The record-union., 1896-04-12
MARDI GRAS IN MUNICH.
How the German Carnival Impressed an
American Girl.
Students in the Gay Procession-The
Music, the Floats and the Gen.
eral Jollity of the Crowd.


been written of the Italian and French
carnival season that we were more
than surprised when we found that
munich was to celebrate the occasion
IN a fitting manner with procession
ano the usual confetti galore. The
students We're the class who entered
most heartily into the proceedings, with
the able assistance Of the artistic set.
I'VE had heard Of the
FOUR THOUSAND STUDENTS
m Munich, and had seen many of them
on the streets and at the noon-d day
concert in front of the palace. They
were always distinguished by their gay
corps caps, their slashed faces. and
the inevitable dog following. Everyone
IN Munich has a specimen of the ca
nine race, which always accompanies
him upon his strolls in town. Some of
The dogs are large and ferocious look
cng, while others are SO small that when
enveloped in their winter overcoat it is
hard to tell where the dog really begins
Ihe favorite Of the students is the little
BOW-LEGGED DASCHHUND,
Which they say is the most intelligent
and affectionate of animals, but until
cne grows accustomed to their ways
they impress one little queerly. For
two weeks before Mardi Gras hardly a
night passed without masked ball
being given at one of the large halls in
munich, but as we were not fortunate
enough to see one, I shall have to omit
q description, and simply say that they
were one and all voted a huge success
Dy those who attended: but on the Sun
day before Lent the festivities COM
nrenced in which the public were in
vited to join. When we appeared at
breakfast in our hotel we noticed an
air of suppressed excitement about the
walters, and when we reached the hall,
the small Buttons, our friend and we'll
wisher, stopped us and begged to be al
lowed the pleasure of supplying us with
numerous colored balls of confetti and
rolls of brilliant colored papers which
were soon to make the street an object
of beauty, festooned as they were from
every wire and cornice, and floating
gaily In the breeze. We We're most for
tunafe in having our windows face up
on Macmillan strasse, down the whole
length of which the procession wound
dts way, and also in having for our COM
panions Munich artist and his wife,
who both took the greatest pains to
show us the beauties and the signifi-
canoe of the various floats. By
O'Clock the streets began to become
crowded, and by 2 standing room was
a a premium, while every step and
window was occupied by
AN ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD.
And soon our patience was rewarded for
far down the street a huge figure was
seen approaching, and the slight breeze
would occasionally carry a bar Of mar
tial music to us. The crowd was per-
fectly orderly one, and during the en-
tire day we noticed but one policeman,
who seemed to be enjoying himself as
much as the fest of us. His response
bilities did not rest heavily upon him.
The procession was headed by a num-
ber of chimney-sweeps riding upon BIZ
cycles, and, with their black clothes and
smutty faces, made striking contrast
with the more brilliant costumes fol-
lowing. Then came float with a
huge jumping-jack, which opened its
mouth and tossed its arms and legs
about in the most approved acrobatic
style. Then a mounted band came gay
ly along, filing the air with a lively
march, and before we knew it we were
as excited as the rest of the multitude,
and were devoting all our energies try
ing to make good shots with our rolls
of paper, which, If well managed, would
wind themselves about a person In a
truly bewildering style.
MANY OF THE FLOATS
Were purely local hits and jokes, but
many we could appreciate, notably the
"Munchener Mutter- Milch," which con-
sisted of a huge wagon, on the floor of
which were numerous babies (men's
size), carefully tied up in a pillow by
means of pink and blue ribbons. In the
mouths of each tender sucking was a
long rubber tube connecting with a
huge cask of ''Hof-Braueri'' beer, which
stood in the middle. Soon after that
came an electric car propelled by horse
power from behind-for Munich is old
fashioned enough to still cling to bob
tail horse-cars, and the more progress
sive elements are becoming impatient
This car rumbled slowly along, and
upon every possible occasion 1t would
stop, the conductor would blow a
whistle, and all the passengers, ladened
with bundles OF assorted sizes, would
hop out Suddenly the car would start
up again, and there would be a wild
scramble for seats. One passenger, a
very stout lady 90 with a blonde wig
was always the last one on, and the pa
tient conductor would have to push and
pull before she would be able to make
the step, and of course the crowd
shouted encouragement
Another clever thing was a mounted
band of men, who were dressed to rep
resent turnips, wearing a huge top.
which at a distance was unmistakable.
OF course there were many beautiful
and artistic costumes, and the King of
the Carnival in his fower-trimmed
chariot was most effective-and need I
say that the British family zen route"
was not omitted? That is feature no
well-regulated Continental celebration
ever omits. This time the family con-
sisted of father, mother and daughter
riding upon a wheel. They were all
dressed in a material off the same piece
of a huge checker-board pattern, and
lorgnettes and poke bonnets were we'll
in evidence. After having exhausted
our supply Of ammunition. we decided,
one and all, to adjourn and have
A SIDEWALK VIEW
OF the procession, so We walked up to
Schelling strasse, and saw it just be-
fore it disbanded, where we found that,
although they did not look so fresh as
when starting forth in their pristine
glory, they still seemed ready for much
more fun, which am sure they at once
nroceeded to have, for all the cafes had
a fool programme that evening, and
the festivities were kept up until a late
hour.
On Monday we CHANGED upon another