The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-18

their many-hued costumes, occupied prom
inent positions in the grand court. where
they could see all the glory Of the display
without being cramped. The Chinese of
the sterner sex also made the grand GEN.
trail court their stamping-ground. They
were not going to miss anything IL they
could help II.
The parade was led off by platoon of
MIdwiner Fair guards and Cassasa's
banG, whose uniforms of blue looked quite
sober alongside the dresses of the Chinese
who followed carrying.the national colOrS
of America and China.
AS a sort of guard to their stand ard
bearers were two dignifed Chinese
officials on horseback, whose chief claims
TO prominence were their Illuminated
robes and their refusal throughout the line
OF march to smile or even recognize any
friends among the spectators despite the
repeated efforts of the latter by waving OF
the hands and cultural EXPLANATIONS.
The men on horseback were supposed to
represent civil officers of the Flowery
Kingdom aud they appreciated the re-
SponSibilitY Of their position TO the utmost
In strong contrast to their stern de-
meanor was the jolity which prevailed
among several hundred prettily dressed
boys from the Chinese public schools. who
came next The laughed and yelled and
adolescents.
Following them was more diguiSy in the
person of LeOng Lang, the president OF
the day. He rode in carriage bedecked
with color and the horses attached to
which were blanketed with beautifully
EN- broidered Chinese coverings.
The glittering features of ths parade
were commenced, and TO describe them IN
detail would be almost impossible. To
the very end the parade was one blaze Of
colOTs.
There were Chinese in gaudy raiment
carrying decorated lanterns, and more
Chinese beating Cd big brass gongs and
making a din that caused even toe Mid.
way spielerS to turn green with envy.
Then there was a pretty Acknowledged
| Chinese girl on horseback, riding astrad-
die. although from the way she wobbled
about it was evident that she was not ac-
custOmed to the exercise.
The Chinese band was a feature that
will not be forgotten bv those who heard
the music which they fairly hurled forth
against the atmosphere as they were play
, ing for the benefit of friends in far-off
China as we'll as those who were nearer.
There were twenty-four men ia the band
and each man seemed imbued with a de-
sire to make more noise than his neigh Dor.
It may have been harmony from a Chinese
standpoint, but IL was eaT-splitting discOTd
to one who might be accustomed to har-
mOniOuS melody.
The band, though, created quite a flutter
among the fair damsels from Chinatown,
and as the musicians pulled on their ill.,
struments until they seemed about TO
burst or wrlggled their faces into horrible
cOutortions over their gOngs and tom
toms the painted society bellies of China
town rewarded them with eaT-to-ear
smiles at the risk of making unsightly
cracks in the glue which held their raven
locks in position around their aural ap-
pendages.
A party of Chinese carrying silk UNI
brellas of very handsome design also
! aroused the admiration Of the fair ones,
although it was an open question whether
( il was the men or the umbrellas which the
] damses cast their admiriDg chances upon.
The floats were of a kind never seen in
! a parade in this city before, and for in
! geDuty and originality Of design reflected
/ great credit upon their manufacturers.
! They were innumerable almost in charac-
| ter and variety.
! The first in the procession represented
an immense dragOn-shiD, and next 10 il
/ was a very pretty floral launch. The
! dragOn-ship was made of gaudy red ma
! teral formed in the shape of an immense
! dragon, with open mouth and glazing eyes.
/ One of the largest floats represented a
! Chinese josshouSe, and it was the chef
! d'euvre of the lot. The boss idol sat upon
a gorgeous throne, and he had glariDg
! expression of countenance that was posi-
| lively hideous enough to brighten any
! baby into commissions and give nervous
person uneasy feelings. Incense and
punks were burned around him through
/ out the line of march. The whole tOai
was decorated with silk banners. gilt tinse
and peacock feathers.
Another float represented the famous
/ LOk Yung bridge, which spans the Yang
| tse-Kiapg River in China, and 1t also was
fine piece of workmanship. There were
several Chinese of both sexes standing
upon the bridge to make il more realistic
Another float which was ablaZe witt
bunting of many colors carried the Chi
nese goddess of peace. On il was Chi
nese girl with her suite around her, AL
around them were beautiful garlands anC
/ other decorations of natural flowers
Other floats represented alegorical giants
taken from Chinese history, and in al
there was the same magn ficence OF decor
| alton and gOrgeousness of costume.
| Among the other features were meI
bearing floral banners which were marveic
of artistic construction, and warriors will
Chinese weapons Of offense and defen SO
There we're platOOns OF these warriors and
many wore masks of nIdeous expression
and carried long knives fastened on to thu
end of long poles.
The immense dragon which was in thC
center of the parade created quite a de
cided sensation. Its frame was bornt
along by three men, and the manner il
which they made the dragon wiggls SHOWED
that as dragon manpulatOTs they under
stood their business. Two burly China
men staggered along under an immens
floral umbrella and others carried mon
sier fans. About thirty prominent CHINESE
merchants rode in carriages in the
midst of the parade In the last sec
ton was handsome float representing tn
return OF a Chinese exile. The Mexican
band, divided into two sections, also &C
compauied the procession.