Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-29
MARDI GRAS.
A FEW OF THE IMPRESSIONS OF A
NORTHERN JOURNALIST.
View Of the Greatest Mardi Gras That
the Crescent City Ever Witnessed
The Multitude and the
rrocession-ReX.
New Orleans Cor. Inter Ocean


| II you don't think Mardi Gras is an ad-
vertisement for New Orleans you should
have tried to reach the city during the week
before its Observance. All trains were run
in two or three sections, and from five to ten
| specials per day We're added at that. Each
day deposited thousands of men and women
here who had stood up all night, with more
or less patience, in order to get here If the
| carnivalwaS thus an educator it was also
| EN- nently decent Not even the most
| prudish could have taken offense at it.
| Of course the details of SO vast an enter
prise were necessarily often crude, some
| times not in the best taste. In glitter and
| glare, in wealth of chariot trappngs, in
brill ant illumination, even Barnum's circus
| was out-circus,i. What with gorgeous cos
TUNES, gilded cars, and fairy groupings il
Illuminated by calcium lights, great quad
ruple gasoline chandeliers, electric torches,
and blue, red, and green chemical lights
burned about each massive vehicle, the effect
was almo-t ultra rich
The facades Of the principal buildings
were illuminated with brilliant gas jet de-
signs; while the broad store porches had
been so streng thened beneath and equipped
with amphItheatrical seats above as to ac-
commodate many thou ands of spectators.
Yet the broad streets were denseIy packed
| below. metimes l would get caught in
crowd where locomotion was absolutely im-
| possible for some time.
The costumes of the masquerading ele-
ment were widely different, sometimes in
poor taste. but usually original and comical
All the nondescript monsters of the earth.
air, AMI sea were represented. Monkeys,
| dragons, ROSTERS serpeats bears, elks, don
l..ax-- l. hat liz
| dred beasts mingled together in amicable
conference. In some cases parties had hired
| a rig, fitted it up grotesquely, and arranged
| themselves in chairs in the open vehicle to
| be driven about town, at once to see and to
| be seen.
The customary fiction of entertaining Rex,
| king of the Mardi Gras carnival was car
| ried out with due pomp and ceremonous-
ness.
OF course, as everybody knows this
mighty monarch is always some wealthy
citizen of New Orleans who, for the peculiar
! notoriety of the kingly office, chips in soma
| thing like 81 900 according to popular re-
port toward the expenses of the carnival
He was entertained this year in Carnival
Palace" royal edifice fitted up with every
attention to the details of an actual kings
| palace. Sentinels paced to and fro without,
pages ran Of errands within, royal audiences
were extended to petitioners, and all the ex-
cessive red tape of an empire was observed
When the king dinsd he partook of imported
viands His couch and mis- ball room were
especially regal His collections of gifts
from European AMI Oriental potsntates were
exhibited and freely discussed.
His majesty Rex appeared publicly in the
procession, seated on a magnificent silver
throne, upon car of extraordinary rich
ness. built on the principle of a cotton pres.
in order to typify the chief industry OF his
realm. He wors tunic Of azure velvet over
an inner garment of the same material of a
rich magenta hue Around his waist was a
Lett studied with ailegei pearls, and clasped
with a diamond % buckle. Under his cloak
were various badges and royal insignia, ami
in his right hand he carried a massive goli
scepter, likewise studded with dubious
precious stones. His crown was elaborate
and dazzling enough to suit the most EN-
pirc cal taste. As near as l could judge his
gracious majesty wore no mask, but had his
face painted a ruddy bronze, and wore
blonde whiskers and wig He deported him
self with becoming dignity, blent with be-
nign graciousnass, ami was received at many
points with acclamations, d-clapping,
jects. Thes kindly greetings he acknowl-
edged VITA gentle obeisance such as was
befitting the dignity Of 50 august a sovereign
The entry o. Rex into town was also cere-
monious He came in at the Jackson depot
on special train that was loaded with
imperial decorations from end to end
No one askei where he came FROM
an the pleasant theories Of newspaper re-
porters 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 the keys Of the mu
nicipal Offices Then the royal retinue pro-
cee1ed to the levee, where a large feet of
gayly decorated steamers was in waiting to
convey the party to the exposition grounds.
Further exercises were there held in the
music hall
Other southern cities have their favorite
sovereigns on the "Rexn 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 be held in light esteem
The programme of the Mobile Mystics," for
instance, was so varied as to include features
all tine way from serious tableanx illustrat-
ing Old Testament history, down to pictures
taken from Don Quixote and burlesques Of
pure!y local significance.
the parade Of Tuesday evening by the
knights of Momus was the crowning glory Of
the carnival The theme of the evening"
"The Legends Beautiful" was q popular one
and was worked out in 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