The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-16
Visitors ArIVingin New Orleans for What
Will Be The Greatest festival Ytt'
KING REX COMES UP RIVER IN A BOAT.
Governor aud stan Receive ''''''"S
tary Companics-Aii Pay Homage w
Kexat n Bali. when lie Chooses MS
Queen and Visits the bah-"'
OF the City-Psgeant That
Laughs at the Grea,
Ice Carnivais.

~ Nnrdi Gras begins "'''
-. Monday morning You hear i's "rs'
80 SATURDAY and sunday they VIII
-, ,,non the city with the i.ains oil
x,o,6o,,s sun. Every train is oins'hF
visitors and ihc hotels divide the'' ''"'
,e,we,n their decorations ana tne'
guests. ....
Tho siarci Gras carnival IS the E'''',''
Z, the word. The revcls OF Rome '".
rattle Of Flowers of Nice. the fe"s'' o.
Madrid are small compared 10 H. Inc
entire Ice carnival of Canada would ne
only ono event in the brilliant TWO u'SS
spent by Rex and his court g., ..o.,
Won can have little conception II you
live in tho North of the hold when ln'1'
t,yo DAYS take upon the city ne H"N,
nor ana his stan are the leaders IN lne
49,. The Mayor ana his assoc
c,stes.afc al the head Of The professions
,rhe Crews OF the South. the Louisiana
Artillery. the Continental Guards. All the
great military bodies are 'on duty "uI-
ing Mardi Gras 20 assist IN rece.'lne
quests ana pay homage 10 Rex ana arc
part OF the carnival
Fun BEFORE FASTING.
The Feast OF the Mardi Gras IS nom
i.g more nor less than "A TWO days
Lent Tho fun begins ShroNe MONDAY
and lasts until midnight Tuesday. Then
Ash Wednesday is ushcrct in, ana the
carnival people stripping taeit gay toy
gerry from head ana heels. troop 10 me
churches and fan upon thcir Knees ln
prayer Their deyotiOns are OF thank
fulncss TO God Tor the jcy Of the past
few days.
Tho New orleans Mardi Gras IS one Of
the most aristocratic of functions hut
81 is of nature in which ak take part
The entire city goes a-ieasilng Norm
crners cannot appreciate H. But those
who are Mardi Gras jewellers once Tor
get Il never
The first note you hear Of the Mardi
Gras is a commotlon upon the yellow
Sea" the Mississippi Up and down the
streets the fun-lOving negroes run cry
ing that they have seen Rex. Rex Is
here. Rex Is here" they call TO every
body.
Rex is the King Of The Marli Gras.
Who he is never is known As In All
great events. there are some discerning
ones But the exact name and status Of
Rex is kept silent until the minute he
unveilS his face two days later Some
times Rex IS an obstinate King ana viii
not reveal his face ever. and then the
rest Of the year the mcrrymakers are
wondering who Rex really was" That
cratic America French city Is taken for
granted Surely For did ne not choose
Queen from out the very ranks OF New
Orleans swelldom?
REX's ARRIVAL.
Rex comes 10 New Orleans upon a ship.
generally The vessel is very beautifully
decorated and IT Is filled with "courtiers.
men who wear gay costumes and pay
continual homage TO their King. Perhaps
NH. q ~. Wit a
rudder while his cOurtiers are grouped
around him. All. presumably have come
from the North. All wear small masks
with noses that disguise effectually; and
behind them are groups of ladies Of the
court" who by the way are young men
dressed as women: for IL Is not good
etiquette for the girl merrymakers 10
appear masked in the streets. They wait
for the Mardi Gras Ball
At the wharf the military companies
receive Rex and escort him 10 the city
Hall. Here the Mayor of the city gives
the keys of New Orleans 10 King Rex.
and for the next forty-eight hours he is
monarch of the Crescent CITY
one of the delightful features Of the
Marcel Gras is the presence of many Wis
iting military companies. These come
from the North. East and West Every
city that has regiment deserving
vacation makes its preparations 10 send
Gras The military companies of the
city entertain them and the first day of
the Mard Gras they are entertained by
Rex at a grand banquet. The blue coats
land the gray mix. and II is held that
4 tho Mardi Gras has united the North
and South quicker than any other thing
has ever done.
The profession Of Rex takes place
after the city has become his. This pro-
cession lies through the main streets of
New Orleans and is grand pageant.
Nothing has ever been known TO excel
the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade.
feature OF this is the allegorical floats.
These represent the history OF the city
the Court OF Napoleon OF which a visit
10 New Orleans always reminds YOU. and
all the allceorical figures Of history. Fa-
nous pictures are represented. mytholo-
Eicdl subjects are portrayed. all the incl
dents Of the United States and finally
come great brilliant pagcants so intr-
cate. so vast and SO ventmesome for
street use that fire engine follows them
Tor fear OF names or personal danger
Visitors telling OF the Mardi Gras add
bit 10 its interest by putting romance
20 fact They like to draw the Great
feast as a great riot They put license
in the place o. liberty. and they would
~~h'1yo you believe that IL Is not safe 10
vcoture out of doors by day or night in
The beautiful city while King Rex is
abroad. But the Mardi Gras is not con-
Quoted that way.
IN the trees Of New Orleans during
the parade YOU see crinning monkeys.
with BIC heads and preiernaturally white
teeth. You see all sorts OF strange ami
mals scrambling zap 10 the branches and
you behold. worming its Way through
the boughs the most impossible reptiles
and the oldest tropical creatures As
you pass underneath YOU may be shower.
ed With nuts or showed under with bits
p OF tinsel and paper. or you may get n
rap upon tho head with the tail OF q
snake. But you take II all In good bart
for Rex Is coming-RcX preceded bv "A
gay bodyguard; Rex with his pageant.
Rex with his brilhancy ana merriment
Through the middle OF the streets are
ranks Of carnivallers. They are dressed
In strange array. with strange noses.
noses that tell You they are from Me
phistoS regions cousins OF His Majesty
OF horns and tail There IS no law for
costume. and all can parade who stem
out into The procession and keep ahead
Of the lights Of the chariot following
ProSrcss must be made IL Rex is 10 full
M MS whole programme
The programme Of Mardi Gras is recu-
lated BY the societies Of the city. who
form themselves IN Mardi Gras COMMITTEES