LATEST AMERICAN GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6817, 22 September 1883, Page 1 (Supplement)

LATEST AMERICAN GOSSIP.

jfpROU OUR SPECIAL GORRESFOS'DKNi.J ■■■ ■ Fjjancisgo, August 25. ■ TBE TRIENNIAL CONCLAVE Has been the theme uppermost in everyone's miod and mouth for, let me see—yes, it is exactly five months since the fact of the Knight Templars coming here to hold their tweaty-iighth conclave was mooted. Why such' a lengthy dissertation has gone on, month. after month, has never been made fully clear to me; but then sometimes lam a little Opaque as to American methods and customs. Thus, X suppose, the dignitaries oi this city had sufficient and cfgent reasons -.fur their mode oi action. When first. it was understood thiit the "Sir Knights",were to honour this favoured spot by holding their conclave here, there was a general notice of tho 'fact in the dailiep, which,- from that time up to the present, has never stopped. Columns of space have been devoted to suggestions and wonderment as to whether there would be room enough for their knightffhips. The room question was well aired. Circulars were printed and sent round to all the private families, inviting them to let, at the smallest possible pricie, some portion Qf their dwelling?,, since the hotels had not half room for the guests.. A clever fraud of a man, who bore the identical name of the bona file, room regulator, went round from house to house with also the identical printed circular. He also held and got the promise of at least 600 rooms, which he ..then goffered'.. to sell to the real Simon Pure,;' by., .which actioi) :he gave himself '' dead away," and the newspapers had another little sensation to help them out with- daily,,items, , which had been scarce lately but for the conclave. Communications flew . across the .: wires for weeks about accommodations,'" and at One time it was decided .that the Templars would not come, but gradually they, gained faith, and agreed to honour the city. Here they are 10,000 strong, with 40,000 strangers in their wake, and the list of Koomg to Let" is longer than ever it was in the daily papers. Indeed, I. believe we could accommodate as many more tor all the talk they have had. The excitement; growing day by day, grew tosboiling.pitch by the first of the month, and; it jseemsi-incredible that, though five "m«nt!is have .been spent in Wordy discussion. :tt);e^decorations : ,oiily. commenced after the tojarrive... This is always the ivayin our city. iS r othing is ever on time. •It'.'wbuld: ! bc.j.tob. much. joy: to have a com'tn(:m:enu nt in roGular order. But to return ;tp\ttie,accommodation,., which was the sticking'point in the whole affair. ..Every woman iriUhei, to wri;.! thought, she., had a Bonanza in .th'oi were v to, bring their fdmi;lies^Vf;and ! 'Wcordingly' scores of the gullable" creatures,k including ..myself, responded' cheerfully to the circular; and visions of th" "shifts the renters would be put to in placing their own people iu shakedowns, on and,under the grand pianos, with only.rugs'for coverings, or haply on diningtables, with »n ulster rolled Up for a pillow, and an overcoat ,or a,, few newspapers flung overt he prostrate form to keep out the cold,, filled their,, thoughts, waking and sleeping, Think; of.| the months of preparation, and forgive" the simplicity that characterised our prnceJiiings, since we firmly believed that every j-'-iigiit was at least half a millionaire. Alas !"how have we guashed our teeth aud bitten: our lips over disappointed hopes. The "Sir Knights" are even now in out midst, atid, for the most part, as miserable a set of men and women as you would wish to see,' so far as money ia concerned. Some of. them, after rousing private households from their slumbers in tho dead of the night, looked at tho. freshly decorated rooms; turned up their noses at the price, and walked out. Without even "Thank you for-, your trouble.". The majority of the 10,000: appear to be a very inferior set of men,, good enough in. their Way, oi course, but eviil jntly people..who know the value of a shilling, and are not to be done out of one so long as it can be kept in their pockets; TJIH D CORAUONS arc in -some placcs . exceedingly handsome, arrd'squite-the; finest I have ever ssen here. Of course,: tho 'streets have the appearance oft! having'-an : enormous family- wash hung out, : or;®rather, one.would think that the entire populace had ; agreed to hang out the wet'linen r on:> one", sunshiny day. The regulation'?; small : . flags, though larger thar usual;SJare?strung-across the streets front onefsidevtosthe. other, and the wind nol being at its fiercest,, the consequence is thai the fiiigs 'twist aud turn, round the line: uunl scarcely one is seen to wave freely, £ corps of ; men;however, are employed t< keepMthom an order, but it is a fruitleei task, for, as fast as they are pulled right they-blow wrong. " The mass of colour ii beautiful. Tne flags' are white, beatinj orobses, Maltese -crosses, with, standing knights in armour.in every shade of colour and,' if the rebel calico would only keep ii lj!ace; ;: theidi=play. NViiuld be splendid. THE Ml OH ASICS 1 fiVILION ' is a magnificent mass of .decorative taste Tho"£*enoral impression upon entering it i that the raysfot the' setting sun have beei crystallised and duplicated, ten thousani times,«atol/there confined. A vast canva

over ti-e centre of the great ropf, tl>e centre figure thereon being a fiaura of the infant Messiah reclining oa a Ooiich, and above the painting ail aureola as a, brilliant rainbow extends to the limits of the cauyas. Fi'om'every angle of the vast building brilliant banners, ornated with crosses—Latin and Maltese-*-are hung. On each side of the great; canvas two enormous Maltese crosses are let into the roof,- and from these Streamers radiate to every point of the roof. The colours are orange, red, blue* and green- - Between the streamers countless llags and banners, bearing the order of the knights, hang, the whole drapery hiding every part-cle of the otherwisa bare-looking roof. The north find south sides of the pavilion walls are also entirely draped with flags' bearing the mysterious in.Mgua of the Alasflfts, worked in coloured cloth, and intertwined with evei-greens. On the south side particularly, the number of th>; conclave is recorded in letters of vast size, wholly composed of evergreens. On the north the pillars r.ru draped in colour, Tliq east end of the pavilion over the mdift tintrAi.Co ia oruaiieuttd by a huge t&uvaa, illustrative of the exploits of the Knighl in the Holy .Land-, jthe knightf ar.o mounted on horses, the tigufes beinf lifesize, while in the distance rise the wall: of Jerusalem, manned by the Saracen hosts Either side of the tableau is draped b; American flags, Burmeuuted by the banne.t Of the order. 'i'W& West end of the buildin, is devoted to tiefrs of seats, which rise a higii as the gallery railing, which is deckei with the banners of the different Corn manflcries. in the centre is placed a splec did bnncr'o? the Californian Commander; Mo., I'. 'Behind this ia 'thi: gardes ov welcome.

Tl l ci'c ">sro . three arches also, on whiol knigbfc. of wood pose. The garde® is th< rele'ption bower, where the kirixhta' ladj friends are received by the Californkn ladies committee. The garden is a marvel of love liness, being wreathed in evergreens. J fountain springs frotn a Maltese cross Figures of aniniala belonging to^Ciiliforni

are placed here and there, while tables round the fountain, half draped in ivy are overspread with choice fruits, while tropical . plants, in boxes, and garlauds of flowers, kept alive by the spray of fountains, make altogether a scene uot unlike what we reat of in the "Arabian Kighta." In the garilei the wives and daughter? of our own knight; bid welcome to the stranger ladiea who an with the conclave. There is not a squari inch of the mighty pavilion unadorned wit! flowers or eyt'rgrcens or drapery, therefor you may iirmgioe the dazzling and wontierfu . effect as seen under gas and electric Hglits .. which are seep in myriads. Every eveniti t a prooienade concert takes place, When Kin i. Kalakau'c band from Honolulu 'and th

• i bands of the several Commanderica give some beautifnl selections. There is also a dancing hall, and this is by no meana. the I least charming feature of the evening's . amusement. THE. GftA-VD ARCHES ar.e the jiext objects worthy of attention. The most important one stand- on Market- . street, which it epulis from side to side: Jn he'ght it is 83 feet, the npc-x being erowned by a triple r.'d cross. The pp.'in oi t.b<? central arch is 43 feet. The spiti of each of . the smaller arches, IS feet. Tha brvse »-f t:I-----piain arch, 20 feet; of the smalier, 15 feot. The work is Gothic. Over tiie main arch an inscription in g' ld on black ground reads> "In. Hqc Signo Viuces." Above this a Maltese cross in red, and, surmonnting the

architrave, the grand triple cross of the Templars. The pedestals are recorated with the square and c.cmpas j , 'with other emblems, in keeping, painted, in blue and gold, above the brilliant-hued shields and trophies of flags and arms. Both the main arch and the smaller ones are draped With American flags', and the top of the structure surmouisiied with eight white flagstaffs, crowned with a red Maltese cross. ANOTHER ARCS stands at the junction of Ross and Market streets, not so large, but, I think, much handsomer and more effective in its modern structure. The pedestals axe high, <he arch semi-circular, and there is a tall knight On either pedestal, called the guardian knighta. The whole is surmounted by six tall knights, each bearing the banner of his order. Shields and trophies of arms are distributed above the arch, and make it exceedingly tasteful. THE MASONIC TEMPLE . . has a very antique appearance, in fancy carrying the beholder back to the Middle Ages. The entire front of the building is ; covered with shields, Masonic emblems, and evergreens. It is a Gothic building, and up the tall columns evergreens wreath and twine until they reach the tower that surmounts the edifice, one enormons flag, floating Over the whole, brilliant with the colours yellow, red, and black. Innumerable flags are placed at intervals on the walls. The festooning of the green wreaths is in strict conformity with the architecture of the Temple. The cost of this decoration alone was over £200. THE BALDWIN, where several Commanderies are stationed, has over the front of its don a rostrum, which is beautifully decorated. Upon its arched dome stands & black charger csrryiue a knight, while banners, streamers, and wreaths are commingled in profusion. The walls of the hotel are draped with hunting and evergreens, and an oil painting (20 ft et high) of a knight riding to the Crusades, carrying behind him another wounded knight, is a handsome and noticeable decoration. j TIIK CHRONICLE OFFICE. '' "I The splendid proportions of this building are always batter dri'ssed than any other in the city. Mr. do Young, the sole proprietor, is a wealthy man, and one of the most hospitable and generous in the city. It may easily be seen, then, that on this great occasion he would give carit blanche to his people to do their utmost., in honour of the guests; The building is one perfect mass of brilliantly-coloured decoration from summit to base. The decorations '■ are uniform, and beautiful in design. " Against the pilasters of each storey of the tall building are lifesize paintings in profile of knights, all in armour. On their breasts, as on their shields, the blood-red cross g'esms forth. At the entrance is a life-size figure on horseback, which shows. Godefroi ,de Bouillon, the first., Christian .. knight — I wonder if to him is related "soup de bouillon 7" I must have my joke, you know. The face of the knight is,an exact copy of the best likeness of the original to be sem .; otherwise, the entire face, of the building is covered with flags, crosses, and Masonic emblems, and both knights and trophies are set heavily in wreaths of evergreens. Over the great edifice floats a snow white banner, on which is stamped the blood-red cross of the order. This banner is 25 feut long by. 15 wide, and is to be seen from every part of the city. ■ ? THE PAX.AGE lIQTKI, " ' . ' has a flag set in every window of the rooms occupied by the knights, not floating, but placed inside the pane. Also frotn the roof floats one enormous banner. In this vast caravansarie are lodged 2000, and several of the Commanderies have their head-quarters there. In the splendid courtyard the bands play each evening, and most gay and enthusing is the scene. Serenades are offered to the most prominent of the order, and, at the Palace particularly, all goes merry as;a marriage bell, though I have heard Some pretty dismal bells in my day—when the church has been old and ricketty, -with 4 a bell to correspond. . - THE houses are all decorated with flags, shields, ■ aud garlands. I am wondering all the time where the green comes from. It is mostly the beautiful feathery pine, and it seems difficult to realise , that the thousands sof yards of garlands which festoon the entire town were ever gathered around the city. Some of the stores have canopies of evergreens,. and one mode of decoration is ropes of finely-cut coloured tissue paper, made to simulate a thick crape ruche—at least, tiiat is what 1 can be3t liken the rope to. The n there are heavy crosses—Latin and Maltese —of artificial flowers,: shields with raised groups on them', and other effects too multitudinous. to mention. £S4OO lias been expended in decoration, therefore this will give some ides of the extent of the whole ; atvd, added to this sum, is the money spent by private individuals, for all have decorated. The festivities commenced with a grand ball at the pavilion, which was crowded, of course, and the dresses, jewellery, and elaborate get up of the whole would take a whole letter to describe; but I really cannot spare time to elaborate upon the dresses, which were only a repetition of other fine clothes seen everywhere, and I prefer rather to go on to the actual commencement of the week's programme, which commenced after the ball, that being pre-1 iiminary. . On Sunday, the 19th, divixk skiivice . ■ i W'.Vr : Wks held in the pavilion for the Knights and their ladies. The overflow of people was so great that many of the Commanderies had to turn back, the whole body of the .building being filled with knights, while the raised seats were reserved for the ladies and such of the citizens as could procuro tickets. It whs a most imposing and magnificent spectacle. As the knights entered in single file, each carried his hat so as to allow the white plume to rest on the left shoulder, while the hand grasped the sword bell. The vanguard of the Californian Commandery came first. Their dresses are magnificent, being of dark green cloth, while from their shoulders fell cloaks richly trimmed with silver, scarfs across their breasts, also being embroidered with emblematic designs in rich silver, With white plumed hats. The next body had, instead of silver, gold fringe and embroidery. As they filed in, they were, saluted by the escort, who' were seated Uft and right, with the hilts of their swords presented. After the knights came the sixty choristers, clad in black ca,s3ocks and white surplices, each with a red cross en his breast. The two leading boys carried the standard of the cross ; the others bore each a banner of red and white, with purple border. Th-ae bore on their surface a. cross and mottoes, ''Gloria Die" and " Alleluia." After the choristers came Bishop. Kip, our bishop, and ltev. Clinton Lock, the grand prelate. As the choristers came up the aisle, a cornet sounded a note, and the boya treble voices burst forth into one long peal of melody, and, chaunting the Processional Hymn, slowly proceeded to their places, The numerous clergy following were received by the knights standing, with swords reversed, the blade grasped by the right hand, the cross hilt level with the eyes. After the Te Peum, the command was given, "Attention, i>ir Knights. Handle swords," Instantly every aWord was j sprung six inches from, its scabbard, the right hand grasping %he hilt until the Apostles Creed was repeated. Then the command went fottii, "Returns words to your devotions, and all kneeling." Then arose, in response to the Litany, the murmur of 10,000 voices wafting prayer and praise to the Highest. It was a scene never to be forgottena sound to be remembered, for all time. 3?rom the open windows' the 'breeze fanned the myriad bantferii to and fro, as if t'ney toe lifted, up silent voices, and the stin, ; penetrating through, space, lit up with a ; golden glory the mass of shinrng gold and silver and. the brilliant mixtur e'of a "thousand glancing hues, making a 'scene so wondrous and So magnificent that 'iio pen can paint its beauty. ; The Benediction was pionounced by the Kcrv. Bishop Kip, a nd then the assembled thousands quietly and solemnly filed out of the building. : Siltks Pen.