West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-04-12
MARDl- RAS.
History and Description Of This
Great French Festival
As Witnessed and Learned at New
Orleans by Member OF The Argus
Staif.
MAl FAiRrAx MORGAN.

MAJ FAlRFAN MORGAN
IT'S known. at least II should be throughout
All countries OF the Catholic persuasion,
Some weeks before shrove Tuesday comes
about.
The people take their ait Of recreation.
Aud by repentance. ere they grow devout,
However high their rank or low their station.
with Kidding. feasting, dancing. drinking.
masking
And other things which may be mad for asking
--LoRp BYRON.
We promised some of our friends TO give
full account of the Madri-Gras. This is
no easy task as il must be seen to be ap-
preeiaied,an no person who has not actually
witnessed ono of these spectacles can i'm
agine their magnitude or gorgeous beauty
No pen can describe the dazzling splendor
Of this great carnival. We met people who
had been attending for twenty-five years and
all they could tell you was ''you must see il
for yourself" " Mardi-Gras- "Shroye,ide. -
means Striving time, or Absolution-time--
a name given to the days Immediately pre-.
ceding Ash-Wednesday. after which Lent
is ushured in. During the Carnival all is
feasiing and merry making. After Shrove
Tuesday, Lent begins and then fasting and
praying commences.
In 1897 a great many young Creole gen
tlemen who had been educated in Paris. de-
cided TO establish some of the Parisian cos
tunes in New Orleans The Mardi-Gras of
the French is Shrove-Tuesday. For many
years the young men organized grand street
professions of masqueraders and each year,
they grew more splendid. These we're the
halcyon days of Louisiana, when adj was
prosperity when her planters. merchants
and descendants of the adventurous French.
men who had colonized the delta of the Mis-
sissippi, looked to the old country for their
fashions, their amusements and literature.
and scores Of their sons were sent 60 Paris
to complete their education. 1t was only
natural that these young Creoles should seek
TO transplant to New Orleans the theatrical.
operate, terpschorean and other amuse-
ments of the great metropolis on the Seine
The Carnival is relic of the old Roman
Lupercalia and is celebrated in all Latin
countries, but has its distinctive features in
each city. Paris and Nice in France, and
Rome, Naples and Venice in Italy, are It's
most famous homes. Lord Byron immortal
ICES Venetian Carnival in Beppo. The
past twenty years it has been losing caste in
these foreign cities and the only place il has
grown in popularity and is more generally
celebrated than of old is in New Orleans.
Those who have been abroad to compare the
Carnival of these foreign cities with the New
Orleans Carnival. say when it comes to mag.
nihcenee and spendor. there is no compari-
son. New Orleans can out do Rome, herself.
Other cities iu this country, like ST. Louis,
Denver Omaha and Memphis, have had
carnivals, but they are lust limitations and
have never succeeded in becoming popular
with the public, as they are very often the
New Orleans costumes. floats etc, gfoE an0e
or warmed over
From 1927 to 1857 the Carnival consisted
of hundreds Of maskers all over the city who
would parade the streets day and night 1t
was a great day for the boys, who clothed in
old dominoes, and masks. armed themselves
with clubs and bags Of aour, perambulated
the streets, seeking for victims on whom 10
exercise their malice. Their dcpreda,ions
were limited to such as likewise wore the
Carnival uniform and consisted in throwing
a)ur and confetti; this was also after the
fashion Of the Roman Carnyas In 1897
the Senior Carnival Society Of New Oheans.
the Mystic Krewe of Comus, made It's ap-
Pearance, and has ever since then appeared
each Mardi-Gras, for nearly fifty years II
took its name from the fact that :he first
series Of tableaux presented by it were taken
from Millions famous Masque Of Comus.
Since then numerous other Carnival Societies
have sprung into existence, until now there
IS scarcely day for two weeks in advance
Of Mardi-Gras that is not given up 70 ball.
parade or some similar entertainment Of the
different organizations. They are all secret
societies aud charted for artistic purposes.
No one knows what they will do or anything
about 1t until the time of each societies
parade Everything is kept profound
secret from the public or even the friends of
members. In 1872 Rex made his hrst ap.
pcarance Ills is the Carnival organization
proper, and was started for the purpose Of
combining all the maskcrs in the city intoo one
grand organizado for the entertainment of
The Grand Duke Alexis, Of Russia. who was
the guest Of New Orleans al that Time
The Grand Duke reviewed the parade from
the portico Of the city bali II was such a
grand success that year, that Mardi-Gras.
was made a legal holiday in New Orleans.
Rex has appeared annually ever since.
lie IS The liking Of the Carnival" and his
court is composed Of dukes and peers of the
realm, appointed from ihe best circles Of the
city and prominent men from other places
This year Admiral Dewey was made "Dukc
Of Manila" aud Speaker Henderson was
also created a Duke. They both acceldcd
the Carnival title and honor. General
Grant visited New Orleans when he was
President and Joined in ihe Carnival mcr
rimcn, and accepted from Rex tnc title of
"Dukc OF America Res chooses Queen
a. bis ball and ihis lady. invested with royal
symbols, IS known as "rbc Queen Of the
Carnival" The King presents her with
magnificent jewels, that are usually made boz
Paris and are quite costly They arc ex.
hib'ied for some days before tac bau IN
some prominent jewelers. window where
ths general public can feast their eyes on
The ornaments Of royalty. The Queen
chooses her maids Of honor aod her position
is a high social honor ln New Orleans and Is
largely soogh, ior BY all che young women