LORD MAYOR AS "FURRY DANCER.”

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8848, 26 June 1907, Page 1

LORD MAYOR AS "FURRY DANCER.”

If the citizens of London could have seen their Lord Mayor, Sir William Treloar, gambolling through the streets of . Helston on a recent day in May, says a London exchange, they would have stopped in amazement first, and then joined the pirouetting chief magistrate, for the “furry dance” of Helston is the I most contagious piece of tripping I ever invented. It is worse than the I cake-walk epidemic, for there is the haunting, plaintive melody of the “furry song” running through it, and it catches the ear with its insistent lilt. The ‘jfurry dance” is the great item on Helston’s fete day. Partners were chosen in the Corn Exchange, a ud, jut before 1 o’clock, the volunteer band struck up the melody which was a signal for the approach of the dancers. First came die posse of Cornish constabulary grinning broadly at the incongruity if being called on to boar decorated lalberds over their shoulders. Then imid the hurricane of cheers Mr Montagu Rogers and Miss Kathleen Tyacko led the procession. Next ;ame the Under Sheriff of the county Mr E. Ratciffe leading Miss May iVearue and then the Lord Mayor loldiug the hand of Mrs Rogers and I ’ollowed by the High Sheriff of I Jornwell and Mrs Ratcliffe. By the I ;ime the 'entire party of dancers S lumbering some fifty ciupies had tppeared in the street the crowd had dosed in on them and order was 'one. ■ Everyone took up the short diuffle and the mazurka-like revoutious which stand for the “furry lance.” The Lord Mayor had [iscarded his robes for civilian dress, le laughed heartily and entered varmly into the spirit of the“ old dlklore capering; but it was extausting work and truth compels the Emission that at the end of the first lalf-hour the wild pandemonium was ;oiug on without Sir William Treoar. Up Meueage street surged the lirouetting mob, in at the shop of Ir Dunstan, out the of hall-door of }r. Anderson, through the private esidence of Mr Ruphon, a former favor, and thence swarming sucessiveiy through other premises to he intense gratification of the 'ouseholders thus honoured, The ancers next invaded the home of he Mayor, who frankly regards all auciug as wrong, and then charged - he vicarage, whose oocnpant the lev. W. H. M. Milner, was oue of lie ringleaders in the revelry. After lore than an hour of this “furry auciug” the procession halted once gain at the Corn Exchange. Altoether, it was a day of many fnuclous. At seven o’clock in the mornig a party of robust ?yeomcu and nxom lasses danced out the winter ud danced in the summer, to the ocompauiment of the baud, whose ipacity for playing all the way up mile of almost perpendicular hill ms extraordinary. The Lord Mayor ms preseuted with the freedom of to ancient borough of Helston, the ift of which was enclosed in a asket fashioned from Cornish coper and tin, and mounted ou a lint of polished Cornish granite, hen a crippled boy was assisted on i a dais, and with pathetic nervousess read an address saying that his illlow-cripples had by self-sacrifice uring Lent raised 15s for Sir Wilam Treloar’s scheme • of cripples’ monies. He asked the Lord Mayor ito accept a purse of £SO, the fcalauce having been raised by subscriptions in the town. After the dance the Lord Mayor opened the Helston Horse Show, shook hands with everyone, kissed many Cornish children, and took his departure for St. Keveruo.