The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-22
END OF THE FANFARE.
In the Early Hours of Sunday
the Carnival is Ushered
Out.
REGAL POMP HAS GIVEN WAY.
Queen and Courtiers Depart, and
Reluctantly the Old Regime
Takes Hold.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, April N.-This
afternoon, one week ago, rainstorm had
just passed over Los Angeles, and the sun
was half-hidden behind the breaking
clouds. The streets were newly bedecked
in festival colors Of wine, orange and olive,
and the people, while properly observing
the Sabbath-day. were still in fancy well
coming the festival queen who was to come
among them on the morrow The queen
came, held court so splendid that surely
she must sit in history with that other
splendid Queen of Sheba, the glory of her
short reign being fit material for fables to
build upon and weave their magic by fu-
ture fresides, when
Bishop the procession leads,
And generals curb their prancing steeds
While in the each gilded splre
Leaps up like those at Rome.
For seven days of bright sunshine that
followed that storm the beautiful queen
sat in splendor, adding Circumstance to
pomp, and smiling benignant encourage
ment upon the revelry.
And now it is Sunday again. The queen
and her court and all the brave line of gal
lants, the sheen of purple and gold and the
fanfare of trumpets have gone. But for
the withered blossoms that lie in drifts in
Central Park or along the highways, half
burying here and there a broken
mask or cowl, and all the other
worn and torn trappings that stand
as evidences everywhere along the streets,
it would seem already fable. Even the
sunshine of these seven days is gone, and
clouds have lowered heavily over the city
and feeling of rain is in the air.
The quiet that was noted as distinguish
ing the Sunday preceding the festival dis
tinguishes also this one that succeeds it,
although the day was ushered in by crash
| and clang and shout that marked the rev.
| els at their height and did not hush until
| the cold gray clouds were lighted in the
east to frown it down. 1t died away slowly
and regretfully. ftful shout and shrill
whistle even after sun-up marking the half
| petulent reluctance with which the most
! loyal subjects of the queen gave way. But
their time was up and they knew it, and
but for the occasional clang of the street.
car or the rattle of a carriage wheel the
streets have all the afternoon been still.
The sense of loss to-day has taken the
place of that of anticipation week ago. A
gone and the crush is relieved. People sit
| hstlessly about the hotels or occasionally
walk out into the street to look at and
sadly comment upon the wreckage.
Already the little vari-colored incandes-
cent lamps that twinkled like network
of stars above Spring street have been
taken down. The wires that carried line
of Chinese lanterns on both sides of the
roadway until they met at the vanishing
point in the distance now swing in the ris-
ing wind only the torn and ragged rem
nants. The tri-colored bunting flaps dis
consolately from awning and balcony, al
ready misshapen and twisted out of its de-
sign. The flags and streamers droop wear
lily or hang twisted about their staffs or
are tangled about the electric wires. A
clowns cap of last nights revel sits mock
ingly cynical all this Sunday afternoon
above figure in the busy thoroughfare of
Spring street that but yesterday stood for
beauty.
The merry festival of the City of Angels
is done.