The record-union., 1897-05-21
CARNIVAL NOVELTIES IN PARIS.
Toy Guns for Throwing Confetti and
"SerDentineS."


The pretty carnival and Mi-Careme
custom of throwing confetti upon the
heads of maSQueraders afoot, IN car
riages and in the overhanging balconies
of fine residences has worked its way
from Italy and Southern France up to
Paris, and this year two or three nov
elites were seen at the French Capital
which rendered easier the work of car
rying on this amiable warfare. Hith-
erto it has been found a tiresome exer-
erto it has been found a tire some eXer-
else to throw many handfuls of confetti,
especially to hight Of twelve or hfteen
feet. And it is difficult for any one
but an expert to deliver this shower OF
pellets exactly where he wishes. In con-
sequence there is apt to be an exceed
ingly wasteful use of ammunition. On
the following day one may find the
boulevard covered with confetti to the
depth of an inch or more in places.
This year a number of people were
provided with a spring gun, which bore
the appearance of an innocent bamboo
cane A properly arranged cartridge,
could be inserted in this gun on the sly,
The charge was rammed down with a
the bearer of the weapon awaited his
opportunity When the Queen of Hearts
or some other charming creature ap-
preached in her carriage he would aim
at point above her head, press trig-
ger, and loi a rain of rubies, emeralds
and sapphres would descend upon her
and her suite. So accurately could the
fusillade be directed there was no es-
cape.
A modification of the device was an
imitation of champagne bottle, for use
at the family table or in restaurants
where small parties were celebrating.
| The company is in frolicsome humor.
The host removes the fastenings of the
cork The stopper is loosened. The
| froth is about to squirt forth, wine
glasses are in readiness for filling. Then.
to the surprise of all, except those who
are in the secret, and, like sheaf of
rockets, up fly the confetti This dis
charge, as well as that from the cane,
| is controlled by a concealed spring.
OF late little colored ribbon, known
as "serpentine," has been much used.
1t is thrown UP into the air as a pro-
jectile, and often becomes entangled in
the branches of the trees along the
boulevards. But when thrown from the
hand it does not go very far, and it is
more likely to miss than to hit the hu-
man target at which it is aimed But
this year the "spiroboIe" has been in
| troduced to aid one in managing these
ribbons The spirobole looks something
like a crossbow without a bow-that is,
it is a light wooden gun, with a long
groove like that in which an arrow lies
| in a real crossbow. There is stout
rubber band, which is pulled back and
caught on a trigger. A roll of ribbon is
| now laid where the notched end of 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 like a bow string, and
away into space flies the roll, unwinding
as it goes. A serpentine a hundred feet
| long may thus be sent flying at a mark
with great accuracy, and in the twink
| ling of an eye. A French contemporary
observes that the effect of this form of
attack is tres joli. New York Tribune.