Arizona weekly citizen., 1895-03-09
FESTIVAL An Amusing Custom From
 Old Mexico. THE TOWN OF MORALES
In a Flour Storm. The Merry Makers No Resp ctors
 of Persons.
"A little nonsense now and then, Is relished by the best of men"

AS lHc DCSi Ol iuSh-
 It Is all right to be nonseDsical once
 in while. The steady grind, grind of
 life needs some cessation. and when the
 "iittle nonsense" is due, let it be more tban little. One might as well be a
 big fool as little one.
 Now by tbls 1 don't mem to say that
 the Nogales people are all nonsensical, flor this IS about all Nogales people, but they know when to call halt on
 grim care. This week they have been
 holding a carnival, all of which has been
 much of a success. But 1t IS the flour festival that l would more particularly invite your attention this evening. A four festival l. practice drought from old Mexico. They have no snow ID Mexico. so it IS probably used In leu of
 the grand old sport of up north and back east of "snowb balling." It is as 1 much like spowballing as anything l know of. They tDrow ths flour, pelt each other, smother one another, "wash their fac6s," rub it in the eyes
 and mouth, and down necks-O, they
 have great times. Then # IS es white as the average snow, ard has merits of
 it's own, being stickier, and more grCtes- que. One could wash a girls face in
 snow and it would only be little red der, and she would only look the rosier
 and prsttier for 1t. But rub flour on
 her and she is B sight. Her face will be
 a half ghastly, lud,crous affair, with the eyes like holes in the face, and the giean
 like it came from other regions. Now that isn't nice to say of the aver age good looking girl, but it's true. Then there's the wrinkles. Every person over 15 has Yrinklee, though th y may not know it or want to know it. The only difference is that with age they grow deeper. But with four on
 the face and none in the wrinkles, they all show up like crows feet Ire result | IS irresistabiy funny. How young person will look when 40 years older her face.
 About ? o'clock the fun began. Every where could be seen in grotesque attire, their owners carrying small bags with the flour. One noticeable feature was
 that they all had close fitting caps on, and many of them handkercniefs around their necks.
 It was not quite evident that the pur-
 pose of all this queer proc edinss De- came apparent. "s, hen the procession is over," they said, then the fun will bcgin." Soon along came the proces- sion. It was about as orderly as Bed- lam. From up the street it could be -eeD, throng in white. with light puffs of white dust from the four popping
 from it like guns in pictures ot bat
 tie. They Were throwing the flour at
 the spectators, but soon they had all the
 treets to themselves. Some of the fi-eing ones took to the house tops and the surrounding hills--but l will get to them later.
 On they came, women, men and chii- dren in their fantastic array. They were smeared from top to toe with four and evidently wished to show their copdi- iion win every body else. The COT Sc queDce was that every poor man, woman and child about got it. Notably was the experience of 8 farmer, his wife ana child, in buggy, in passing the pro- cession. No respect was shown. Bifl spatl went flour over them, in their mouths and eyes, and on thelr clothing. Even the family nag came in for atten tions.
 No mercy WAS shown to rank. estate or degree. Even beauty was not spared All came in for the four Every dlstinc. tiou wss strictly leveled I saw Nogales lady start out bravely to whiten a very dark Mexican. It ended with her getting the worst of it The boy, and one or two more, completely smear ed her, even her hair being filled. But she showed no temper over it.
 Then there was another lady, who really got more ther she bargalned for. She was looking demure and interested. her face all innocent of flour. Sudden ly there was startlinng change in her appearance. And worst of all she was nearly choked and blinded, and could only express her anger by stamping her feet.
 The crowd adjourned to the plaza, near the Mexican custom hoose The Her nosillo band, m brave and startling uniform of caps as high as "stovepipe" 1! ats, uniform begilded and tassled, in red, yellow, blue and black, with pants very tight at the knees and shoes very pointed, furnished the music. The, can play all right, however. The sidewalk was smooth, and the flour on it made good substitute for wax. Then they danced. did those giddy ones in white, and had a very jolly time.
 All were not there. however. Some, fearful of four, had taken to the roofs. The four tients followed, and for their flour got back water. Those on the hills had to flee again, and often in vain.
 The iollity lasted three hours, and ended with pasty faces and gladeome hearts. The whole towr emelt like Touring mill.
 Say what they will but the Tucson contingent was almost as large 4s the Nogales merrymakers, they made quite as much fun, comprised of course big If the good looks of the crowd, and enjoyed themselves. Ina zine, ye Tucsonites, Fred Fleishman, stad and dignified business man, throw ing flow in girls faces, himself a sight to behold, as grim and white 6s any of 1 them. The Tucsoni.es expressed them | selves generally es pleased with their | rip, and NOgales appeared to make | them welcome. Many regets were ex- pressed that they missed the masque- rade at the Mexican custom house rues- | day night. That was quite the hand | somest masquerade this part of the | world has ever seen, aud 1 will write of | 1t next mail
 The -four festivities over, with three hours of the white stuff the town looked | Ike snowstorm had fallen-while the people, they were only moving white masses. After it was all over they had heir pictures taken, in a body. They ooked like this: