The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-16
Released From Queen Anitas Rule, Gay
Maskers Indulge in High Jinks by
the Seaside

time the noisy hornblowers on the water
came into view. They were a crowd of
maskers on plain. black flatboat, which
was being propelled by poles toward the
Queen s throne. One of the maskers wore
a big gold crown and white and yellow
cape and bloomers. The others were
dressed as grotesquely.
They brought the low f1atboat imme-
diately beneath the steps to the throne,
the lowest of which was high above them.
Then half-dozen men in masks and wigs
and whiskers came down the steps, and
the uses of ladder and a block and
tackle which hung ont from the steps over
the waters and mystifed the people be-
came apparent. They lifted the burlesoue
Queen from the float to the throne with
the apparatus.
''All hail the Queen" cried the pirates
from above, beginning to haul on the
ropes, which were fastened about her. As
"she" sailed upward into broad glare of
the light her giIded crown sitting jauntily
over her right ear, the ''cut-throats' below
responded cheerily, "All hail the festive
Queen!"
Then the audience began to forgive
these noisy roysterers and Join in the
laugh and the salute as, one by one, the
high officials of the court, the Doee and
the rest of them, were swung up in like
manner to the platform and climb the
stairs.
Finally came great wooden key nine
feet in length. Having got everything in
order, the burlesquers gave Roncovieri
another chance, and as the lights are
turned on again, for they are turned
off always for the benefit of the stereopti-
cons illustrations when the music is play
ing, the Queens edict was read, a bit of
nonsense that forbids any man, woman or
child to be seen in public this night with
out mask, together with other whimsi-
calities.
Then the straight course of the water
show was resumed. The pirate Queen, bv
the way, was c. A. Rice. set piece of
fireworks which spelled out the words,
United California" and "Half-million
Club" provoked much applause. One
number on the musical programme which
also elected much enthusiasm was the
Death of Custer"
The outdoor space and surroundings
permitted the employment of musical eff
fects, whole company of men doing the
firing with muskets and pistols at the
proper time when the fighting was going
on, while later, when the distant refrain of
the quartet of horns over Clusters death
and the bugle calls are introduced, it came
from musicians who had been located on a
barge in the water at some distance from
the band. AT the same time only Clusters
portrait was shown upon the screen--the
effect was very fine, even if it had little in
common with Venetian carnival.
1.-THE Carnival of Venice by the way,
has not found a place on any of these
musical programmes, odd as that NAV
seem. The show on the water continued
until after 10 o'clock, and only when it had
finished did the scene in the ballroom of
the pavilion begin to take on the ap-
pearance of a masquerade ball.
Shortly before midnight the last act in
the play was performed. 1t was the pres
entation to Director General J. Philip
Smith, the man who has stood to the front
Of it all, of a beautiful silver gold-lined
goblet, which they term loving cup The
presentation was made by Major Frank
Mclaughlin, on behalf of the executive
committee and leading citizens, and it was
done in the majors own altogether felici-
Ious manner. Director General Smith re-
piled in a few becoming words, referring
with satisfaction to the happy conclusion
of the great enterprise begun with much
misgiving only a few weeks ago. He
thanked everybody for the hearty manner