The San Francisco call., 1896-04-16
REIGN AMID FLOWERS.
Pretty Little Tots in Decorated
Carriages Win Plaudits
and Trophies.
FLoRA's CHOICE OFFERINGS
Carnival Guests Gaze Upon Magni.
fcent Collection Of California
Plants.

SANTA BARBARA, CAL, April Is
'Where does the dust come from? ?" in
quired Frenchman who to-day witnessed
what is an unusual feature of the carnival
season.
From the Moiave desert" humorous
native replied.
"Why do they not go out and water the
desert?" was the second question pro-
pounded by the foreigner.
The day has been dusty and the wind
has blown incessantly. That has made
little difference, as the programme has
been of indoor entertainment, but 1t is the
prayer of the natives that the accustomed
calm and pleasant weather be restored to-
morrow. The parade and the battle OF
flowers would not be improved by the
healthful breezes. Weather experts pre-
dict that the wind will not blow.
Santa Barbara is tonight a bewiIdering
city, with 10000 more inhabitants than it
had a weak ago. The streets are almost
laden in decorations. Every material that
grows in California in flower beds, in
fields, in forest or on the distant hills has
been brought into service for the adorn-
ment of the city.
Six large loads Of hay. being hauled for
decorative purposes, were counted on State
str ct yesterday afternoon. That gives
an idea OF the extent of the decorations,
with a suggestion OF the Santa Barbara
citizens versatility. Hotels are over
crowded, the homes of the people are
filled with guests, but accommodations
will be provided for those who come The
success of the carnival is assured, the man
ayers say.
The floral parade will begin at o'clock
tomorrow: to be followed by the battle OF
roses. The concluding event OF Friday
evening will be the carnival ball.
The Spanish musicians played valiantly
in the further end of the pavilion this af-
ternOon. the roof of the large tent-like
structure was kept in furious motion by
the wind that has blown all day, and the
flags and bunting streamers were in con.
slant laDorious futter.
Among the roses and the rarer flowers
which were arranged on tables all over the
crash-covered floor, six hundred or more
ladies sat in the movable chairs and con-
versed with the escorts for whom no seats
had been provided. In a general way the
scene was that of fashiona Bile ana flower.
society
circus to begin, but it was in reality ten
circuses that the people were waiting to
see, for there were Just ten babies in the
baby parade.
The Spanish band began an old Cas-
lillian lullaby ands that audience arose as
suddenly as If the playful Southern breeze
had succeeded in its attempt to take the
roof away. Every woman said something
endearing and every man exclaimed,
Twins"
G. E. Sawyer is the postmaster at Santa
Barbara. but as a greater distinction still
be is the father of those twins. The white
carriage that contained the babies had
been built for two. 1t was richly decor
ated with roses and white ribbons, and in
their floral vehicle the babies face to face,
were sound asleep. The chubby tots are
Wilbur and Rebecca. A pretty thought
was in having the carriage wheeled bv
twins OF decidedly larger growth-two
pretty little girls from Montecito.
The twins were at the head of the little
procession that went around the audience
dozen times or more. All the babies
were near the age of years, and if it had
been the duty of the Judges to decide
which was the most beautiful the task
would have been far more difficult than
that OF deciding which carriage was the
most prettily bedecked. 1t was the car
riages that were placed in competition for
the silver cup and the babies, like the
roses, were ornaments.
Edessa, the daughter of Mr.. and Mrs
w. H. Arne, nestled in her rolling bed of
white roses and cooed at everybody. Mr..
and quiet. The carriage seemed to be
made of roses. Pink and white roses
formed the bower in which was Helen.
The baby son of Mr.. and Mrs. Z. ]. ia
quith-George Russell Mitchell-was a
manly looking infant, and the pink roses
were Ike the color of his cheeks. Mr.. and
Mrs. Bean were patriotic enough to send
two babies to the show. They had no
child of years, so they sent one of 8
years and another of year, which made
the average all right. Daniel Bean was
the younger and Raymond the elder.
Emma Bean and Mary Bean, two pretty
little girls, propelled the carriages, which
were decorated with lilac, cloth and wild
flowers that correspondent in color.
The carriages were in tandem, connected
by lilac ribbons. Francis, the pride of
Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Mcguire. was in a
glorious and nice carriage of nasturtiums.
he sat erect, and the dark brown eyes be-
meath his almost golden hair seemed full
OF interest in the proceedings. Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Streeter's baby (Violet) was
among roses of white and pink, and was
too happy to care for the opinion of the
judges. The pretty girls in white who
propelled the carriages, in addition to
those mentioned, We're Fern Andrews.
Ethelin Heyl, Helen Nichols, Grace Stat
ford and Mamie Doty.
As the little procession moved in its con-