Omaha daily bee., 1895-04-21

sake of sending an account to an American
paper, he finally let me have one. But that
wasn't all. l was disappointed in my COM
pany, and. as there was no time to get
answers by mail, was consequently in the
depths of despair, when, oh happy fate, the
morning Of the carnival we found a friend
who knew O family who would chaperone
me, and so that bridge was crossed. Then
it turned out that plain domino could not
be procured for love or money, and two
hours before | was going having by great
eXertions unearthed cabman who hadn't
more than four engagements to the carnival,
l sat blissfully, at last, with my hands
folded in my lap, while they dressed me up
as a Spanish lady, that being most easily
fixed, and my preference being to be as in
conspicuous as possible. / recolected after
ward, however. that instead of acting my
role and flirting my fan as a Spanish lady
should, l had forgotten all about 1t and
tucked 1t under my arm for greater con-
venience while jotting down my notes. But
such little blunders don't matter, and when
one has succeeded and is fairly on the way
to the enchanted land one forgets all those
difficulties all those veXations. all the mo-
ments of suspense and despair and feels
perfectly happy, full of delightful expecta-
tions.
There was long line of carriages leading
to the Casino theater, in whose halls the
festivities were held, and our progress was
slow, at times stopping altogether. And such
crowd as pressed around the carriages and
the entrance to catch a glimpse Of those
happy beings who could enter the cleaning
pOrtali There were little thin seamstresses
who had worked from morning until mid
night the last weeks to equip the shep-
herdesses and court ladies and flower girls
old men who came tripping with their prim,
little wives to see at least the outside OF
the carnival; young fellows that stood with
their hands in their pockets admring the
ladies as their pretty, gaily-clad feet and
ankles skipped up the staircase and dsap-
peared in the blazing light; dirty, ragged
street boys, whose lives best memories were
Of glimpses like this of the world into which
they might never enter. There was laughing
| and talking and good-natured criticism. One
| or the ladies of my party was dressed "a
| represent a poppy, and the tall stan from
| which her flowers grew out was put up on
the box, there being no room for It inside
| When we drove up you should have heard the
| shout of merriment that arose. The men
! roared, the youngsters tried to peep In
| through the window, comments about the
! fine little pear tree" were flung from iI
| to lip, and all the throng waited expectantly
| to see to whom that belonged. But at last
| we reach the wardrobe where our wraps are
to be delivered. Here Il gypsy is putting on
| her gloves and mermaid is fastening her
| garter, while an Indian in long ulster is
unrollng a bundle of cloaks and capes and
| scarfs that turns out to be an Amazon In
| helmet and breastplate. and little, pink
| angel is pulling on her rubbers in q corner
SCENES IN THE HALLS.
/ We lift the curtain before the entrance
| to the Moorish hail. in my opinion the most
| beautiful of all the rooms. In the soft, blue
| light OF the lamps that hang from the ceiling
| appear fantastic pillars and arches in pale
| blue, prcfusely gilded, and with the effec
, OF lattice work produced by bits OF mirrors
here and there, A thick carpet covers the
| floor. and Arabs and Armenians in white
/ draperies move noselessly about among thC
banks of ferns and palms At each side II
| a little low boudoir, along whose walls, huns
| with rich oriental rugs, runs low, cush
| ioned seat small Moorish tables and feather,
! palms further add 10 the effect Through
broad, latticed windows In the background
| one locks out on paintings Of oriental land
scapes; In one cabinet red and yellow lights
hidden from view cast a golden glow oyel
tawny sand aEd slender palms. in the other,