The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-06-04

The CrotesQus rhreng which R1Ils ths
streets % Sles On shrove Tuesday.
Who could describe the motley thou
sands that form the crowdf Who
could resolve them into their ele-
menfs? Picture the most fantastic
scene and the most fantastic panto-
mime that was ever seen in theater -
circus. and multiply the effect ten thcu-
sand fold. picture thousands q masked
and dominoed men and women. athred
- demons. as Mephistopheles. a. imps
and apes. - cats and dogs. 40 frogs
and vegetables. conjure up hosts Of
ghosts, think Of the most horrible night
mare or the awful things u IN opium
orgie. and you have something Of the
effect produced on the mind b. one .
first impressions Of Nice carnival
I'm agine this great pantomime. in which
fifty or sixty thousand people take
part. giving themselves up 70 the dar-
ing frivolities Of the carnival for three
or four hours in the open air. with :
burning. blazing sun. The ingenuity
and the taste which are expended upon
this wonderful ceremony are extraor-
dinary. and not less impressive Is the
astonishing variety Of the costumes as
sum.d by the crowd which has fiocked
here TO take deep draught of diablerie.
The tops Of the long colonnade were
black with people, and there vas no
window and no point Of vantage which
was unoccupied. Up aloff some were
contented 70 brave the dangers without
masks. but the majority were both
masked and dominoed- Opposite the
prefecture was placed the throne Of
King Carnival. and the enormous fig-
ure Of that awful potentate lowered
thirty feet up in the air. Gargantuan
monarch. with features modelled in
proportion TO his height Like the
horse Of Troy. his body serves rs q
receptacle. not for men but for fire
works On the last night of the revel-
ries fuse is lighted. and the King dies
up 10 the starlit heavens. Illuminating
the evening sky with a million lights.
crimson, golden. silvern. shooting hith-
er and thither. and dropping their
is dead Long live the King CRY the
tickle plebs. and until 1887 the King
and his court arc forgotten. Round
this huge figure. standing out like
some savage idol. file the PROCESSION.
slowly moving up the street 20 the
Drawing Of trnmpets. and the beating
of drums. and the fire of guns The
grotcsque throng keeps admirable or
der As the procession marches slowly
past cheering and shrieking with
laughter and cries of admiration. keep
ing up a fierce tire Of confetti the
Snilc. Bands Of men. women and chill
dren pass. clad IN long. flowing domi-
noes Of every conceivable cut and FASH
ion. red. pink, blue. green. violet.
slashcd with trimmings ~ other colors.
aifording vivid contrasts to the body Of
the fabric. The masks are hidcous and
beautiful. with ewes hlcared or Ian
gushing. mouth all awry or Of perfect
form. noses dwarfed. noses elon gated.
hooked. bent. broken. faces bloody.
faces rougcd. ochred: wigs Of pink.
tresses Of flowing yellow or Of coal
black. Many wear paper masks. which
admit of even more startling effects
One secs clowns in sugar-loaf hats and
parti-colored robes panfAloons and
harleqnins and troops Of devils. Even
the babes and children are disguised.
and mother would not recognize son.
nor husband wife. wv Interior.