The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-03
WONDERS OF THE SEA.
Rex Depicted Marine 'Lifc ut His
Carnival.
A SKETCH OF THE MARDl GRAs,
Miss Ethclyn I.nliandc Rcirncd ms
Queen ut the Hail of Comus
ana Ills Mystick Krewc.

lures. legends Of the ocean and imaginative
subjects, making magnificent pageant.
The Mystick Krewe OF Comus tonight rep
resented Homer's "odyssy." and made
twenty splendid pictures out Of tho heroic
lines of the poem.
The Rex ball tonight was the usual mag
nincent affair. The Washington Artillery
hall was utilized. and the immense build
ing was not sufficient to hold the crowd
The throne room was made to represent
garden of palms, and was dream OF bcau-
ty. Miss Ethclyn Lallande was queen.
The crowd was one OF the largest In
years, all The railroads reporting Increased
attendance. This was somewhat uncxpect-
cd, as the roads north of the Ohio forgot to
put in reduced rates, and the Inauguration
rally kept many away.
The Drcxels. Howard Gould. John T.
Paine. John Boyd Thatcher. August BEL
! mont Sir nachc Cunard A, NJ Palmer and
many others led in delegations from
| abroad, philadelphia, Boston. New York
and Chicago being especially well repre-
| scented. The display was one OF the finest
given, tho parades today making an admir-
aDle impression upon tue strangers.
The earliest known Mardi Gras carnival
In the United States was in the early sos.
when the Weather French and Creole resi-
dents of Now Orleans held their nrst ccle-
bration. II was so great a success that II
WAS repeated In 1887. aud soon thereafter II
| became one of the annual features OF the
| social liio of this city.
| The city OF New Orleans has become IA
nous for its magnificent carnival pageants.
| as rtf tn 40 taN No M
has becn spared in past years in insuring
| the perfect Of every detail. All those per-
sons who have cuioyed one carnival in New
| Orleans are very willing to see second in
| the same city.
| on carnival day in New Orleans. there are
| always two pageants. one by day ana one
| by night. Tho gorgeous day pageant Of
king Rex appears on the streets in the
morning about 40 o'clock and winds It's daz-
zlug length through the principal streets OF
| the city, The night pageant is given large
| ~ to frivoiity, and the Mystick Krowe of
! Comus conducts the gorgeous display each
year. and later In The night comes the grand
| carnival ball. blaze OF glory and intoNica-
tion Of revelry.
The Mardi Gras this year surpassos In
splopdor that OF any previous yea For
| months the floats for the great parades have
| been in preparation, and extra paas have
been taken to make them not alone strong
| but of surprising magnicence. This year
the military parade, too. promises TO be
especially interesting
| There Is always great deal OF interest
| in the personnel of the mystic king OF the
| carnival his majesty Rex Tho position is
moi a limited and provisional one any long
er. for the sway OF the carnival king is
| acknowledged and recognized not only over
| the world OF folly AMI fun, but even among
| the dynasties Of seriousness and fact, and 1t
] is owing to the annual reign OF this mon
arch that New Orleans has become pre-
| eminent among the cities Of America.
| Every New Orleans girl lives In antici-
| patton Of being crowned queen Of the car
nlval. Such coronation is equivalent to a
notice served on all the social world that
Rex has recognized her MS the great belle
| of the season Once a Rex belle forever a
| belle is the VOL known axiom OF the Delta
City. In place so prolific OF beautiful wo-
men as New Orleans Il Is evident that the
| fortunate selection OF Rex must enjoy her
| triumph at the expense OF many aching
hearts. 1t is known that the prize winner
may go anywhere In the wide world and
as long as she lives enjoy her triumph
and wear on her sleeve the seal OF the city
Of beautiful women that she was thought
the most beautiful of the year by all the
| men.
| Tho ex-quoens OF the carnival form the
| particular COIleCtiOH Ol DedutlIui DtluBS VI
which New orleans is most proud. Rex
has been particularly fortunate in his Sc
| lecticns OF queens for night. Not one has
| ever had tho misfortune of a scandal
| Good King Rex is indeed despOt dur
Ing carnival time. and the mayor OF New
Orleans officially yields up the keys OF the
city. The kings name is sufficient to bring
almost anything about that his indefatig-
| ablo prime minister or lord chancellor, as
he is called, may conceive.
The order OF Rex is different In It's In
| terror organization from any of the many
| which serve TO mako the Crescent City 30
peculiarly An enjoyable place during the
| prevalence OF the festivities. H. is not a
secret order though to some extent osten-
slbly So The king is not supposed TO be
| known outside OF tho carnival court and Is
| selected by tho members Of that court from
among their number. II Is deemed n pre-
eminent honor and. Ike good many hon
| ors Is quite expensive. He is generally
man of large means and distributes his
royal favors with munihcent hand, and
| from his largo contributions to the general
fund, to the superb costume he wears sup
pers carriages, ETC., the bills amount away
up in the thousands.
He is always masked. or "mado up"
when appearing In public. but In reality
takes no part in the first days cereIno-
mics. which are made striking for the
pomp and parade incident TO the. arrival Of
tho king. For some weeks priOe 10 the
day OF his arrival dispatches appear In the
leading dailies, as II from his royal high
ness on his voyage from tho Sandwich Is
lands, West Indies or some far distant
country from which he Is supposed TO come
to pay his annual visit to his beloved sub
1ects.
AS rule some active member OF the
Order OF Rex personates the king the first
day. and this is considered mark OF favor
second only to that Of kinRhood itself.
on Tuesday. however. which is the big day
in New Orleans. the King himself appears
in the grand day parade of Rex holds a
royal reception at Carnival palace during
the early evening, and the glorious ball OF
the MyBtick Krcwo or OF the Knights OF
Menus at the opera house Is not In reality
opened until the Rex and tho queen, with
their court. arrive.
The queen is not seen until the carnival
palace Is thrown open at night and then.
seated IN the chair Of state upon a raised
and imposing platform. with the king at
her side. and behind and about them both
the high dignitaries OF the court and the
many maids OF honor. with their gentle
men attendants. she presents a picture