The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-17

BY Miss Lane

this Fiesta is still observed with spirit,
in these prosaic days is Nice.
There. on the borders OF Italy. where
the inhabitants are By birth and tradition
at least half Italian. the great event of
the year is the Carnival The presenc, OF
great crowds of winter isitors lend the
spirit and briIlianoy that foreign gold and
generous encouragement only could ac-
conplish
The old Corso is reserved for the caval-
cades and maskers who have already APP
pearcd in merry groups, to wnet the appe-
titc for the coming display.
Cards are posted on all sides promising
enormous prizes for the most ipgeniously
got up floats High and m ighty names
OF princes and SIGH" are pretixol to
! these tempting announcements. All the
| world is wild with expectation of some
thing unusually clever and amusing.
All work is suspended for the three
| Jolly days that are devoted to fun and
frolic.
The line OF the procession is profusely
decorated with flags and draperies hang
ing from all available windows.
Shop fronts have been taken out and
converted into boxes. rribunes have been
erected at every corner. The sale of con
fetti Ga mixture of Indian corn, in srts in,
with lime, III powder. has been brisk. for
some days past, but today huge baskets
OF small bouquets appear on the scene,
and the future com battants hasteni to
provide themselves with supply of this
howery ammunition. A domino and mask
of wire are essential to protect the FACE
and clothing.
At O'Clock precisely the guns are
heard. Spectators stretch out of balcony
and tribune toward the spot where the
first float must turn into the Corso. g.a
Not minute behind time, the head and
trunk of an elephant appears at the CDR
ner, much to the discontinue of the
policemen, whose horses plunge and rear at
the near neigh borhood of the huge beasts.
The monster float gradually turns safely
into the crowded thoroughfare cheercd by
mighty shouts. Was there ever sucli a
gloriously gay ball room seen on waeels?
Crowds OF gay and magnificent massers
are waltzing furiously to the music of a
capital band placed at the end of the
machine. But the wonder was the ire
mendous bust that lowered over this crowd
of jewellers. 4 head and shoulders of a
giant in whose earrings were sittin two
ordinary sized mortals. AS the Hoat
moved on, monster arm and hand was
ended to seize some unlucky dancer,
, ."a - IN an easy nonchalant movement
w. " =, - was popped down the throat
creature to the delight of
And now comes a II,
quers, more or less anti 1'o"u VI 'uas
ways joking, laughing. any -. GOV up, a.
enjoyed by the throng that " so.o
strictly to the line that defined TIT Nep'
of the procession The confetti slunsi.'
tin scoops we're adroitly aimed at the
dancers on the floats as well as at the
passing cavacades of oddities. We must
look at one of these toilets a remarkably
tall masculine figure dressed as a little
girl trundling a hoop. attracts many
shouts of appreciation. The rosy baby
head surrounding this magnificently de-
veloped physique dressed in dainty short
frock and pantaloons was irresstab!y
funny. and the neatness with which the
hoop threaded the crowds was sight in
itself
But we must be alive, for here comes
another monster float. a huge kitchen,
where one sees the usual glittering dis
plav of awel ordered foreign establish
ment but9where have they picked up the
cooks? A big OK is consulting with an
equally Zig capon how to best serve the
roast, which happens to be the chief cook
nicely tucked into big pan. quiet
sheep is turning the spit on which hangs
another chef already beginning to brown.
Huge fish and Holsters flop about as they
hurry among the pots aud pans, out OF
which they slyly sling confetti at the
laughing crowd, and now the motive
power that drags this turning OF the
/ tables" attracts our attention. A corps OF
solutions in white caps and aprons har-
messed to tongue OF bologna sausage
with straps OF smaller links OF the same
savory article form the team. The driver,
dandy stag in slashins style, plays the
part admirably.
To enumerate the great wonders of the
next float, a rabbit warren, got up on an
equally grand scale, might be too much
OF good thing-though one can't help
thinking that these masquers must have
made close study from life. to carry out
so much the illusion. Rabbits sprnging,
making love. scolding. and in fine, doing
all sorts of humorous things, with favor
of rabbit manners that made this tioatlir-
resistaby droll, as the merry shout and
| hot fire of confetti from the crowd fully
testified. One might continue ad inrini-
tum, the list OF good things passing be-
| fore us-if we had not to do duty in the
never ending confetti fight At last we
| find ourselves about to be overwhelmed
with an extraordinary charge from a float
of brigands i'll picturesque surroundings,
reclining in lazy enjoyment among some
wonderfully natural rocks and trees. In
trice, as the procession makes halt, the
robbers are on their feet. with gigantic
! blunderbus pointed A storm of confetti
( was imminent. We hastily scooped np'o
tins full uf ammunition, and luckily we
were ready first, and furious rattle we
made. So we had only to prepare for the
return fire which soon descended, and to
| our great modification our rude salute
was answered by a shower of lovely How
| ers out of those hideous weapons. what
could we do but make the amende honor
able of return in bon bons!
The second day of the Fiesta opens
with the battle of flowers, when all
the magnificent equipages turn out. In
tcrmingled with these grand affairs are