion, and
Is just as interested in the mystery of the Identity
of the king and queen as any one there. This
Joung woman, tagged with the red, green and yel
low badge, which distinguishes her from ordinary
Citizens present, does not waste much time in specu
lation, however, but proceeds to make the most of
laer own part in the gaiety of the affair.
The charge has beeri brought against the local
bachelors that they do not Introduce the out-of-town
maids nor pay as much attention to them as
they ought. But a trusty corps of Omaha knights
loudly deny this accusation. Among these Is
Charles Beaton, who for fourteen years has done
faithful service as a member of tho floor committee
fit the ball. Another knight who has won the spurs
fit showing the out-of-town maids a good time at
the ball is Stockton Heth, who for a dozen years
has never once shirked this pleasant duty. Gould
Dietz, Samuel Burns and Harry Tukey have done
their duty in this respect like the true and loyal
knights which they are and have never been known
to shirk.
Several of the Omaha knights have even found
the attractions of the out-of-town maids greater
than those of the local daughters. One of these
young men has Ak-Sar-Ben to thank for his wife,
who wag an out-of-town maid at the ball four years
igo. Another prominent bachelor met his fiance
it a recent coronation.
Although there is an occasional romance In con
1 1
nection with the ball, there are also some traglo
happenings. Year before last, a pretty miss, chosen
to be maid of honor from out In Cheyenne county
a young woman who had never been to one of the
Ak-Sar-Ben festivities before landed In one of tho
Omaha stations alone and unknown. She hnd ex
pected that there would bo some one delegated to
meet her, and when no one arrived, she became con
fused and rather scared and finally telephoned tho
Ak-Sar-Ben office. Miss Katherine Hughes, Sam
son's first lieutenant, was the only one there. She
rent some one to the station for the fair traveler
and took her under her wing for the rest of the
evening.
Another young woman from out in the state
had a similar experience. She arrived in Omaha
late on the evening of the ball. There was no one
Queens of, Ak-Sar-Ben
(Continued from Tage Fifteen.)
W. V. Morse, was the fifth queen of Qulvera, and
she now resides In Omaha with her parents. She
is described as a very lovely queen, In a gown of
white gauze, embroidered In gold over satin and
with the long blue robe of royalty. The account
states further that she was "one of Omaha's most
beautiful and estimable young women."
When Miss Mildred Lomax, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. E. L. Lomax, was given the highest of nil
honors that can come to any maiden In the Kingdom
of Qulvera we are told that "with gentle dignity
she mounted the throne and knelt at the king's
feet." She wore a white satin 'gown with pearl
trimmings and the regulation blue robe.
For several years Miss Lomax lias studied
vocal music in Berlin with the idea of becoming
an opera singer. She is now in tho United States
and is with her parents, who have changed their
residence to San Francisco.
Miss Edith Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
A. B. Smith, Is the Ak-Sar-Ben queen who has lived
In many places since wearing the royal robes. Her
marriage to Captain Clurence Richmond Day took
her away from Omaha and to different residences
in army stations, following one another In quick
succession. Miss Smith was garbed in white satin
with jewel embroidery and with a train of wondrous
length and she carried a bouquet of American
Beauty roses. The accounts of the coronation say
that "right royally did she carry the honor" of
being crowned queen of the gay festival.
The eighth coronation ceremony marks two
changes In the customs of the realm. At this time
the color of the royal robe was changed from blue
to crimson velvet and the queen was provided by
Samson, the high chamberlain of royal affairs, with
a crown jeweled in the red, green and yellow of
the kingdom.
Miss Ella Cotton, whose beauty placed her first
among the maidens of the realm in 1902, was queen
Gome
to meet her and she was finally discovered by tho
Ak-Sar-Ben officials, who delegated two faithful
knights to escort the out-of-town maid to the ball.
There wero no carriages to be had at that late hour,
so one of the knights hud his automobile sent to tho
station and the young woman was whisked out to
the Den.
ThouRh an occasional maid of honor drops down
upon the Ak-Sar-Ben out of the clear sky. most of
the young women are guests of friends in Omaha at
the time of the ball and they are royally entertained
during their stay.
The first year In which the Ak-Sar-Ben officials
made an especial effort to show the visiting girls
a good time was In 1906, when the bachelors of the
realm were pledged to pay particular attention to
the out-of-town maids.
that year, and we are told that no more charming
queen had ever graced the throne. Her gown was
an Imitation of that of anothor sovereign Empress
Josephine. It was of ivory color crepe de pole,
elaborately ornamented in crystals, pearls and tur
quoises. Miss Cotton,' the daughter of Mrs. Herman
Kountze. Is now the wife of Jerome Magee, an
enthusiastic golfer of Qulvera. She has two chil
dren, Fredcrlcka Nash and Marshall Magee.
Miss Bessie Brady, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
John S. Brady, was the ninth Ak-Sar-Ben queen,
and very gracious was she In a gown of white tissue
trimmed in Jewels and lace and the royal robe of
crimson velvet edged with ermine. She Is married
to Thomas L. Davis, one of the prominent young
bankers of the realm, and has one son, John
Frederick, named after his two grandfathers.
Following Miss Brady's reign came that ot
Miss Ada Klrkendall. daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
F. P. Klrkendall. She was a stately queen In her
handsome Imported gown of Renaissance lace over
white satin. Discarding the crimson robe which
had done service for the two preceding coronations,
this queen wore a train of white satin ornamented
with bands of Renaissance lace over satin ribbons.
Miss Klrkendall was married to Mr. Glenn Wharton
and lives in Omaha.
Another of the recent queens to remain In
Omaha Is Miss Mary Lee McShane, daughter of
Mr. John A. McShane, having married Mr. Wlllard
Hosford, who went into business in Omaha a few
years ago.
Tho description of this, the eleventh queen of
Ak-Sar-Ben, says that Miss McShane was "aristo
cratic and charming" and that her gown "glistened
like cloth of gold." Sho was more elaborately
gowned than any former queen and in place of
the crimson robe she returned to the color first
chosen by Samson and wore a robe of turquoise
velvet, edged with ermine.
Miss Margaret Wood, daughter of Mrs. B. B.
Wood, brought the number of queens of Ak-Sar-Ben
up to an even dozen. Clad in white satin, with
bands of jeweled lace and the long blue robe, she
was one of the daintiest of the queens. Miss Wood
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6
In that ear and in the year following ihi y were
Klven especial attention. In fad, 1907 was I he
banner year In the entertainment ot the out-of-town
maids. A committee of society matron composed
of Mrs. Joseph Cudahy, Mrs. Joseph Barker, Mrs.
J. I.. Scofoie, Mrs. Luther Kount.-.e and Mrs. Victor
Caldwell met tho out-of-town maids at the station
in automobiles and took the young women to their
homes, where they entertained them during their
sfsv here. Mrs. Cudahy, who has since moved to
Chicago to live, was the prime mover In tho en
tertainment of Nebraska's daughters that year and
kept open house for the young women throughout
carnival week. There were festivities that week
which no young out-of-town maid will forget. Tho
largest was a dinner rereptlon and dance at tho
Country club the evening before tho ball, and it
was married several years bro to Mr. W. H. Cran
mer of Denver, and thero she resides, ono of her
chief Interests being her small son.
In an Imported French creation ot intricate
design, a white velvet robe edged with jewels and
the necklace of pearls which Samson presented for
this coronation, Miss Nathalie Merrlam was a queen
of distinguished bearing. Good luck has been the
portion of this queen, although she was tho thir
teenth of the line. Sho Is married to Mr. Barton
Millard and has one daughter, Barbara.
Next In royal succession was Miss Jean
Cudahy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs, K. A. Cudahy.
who have recently moved to Chicago. Over her
gown of net with Its design of orchids done In gold,
and pearl and silver spangles, this popular young
queen wore a crimson robe, which became well her
brunette beauty. Miss Cudahy was married last
June to Mr. Frank Wilhelm, who has gone into
tho business ot his father-in-law.
Miss Brownie Bess Baum, the last but one of
the Ak-Sar-Ben queens, was the second to revive
the turquolso blue robe, which brought out her
dainty blonde loveliness. It was for her coronation
that Samson, discarding the crown which had been
worn by the six preceding queens, provided a new
crown more heavily studded with jewels than the
other. Wo read that the new sovereign's "queenly
robes glittered and sparkled." Miss Baum Is to be
married In November to Mr. Jolin Rouse of Balti
more and will leave her native town of oSnaha.
Tho latest of the line of Ak-Sar-Ben's queens
Ih Miss Frances Nash, daughter of Mrs. E. W. Nash.
Her coronation was a brilliant triumph, the gayest
and most gorgeous celebration of any the kingdom
has beheld, with the young queen presiding over
the revelry. Under the crimson robe edged with
ermine her gown was a shimmer of white ifcnd gold
so wonderfully wrought as to defy description.
The rule of this, the latest of the line of
queens, will end on the evening of October 6, when
the coronation and hall will be held at the Den,
and a new queen will be proclaimed. And who In
the maiden who has been chosen from all the other
maidens in the realm to be the seventeenth queen
of Ak-Sar-Ben? Ah, that Is the question being
' 2 ;
of
was followed next day by a hiu'lieon at t:i 1 u i.
Saturday tho young women wire taken to tl..; sla
tlon by their charitable hostesses and went Lome
worn-out. but. declaring enthusiastically that they
l.ad had the time of their lives.
Two years later Ak-Sar-Ben made a special
effort for the out-of-own maids. Tho at my offi
cers wero In Omaha on their way to Des Moines
from St. Joseph, and entertainments for tho
two visiting forces were combined. One of the
memorable events was the reception given by Gen
eral and Mrs. John C, Cowin at their handsomo
residence; another waa the entertainment by Gen
eral and Mrs. Charles 1 Morton at the Field cluh
That was the year when the counties instead of the
towns had representatives at the ball.
asked by every loyal ' subject In the Kingdom ot
Qulvera.
Illumination of the City ( :
;' ! (Continued from r&go'. Slxtoeu.) ,
ber of merchant the benoflt of the lights. If wc
had mora money to spend, 1t would bo well to have
more lights all over that portion of the city now
covered annually by the lighting.
"An It stands at present, however, I think our
street have a carnival appoaranr ttlat is creditable
to the city. We of Omaha get m used to the lights
that we don't think much of thrm, but visitors who
come to Ak-Sar-Hen ara much Impressed, and apeak
very highly of the arrangement and the number
ot lights."
The added lights this year will be on Farnam,
from Twentieth to Twenty-fourth, a section of
street which has not been specially- lighted In for
mer years. The streets that are lighted with Ak-Sar-Ben
Illumination are: Tenth from the Bur
lington passenger station to Farna'm; Farnam, front
Tenth to Twenty-fourth Douglas, from Twelfth to
Seventeenth; Harney, from Fourteenth to Six
teenth; Howard, from Fourteenth to Sixteenth;
Sixteenth, from Webster to .Jackson; Fifteenth,
from Douglas to Howard; Fourteenth, from Douglas
to Howard.
W. L. Burgesa of the Fiurgcss-Granden com
pany suggests that individual property owners do
more in the way of lighting, not only for Ak-Sar-Ben,
but permanently, and cites as an example tho
ornamental posts, with high power lamps, that aro
being installed in front of the new Wellington hotel.
In the way of temporary lighting, also, he says,
many of the merchants could do, with advantage to
themselves, more than they are in the habit of do
ing. The Bennett company has Becured from tho
Burgess-Gran den company, for lighting Its windows
during Ak-Sar-Ben, eight big chandeliers. '
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