NEWSPAPER:  The Festival - 23 May 1874 - Smith County, TX

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Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
25 February 2002 
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Tyler Reporter - Saturday, May 23, 1874

The Festival

On last Tuesday night at the Fergugon house, the ladies of the 
Baptist church gave a strawberry and ice cream festival.  We were
late getting there; how far the exercises had advanced when we
joined the merry crowd, an election was being held, to decide who 
should be crowned "Queen of May" on that happy occasion.

After considerable excitement and the polling of about 1,250 votes,
Miss Lula Hand was announced as  the successful candidate.  The 
managers of the election then declared the polls again open for the 
purpose of determining who should have the honor of crowning the 
beautiful Queen.  Upon this subject, the right of franchise was
extended to the ladies, which was accepted, and they entered into the 
real spirit of the election.

This, probably, was the first opportunity of expressing their 
sentiments at the polls, and if we felt sure they would always display 
as much judgment in voting, we would be an earnest advocate of 
"Woman Suffrage.  They were not long in doing honor to the polls, and 
in a very short time, Mr. Ellsworth Swanson, was declared the fortunate 
gentleman.  The elegant young man then took charge of the exquisiste 
crown that had been prepared for the occasion and gracefully placed it 
upon the head of the beautiful Queen.

And now comes the good part.  We were all invited down to the dining 
room where we partook of the many nice things, such as ice cream,
strawberries, cakes, candies, &c., &c.

We are not informed what amount of money was made, but that a
sufficiency, for the object intended.  We considered the entertainment,
indeed, a festival occasion.