The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-03-03
EDIroRIAL CORRESPONDENTS.


Notwithstanding the drawbacks
encountered by New Orleans the past
year-the levee excitement in the
Spring, o"casioned by the unusual
height reached by the river, and the
yellow fever scourge last Fall-the
Mardi Gras festivities just passed
were fully equal, if not superior, in
splenGor and magnitude to any of
their predecessors and 1t is estimated
that the number of visitors was as
large as heretofore.
The New Orleans Carnival, which is
of annual recurrence, far surpasses
anything of this character attempt
ed on this side the water and is said
to rival, if not to transcend, those in
Paris, from which the idea originated,
and puts one in mind of the ancient
Roman festivities of which we read in
the books.
The Carnival belongs with that
class of things which, literally, must
be seen to be appreciated fully, for
the reason that the power of pen
description is altogether inadequate
to portray in detail it's uniqueness
and magnifcence.
1t is not our purpose to attempt
anything approaching a detailed
description, but simply to jot few
notes which may interest our readers
and give them faint idea of what a
New Orleans Carnival is.
There are, usually, five street
parades, designated as Proteus,
Rex's Arrival, Rex, Comus and
Priority Phunny Phellows, the last
named, as the spelling indicates,
being of humorous character. Each
parade, except Rex's Arrival, illus.
trates a given subject throughout
the parade, which is composed of
numerous floats, most artistically
built and adorned for the special
occasion, and these, together with
the living characters, elegantly at
tired, tell the story in pantomime to
admiring thousands along the line of
march.
For instance, the subjects this year
were as follows: Proteus parade, GA
Visit to Wonderland" Rex parade,
Harvest Queens; Comus parade,
"Scenes from Shakespeare; Priority
Phunny Phellows parade. "Slang
Phrases" All of these took place at
night, except that of Rex.
We append descriptions from the
New Orleans Picayune of two of the
floats, the first from Comus parade
and the second from the Rex parade,
which will serve to give some concep-
tion of the character of this part of
the Carnival:
"KING RICHARD III
Illustrates Richards dream before
the battle on Bosworth Field, when
appear to him all those that he has
treated SO cruelty, Hastings, Queen
Anne-Richard's wretched wife-and
the two little princes in the tower,
who he caused to be so foully muir
dered in all their sweet youth and
innocence. The roses of York and
Lancaster blossom in their last faint
glory, and back OF him appears a
crowned helmet, the crown which,
after the next days battle, was to
rest on another's head.
"Good angels fight on Richmond's side;
And Richard falls in height of all his
pride"
ORANGES.
Amid the rustling reeds of Louis
lana swamp vessel of quaint design
was here presented, drawn by i'm
mense alligatOrs, harnessed to the
boat by weighty chains. A cabin
decorated with the golden-sphered
fruit sheltered the royal mistress of
this toothsome harvest. In the
PROV reclined three subordinate
sprites, while winged helsman was
stationed at the stern. A bird of
paradise perched upon the carved
bow and shook his superb plumage
in the bright sunshine.
The arrival of the imaginary King,
Rex, occurs on the Monday after
noon preceding Ash Wednesday. He
arrives by boat, is masked and at
tired in royal costume and is met at
the river front by an immense con-
course of his subjects. A procession,
composed of numerous military COM
panies, marines, cadets and promi-
nent citizens in carriages escorts His
Majesty to the City Hall, where the
keys of the city are presented to the
King and the procession proceeds
along the line of march mapped out
The Rex parade, heretofore men
toned, occurs the next afternoon,
Eat Tuesday," which is Mardi Gras
day.