New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-18
CARNIVAL NOVELTIES IN PARIS.
TOY GUNS FOR THROWING CONFETTI AND SER.
PENTINEs"

TOY GUNS FOR THROWING CONFEIIl AND sen
PENTINEs"
The pretty carnival and Mi-Carame custom o.
throwing confetti upon the heads OF masqueraders
afoot In carriages and In the oyerhanging bal
comics of fine residences has worked It's way from
Italy and Southern France up to Paris, and this
GEAR two or three novelties were seen at the French
capital which rendered easier the work Of carry
ing on this amiable warfare Hitherto 1t has been
found tlresome exercise to throw many hand
fuls Of confetti especially to height OF twelve or
fifteen feet And II IL difficult for any one but an
expert TO deliver this shower OF pellets exactly
whore he wishes In consequence there Is apt 10
be an exceedingly wasteful use OF ammunition. On
the following day one may find the boulevards
covered with confetti TO the depth OF an Inch or
in places
This year number OF people were provided with
a spring gun, which bore the appearance OF an In
nocent bamboo properly prepared car
fridge containing colored confetti could be Inserted
in this gun on the sly. The charge was rammed
down with a rod which forced back spring. Then
the bearer of the weapon awaited his opportunity
When the Queen Of Hearts or some other charm
ing creature approached I'm her carriage ne would
aim at a point above her head, press trigger ana
10! rain of rubies. emeralds and sapphires would
descend upon her and her suite. So accurately
could the fuslade be directed there was no escape
A modification Of this device was an imitation
of champagne bottle. for use at The family table
restaurants where small parties were
brating The company is I'm frocsome bumor. The
host removes the fastenings OF the cork The
stopper is loosened. The frcth IS about TO squirt
forth. wine glasses are IN readiness for hing
Then to the surprise of all, except those VINO are
in the secret. and like a sheaf OF rockets. up fly
the confetti, This discharge, as well as that from
the cane is controlled by concealed spring,
OF late a little colored ribbon, known az ser
pentne." has been much used; II Is thrown up
into the air as projecile. and often becomes en-
tangled in the branches OF the tics along the
bouIevards. But when thrown from the hand. Il
does not go very far and II is more ikely 70 miss
than to hit the human target at which II Is aimed
But this year the "spiroboe" has been introduced
TO aid one in managing these ribbons The spiro-
boie looks something like a crossbow without a
bow-that IS IL is n light wooden gun, with long
groove like that in which an arrow lies In a real
crossbow There Is stout rubber band winch Is
pulled back and caught on "A trigger. roll OF
ribbon Is now laid where the notched END or the
arrow belongs One end of the strip IS made fast
to the weapon and does not move. The trigger
being pressed. the rubber contracts IKE bow
s,ring and away into space flies the roll, unWinf-
ing as IL goes A serpentne hundred feet long
NAV thus he sent flying a a mark with great ac-
curacy and In the twinkng Of an eye. French
contemporary observes that the ERECT or tnls form
of attack is tres jot"