, 1885-03-25
MARDI GRAs.
A FEW or THE IMPRESSIONS OF A
NORTHERN JOURNALIST.
A View of the Greatest sfnrdi oras That
the Crescent City Ever Witnessed
Tho Multitude and tho
Proceszion-K~z-


vertissment for New Orleans you should
have tried to reach the city during the week
before its observance All trains were iri
In two or three sections, and from Ave to tea
specials per day were added at that Each
day deposited thousands OF men and women
here who had stood up all night. with mora
or less patience, In order 10 get here. II Tho
carnival was thus an educator 1t was also
eminently decent Not even the most
prudish could have taken offenso at II.
OF course tho details OF 20 vast an enter
prise were necessarily often crude, some
times not in the best taste. In glitter and
glare, in wealth Of chariot trappings. In
brilliant illumination. even Barnum's circus
was our-circused. What with gorgeous cos
Illuminated by calcium lights, great quad
ripple gasoline chandeliers, electric torches,
and blue. red. and green chemical lights
burned about each massive vehicle. the effect
was almost ultra rich
The facades OF the principal buildings
were Illuminated with brilliant gas jet de-
signs; while the broad store porches had
been SO strengthened beneath and equipped
with amphitheatrical seats above as to &C
commodate many thousands of spectators
Yet the broad streets were densely packed
below. Sometimes ! would get caught In a
crowd where locomotion was absolutely i'm
possible for some time.
The costumes OF the masquerading ele-
ment were widely different, sometimes in
poor taste. but usually original and comicaL-
An the nondescript monsters Of the earth,
air, and sea were represented Monkeys,
dragons, ROSTERS, serpents bears. elks, don
keys, owls, bats, frogs alligators, and kin
dred beats mingled together In amicable
c~onfernce. In some cases parties had hired
a rig, lifted II up grotesqusly, and arranged
themselves in chairs In the open vehicle to
be driven about town. at once to see and 10
be seem
The customary fiction Of entertaining Rex,
king Of the Mardi Gras carnival, was car
ried out with due pomp and ceremonious-
ness.
or course, az everybody knows, this
mighty monarch is always some wealthy
citizen Of New Orleans, who, for thu peculiar
notoriety Of the kingly office, chips In soms-
thing like $1,000 according to popular re-
port toward khe expenses Of the carnival
He was entertained this year in Carnival
Palace" a royal edidce fitted up with every
attention to the details OF an actual kings
palace. S~entinels paced to and fro without,
pages ran oferrands within, royal audiences
were extended to petitionefs, and all the ex-
cessive red tape of an empire was observ we'd.
When the king dined he partook of imported
viands His couch and his ball room were
especially regal. His collections OF gifts
from European and Orientalpotentatos were
exhibited and freely discussed.
His majesty Rex appeared publicly in the
procession, seated on a magnificent silver
throne, upon q car OF extraordinary rich
ness. built on the principle of a cotton press,
in order TO typify the chief industry OF his
realm. He wore a tunic Of azure velvet over
an inner garment OF the same material of a
rich magenta hne- Around his waist was a
telt studded with alleged pearls, and clasped
with a diamond % buckle Under his cloak
were various badges and royal insignia, and
In his right hand he carried n massive gold
sceptsr, likewise studded with dubious
precious stones His crown was elaborate
and dazzling enough to suit the most EN-
pirical taste. As near as / could Judge his
gracious majesty wore no mask, but had his
face painted a ruddy bronze, and wore
blonde whiskers and wig. He deportsd him
self with becoming dignity, blent with be-
nign graoiousness, and was received at many
points with acclamations, hand -clapping,
and Observation-Disclosures by his loyal sub
1ectz- 1hess kindly greetings he acknowl
edged with a gentle obeisance such as was
bchttinz tho dignity Of 10 august a sovereign.
Tho entry OF Rex into town was also cera-
monious He came In at the Jackson depot
on a special train that was loaded with
imperial decorations from end 10 end.
No one asked where he came from,
and the pleasant theories OF Newspaper rs-
portsrs were humorously various touching
his foreign travels. He was received with
great honor by delegations OF city officials,
who conducted his suite up town, and form
ally presented to him tho keys OF the mu-
nicipal offices. Then the royal retinue pro-
ceoded to the lsvee. where a large feet OF
gayly decorated steamers was In waiting to
convey the party to the exposition grounds.
Furthar exercises vera there held In the
music hall.
Other southern cities nave their ~favorite
sovereigns on the @Rex-p plan. l believe
Mobile entertained her Emperor Felix In an
imposing style this season.
The originality displayed in these south
ern carnivals is not to bs held in light esteem
The programme OF tho Mobile Mystics, " for
instance, was SO varied as TO include features
all the way from serious tableanx nlustrat-
ing Old Testament history. down to pictures
taken from Don Quixote. and burlosques OF
purely local Significance.
The parade Of Tuesday evening by the
knights of Momus was the browning glory Of
the carnival The theme of the evening,
"The Legends Beautiful" was a popular one
and was worked out In a most mastery way.
The splendid allegorical cars ran along the
street railway tracks. OF course the figures
were all living figures, and the female parts
wore all personatsd by males,
but masks, padding, fairy dresses, and
pink tights lent a strong semblance OF femi-
ninity. Many Of the actors occupied such
lofty perohes that they had to hold on for
dear life, and could not pay any attention to
the occasional bouquets thrown at Thorn,
much less acknowledge these favors by
throwing back kisses
One OF the hardest requirements was evil
IDENTIFY that Of merging tbs persons individ-
uAlity with that Of the character assumed.
Imagine the i~ncongruity involved when
poor, lost souls, struggling in Gehenna,
paused to throw kisses at the multitude. Or
when, as occurred once in a great while, a
deep, manly voice spoke out some message
to a recognized friend, the words being msf-
hed by the Intervention OF the mask, while
you bad almost been faneying you saw soma