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PAGEANT—The Trail of Pink Petals
Fort Valley, Georgia March 19 and 20, 1925
f THE TRAIL OF PINK PETALS
Arranged and Directed by 3 ^
Pauline Eaton Oak
Prologue: Pomona’s Court on Mount Olympus. Five fruits
compete for the special favor of the goddess.
The peach learns her great destiny.
Episode 1. China.—Prayers are offered to Buddha for a gift that shall insure
eternal prosperity. The four winds waft the peach to the
Orient.
Episode 2. India.—The Chinese caravan comes to trade with the western
countries. The peach dons the Hindu garb.
Episode 3. Persia.—Lured from India, the peach enjoys all the luxuries offered
by persia, until the Greek invasion.
Episode 4. Greece.—A prisoner in Greece, the peach receives homage from
Home and France.
Episode 5. France.—England, Belgium, Holland and Spain receive gifts from
France’s fair visitor.
Episode 6. Mexico.—Carried into Mexico by Spain, the peach gladdens the
Aztecs by her gifts.
Episode 7. Amoriea.—In the states the peach finds her greatest happiness.
Finale.—Blossoms and Butterflies.
Principal Characters
of the Pageant
The Goddess Pomona
Mrs. Lawrence Houston
Veiled Destiny . . Mrs. Robert D. Hale
The Cherry . . . Ruth Whiting Smith
The Orange .... Miriam Edwards
The Grape . . . Mrs. Cornelius Hall
The Apple . . . Fannie Blitch Graham
The Peach . . Charlie Mathews
Elizabeth Rundell
The Four Winds Helen Dasher
. Christine Braddock
Frances L. Murray
The Persian . . Mr. David C. Strother
I Detachment of the
Greek Soldiers . Sixth U. S. Cavalry
of Fort Oglethorpe.
The French Youth . Mr. Emory G. Clark
The Spaniard . . . Mr. Cornelius Hall
America . . . Mrs. Leighton Shepard
The States—
Arizona, Mrs. S. J. Crawford; Florida,
Mrs. Steve Bassett; Louisiana, Mrs. L. W.
Gray; Iowa, Mrs. Chester Wilson; Massa¬
chusetts, Mrs. Charles Vance; Idaho, Mrs.
George Mathews; Connecticut, Miss
Florence Smith; Oregon, Mrs. Roland
Hiley; Delaware, Mrs. Frank Vance; Mis¬
sissippi, Mrs. Frank Titus; Maryland, Miss
Katie May Williams; Kansas, Miss Louise
English; Indiana, Mrs. Moses Solomon;
West Virginia, Mrs. J. M. Jones; Virginia,
Mrs. Jack Rundell; Alabama, Mrs. H. P.
Sanchez; South Carolina, Mrs. Frank Mil¬
ler; Utah, Mrs. Herman Avera; Washing¬
ton, Mrs. Robert Marchman, Sr.; Colorado,
Mrs. J. E. Broaderick; North Carolina,
Airs. Almon Williams; Illinois, Airs. John
Allen; Kentucky, Mrs. John Woolfolk;
Michigan, Mrs. Houser Davidson; Penn¬
sylvania, Airs. Frank L. Fincher; Ohio,
Alias Eva Stamper; Texas, Airs. J. A.
Bedingfield; New Jersey, Aliss Gena Riley;
Tennessee, Mrs. Louis Singleton; Arkansas,
Mrs. W. D. Alurray; Oklahoma, Mrs. J. E.
Davidson; Missouri, Mrs. Bessie Green;
New York, Mrs. W. H. Hafer; California,
Airs. W. S. White; Georgia, Mrs. W. L.
Nance.
Georgia has taken leading rank in the
production of paper-shell pecans, and to¬
day has 1,592,427 trees. Many orchards
are now being planted, and the 1925 plant¬
ing should increase this number to over
000.000 trees.
THE LEADER-TRIBUNE
Officers and Committee
Chairmen of the Festival
C. L. Shepard . . . General Chairman
Miss Pauline Oak . . Pageant Director
Glenmore Green, Treas. and Pur. Agent
Mrs. Bessie M. Green .... Secretary
COMMITTEES.
Barbecue: Jno A. Houser and W. B,
Norton, Joint Chairmen.
Concessions: II. M. Copeland, Chairman.
Construction: J. W. Woolfolk, Chair¬
man.
Decorations: W. L. Nance, Chairman.
Executive: Glenmore Green, Chairman.
Finance: D. C. Strother, Chairman.
First Aid: W. S. White, Chairman.
Floats: J. D. Fagan, Jr., Chairman.
Gate Keepers and Ushers: T. A. Mc¬
Cord, Chairman.
Grounds: J. A. L. Wilson, Chairman.
Information: W. II. Hafer, Chairman.
Invitation: John II. Baird, Chairman.
Pageant: W. G. Brisendine, Chairman.
Police: J. D. Duke and W. M. Wright,
Joint Chairmen.
Program and Entertainment: II. M.
Copeland and J. D. Kendrick, Joint Chair¬
men.
Publicity: T. F. Flournoy, Chairman.
Sanitation: Boy C. Smisson, Chairman.
Tickets: J. E. Lee and Jno. B. Vance,
Joint Chairmen.
Traffic and Parking: Louis L. Brown,
Jr., Chairman.
Transportation: C. II. Sammons, Chair¬
man. ‘
Georgia’s entire system of agriculture
is being revolutionized from the one
product money crop (cotton) by diversifi¬
cation. Instead of it being an uncom¬
mon thing, it has become the practice of
communities, through co-operative agencies,
to ship carloads of hogs, chickens, eggs,
butter, and other staple foods, The 1924
totals place Georgia well in the lead of
every other state in the United States in
an increase of farmers’ income, amount¬
ing to 46 per cent, over its agriculture in¬
come of 1923. Estimated worth of Geor¬
gia’s crops for 192 4 is placed at $337,
000 , 000 .
Text
of the
Pageant
PROLOGUE.
On lofty heights Olympian gazed the sun,
And saw its palaces in silence stand;
For Jupiter and all his court, save one,
Had gone a-hunting in tlio spring kissed
land.
Stern Mars had laid aside his spear and
shield,
To ride with Dian in the peaceful chase;
Vulcan and Venus chatted as they rode,
And Juno kept for once a smiling face.
But fair Pomona, goddess of the fruits,
Remained behind; an audience she must
give
To orchard beauties, sprung from noble
roots,
Who sought her favor, by which mortals
live.
Behold the trumpeters, with martial tread,
Announce the approaching goddess and
her train.
Now down the Olympian slopes Pomona
comes,
To hold her court upon the grassy plain.
Hero loveliest blossoms spring around her
feet,
And dance with joy their goddess fair to
greet.
Garlands of tropic beauty wreathe the
seene,
And mellow fruits enrich the living green.
Bring forth the throne; Pomona rules
today!
The Fates shall keep the greater gods
away.
The stage is set! Let claimants now draw
near
Who seek Pomona’s favor.
Approach! Display the charms that may
appear
In fragrance, tint, or flavor.
Veiled Destiny shall by and by reveal
The future which the Fates attempt to
seal.
THE GRAPE.
Behold the clinging tendrils of the grape!
How delicate the fragrance of her flower!
Her clusters, white and purple, rose and
green,
Make Paradise of every trellised bower.
Grape, thou art graceful; coquetry be¬
comes thee;
Yet Bacchus claims thee for his revels
wild!
Thy raiment rich disguises thee in beauty,
Yet hast thou not Pomona’s heart be¬
guiled!
THE CHERRY.
Cherry ripe, cherry red!
Radiance crowns thy dainty head;
Snowy blossoms form thy crown,
All about thee drifting down;
Ah! thou dost beguile me quite,
With thy luscious clusters bright.
THE ORANGE.
And thou, in golden grandeur, cometli far,
To seek our favor, stranger that thou
art;
True, thou dost compensate our loneliness
When these, thy sisters, go from us
apart.
Thou’st pilfered gold from Helios for thy
cloak;
Thy veins run sweetness, and tby snowy
wreath
Has breathed its mystic perfume on the
air
Of many a bridal, pealing bells beneath.
Oh, thou art beautiful in glowing health,
But alien art thou still, with all thy
wealth.
The Aeneid of
the Peach
By Mabel Swartz Withoft
THE APPLE.
Oh, Apple! Dost thou show thy face
In rivalry with innocouco?
Thy reputation has procoded thee;
What canst thou say in self-defense?
Yea, thou art daintily demure;
Thy crown of pink and white is fair;
But Eve’s sore heart was never comforted
By wearing apple blossoms in her hair!
THE PEACH.
Oh, lovely Peach! Thou darling of the
gods!
The sun has dowered thee with liquid
gold;
The singing rain prepared thy perfumed
bath,
And filled with nectar thy translucent
bowl!
Olympus is thy place! But thou’rt too
fair,
Too youthful, to be over welcome there.
The jealous Juno would conspire and plot;
Against thy happiness; we’ll trust her not.
Seek thee a homo upon the gracious earth,
And where thou fiudest peace and plenty,
stay.
Bring health and wealth and joy and
beauty rare
To those whose soil the loveliest fruit
shall bear. •
Draw near, lair Poach! Attend Pomona’s
voice.
This ring shall symbolize my royal choice!
Pomona blesses thee; and by her favor
So men shall bless thee, all the world
around.
Go forth, thou queen of fragrance, tint
With and flavor;
praiso of thee let mouth of man
resound.
SUNBEAMS.
Now let the sunny shafts of Helios fly
To warm the earth and gild the peach’s
cheek;
The glowing sunshine cheer her from on
high,
These golden beams her future health
bespeak.
THE RAINDROPS.
And from the chalice of tlio dancing rain
The crystal drops of Pluvius are poured
To fill the peach with sweetness like to
pain,
And swell her heart, with fragrant juices
stored.
Go, fairest fruit of all! The rain attend
thee,
And from the chilling frost the sun defend
thee!
The scroll of Destiny reveals thy place,
With Earth’s most glorious, great and
godlike race!
THE FOUR WINDS.
Now on the Winds’ ethereal wings up¬
borne,
Thou shalt bo wafted over land and sea.
Aurora sends the gentlest breeze of morn,
The East wind, sweet with sunrise,
strong and free.
The North wind, tempered to a graceful
gale,
The gypsying West wind, with a zephyr’s
kiss,
The tender South wind, through a moon¬
light veil,
Shall bear thee onward toward the place
of bliss.
END OF PROLOGUE.
Prostrate before their shrine
These Orientals lie.
They seek a heavenly gift
Whose value may not die.
(Continued on page 21)
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