Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-12-09


That, however made little difference.
as it was carnival night and free Ii
cense was given. Phoenix was on her
honor, and her honor stood the test.
All due respect to women and children
was observed and those who took a
peep at the tiger were as safe without
an escort as with one. There We're some
good women in the city who did not
care to participate in the festal scenes.
yet wanted to crafty their curiosity
to see the inside of saloon. This they
could do and did safely do unmasked
and accompanied by their escorts.
From this hour on till midnight the
scene on Washington street was a per-
feet wilderness of handsome, gro
tesque and quaint costumes. Some of
them were expensive, and in the cut
and colors beautiful to behold. Others
were worthy of note for their utter
lack of an approach to an idea or an
ideal. Some gave evidence that much
time and money had been spent to
make their wearers look pretty, while
others seemed to glory in the acme of
distorted combination
Every race of people that now exists
on earth or that has been recorded in
the annals of ethnology was represent
ed in all its variations, and others that
it will take million years to classify
We're in evidence.
Then came the rlonstrosities Cos
tunes, half male and half female, and
within them, possibly, your own wife.
husband or sweetheart. Many seemed
to be inspired by the one idea that they
must cover up, no matter how.
And faces! Talk about them. The
human face was worked over in more
ways than could be told about in books,
while the masks were simply of incon-
ceivable variety. Many even stole
their features from the lower animals
and wandered about like a menagerie
humanized.
Many, of course, who simply came to
see were not masked. Some
were prevented by business or other
reasons. But they enjoyed it just the
same. The greater number of the
maskers looked like fools, but those
who were not masked felt like fools
and well nigh concluded they were be
fore the night was over. Imagine Mr..
reader, a pretty female hand
shaking your horny paw while a
CHEEKY voice says Hello, Charlie" Her
face protected her, while Charles face
was a dead give away. Were it COW
cred he might be little inpertinent in
questioning the identity of the dear girl
before him. But as it was every break
he made and every erroneous guess
Will be told on him today. Many wo
men dressed in mems attire. By the
way, for those who wanted to see the
sights it was the best possible costume.
They could not hide their femininity,
but their identity was as unknowable
as the secret of life. Hundreds of men
and boys affected the feminine char
acter bat it was seldom one could play
the part.
a lad would strut around all evening
playing lady and when it occurred to
him to go home, or duty called him
elsewhere, he would pick UP his skirts
and streak like a jackrabbit
All the city was incognito. The man
who did not mask walked the streets
like q stranger in a great city. His
position was even worse than that, for
here and there some person would ap-
pear and address him, and he was COM
PEELED to stand like a wooden man,
W
his wife or the kitchen maid in his own
household. The ludicrous was present |
ID from every ina aginable view. Wash |
ington street never saw a more cos |
mopolitan crowd. There were the |
most amusing eXaggerations of nation |
al character and costume ever seen. !
Prince Bismarck bumped up against !
the car of Russia, and General Miles
aobnobbed with privates and civilians /
regard for his rank.
But it is useless to enter into detail !
II further particularize. Those who !
we're present can never be brought to .
IN adequate realization of what they |
missed. The most of the masqueraders /
participated in the ball at O'Neill !
lan. There they danced till late
n the morning, when the masks
we're removed and a general recogni-
ion brought the crowd into closer
touch. The hall was crowded to its
fullest, and the participants enjoyed
he occasion immensely. 1t was the
asst scene in the closing act of the car
lival drama, which has been the great
,st success of any enterprise ever un-
lertaken in Phoenix.