The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-16
FETE OF MARDI GRAS
Stephen Crane Describes the Celebra-
ton of This Remarkable Festival.
HIGH JlNKS IN NEW ORLEANS
The Extraordinary Pageant with
Its Display of color and Gay
ety-The Main Show and
the Side Shows.
Copyright 1896. by Bachelor. johnson


Copyright. 1896. by Bachelor. johnson
~ Bacheller)
1t rained toward the latter part OF
the week and the visitors who had al
ready arrived began to shake their
heads as they proceeded carefully over
the thin coating of black mud that lay
upon the uneven stones Of the streets
The citizens. however. remained i'm Sc
rene and mistaken faith. No. il would
not rain on Mardi Gras 1t never rain
ed then. There would be fine weather
Just wait.
And. IN truth, when Sunday appear
ed II was Of the quality of spring fair
SOFT and halmy with the singularly lu-
cid atmosphere OF the southland. on
Canal street swarmed an cxpectant
crowd lodging in and about the up
right joists that had been placed to
support the balconies The windows
OF the hotels and clubs were filled with
visitors from other cities taking pre-
hminary view of the wide street with
Its masses Of people upon the sidewalks
and upon the strip of yellow grass in
the middle of the avenue where too
al short intervals ran mule cars and
electric cars and the cars of a steam
tramyway proceeding slowly through
the throng and filling the air with
The clamor of gOngs In the breeze that
came over the housetops, decorations of
tered
At noon on Monday the throng occu-
pylng the avenue had been largely aug
mentcd. People turned their eyes to-
ward the levee where, because the
waters of the river could in no wise be
seen, the avenue seemed to be project
ed into the air. In the steel-colored
sky some black smoke drifted upward.
Then at last the masts and two tan
stacks OF q steamer moved slowly in
20 view, afar Off. over the multitude
OF heads In the street. Later there
could be seen the glitter of many ap-
preaching bayoncts and the steady
beat of martial music. The crowds on
the sidewalk underwent an anticipa-
tory CONFUSION. Rex. the majesty Of |
the carnival time. had come There /
was sudden Interpolation of crimson I
color into the black ma sses Of people |
down the avenue.
All Tuesday morning the usual som |
Der clothes Of citizens in the street we,-, /
Frightened by the gypsy hues OF the /
maskers. Small boys arrayod in won |
drous garments TO represent monkeys.
gnomes, imps, parrots. ANYTHING hut .
small boys, paraded i'm bands and reap
ed deep delight when they found q
victim for their skill i'm badiuage. And
much Older boys temporarily represent
ed as all manner of nondeacript person
JOY OF being their own devices with
a sort of mild license to capcr and
crack jokes into the air. At noon. Canal
street was a river of human bodies
moving slowly. At dusk. il was "A sea.
In which contrary currents indoIeutly
opposed each other. The fronts of the
clubs and principal buildings sudden
~ became outlined i'm the shine of cleo
tric lights and, i'm these brilliant
frames, symbolistic initials appeared
The royal colors Of green and purple
and gold shone forth in bunting and
SIR and glass. Between a curb and
'ne OF the horse car tracks a deep row
~ people had collected and the small
street cars came along at regular and / ;
nonotonous intervals and scrapod ,
'ome Of them away. The boxes and ,
stands had already begun to I'M IN !
ma the people in them turned their
aces toward the darkness Of the end