Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-02-18
Described by an Akron
Young Man.
The Great Festival a
Great Attraction
For Visitors From Zero Land
The Pageant.

Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday! What
pictures the words conjure up in the
minds of all who have been In New
Orleans when that Bagdad Of the
South throws aside her cares and cele-
brates, In wild abandon this festival,
so peculiarly her own.
Masquerades, dancing parties, the
opera and every conceivable form OF
amusement comes with the accession |
of Rex, the traditional King Of the |
Carnival, who is given the keys Of the
city on the day before Mardi Gras,
and who reigns supreme until the be-
ginning of Lent.
Thousands of visitors pay tribute at
his court each year; many returning
again and again, unable to resist the
temptations and fascinations of this
period of merriment. There are so
cieties in the city, organized and main
tained for naught else than the per-
petuation of the festival. The King
and Queen are chosen long before the
actual carnival begins, but the iden-
tity Of ench is kept a profound secret
until the final celebration, Rex's ball.
This Is usually held Mt the French
opera house, In the older part of the
city, where the narrow streets and
quaint buildings. erected according to
French and Spanish rancies of 100
years ago, make an especially appro-
pirate setting for the gorgeous cere.
monies Of mock court.
The story goes that Rex, King of the
Carnival, is born on a fairy craft In
the Caribbean sea, and is waited to
the city by the soft winds and gentle
breezes of the gulf. On the day pre-.
ceding Mardi Gras, the ceremony OF
delivering up the keys OF the city,
takes place. A gun boat Is anchored
in the river. The military organlza.
tions turn out, a committee Is sent
out TO the boat, and Rex lis escorted
to the shore, where he receives the
keys of the city, while the boat fires
n salute and the soldiers. drawn up
in n motionless double line present
arms. This officially begins the Mardi
Gras and the fun is kept up In man
ner possible only to Southern people,
until Lent ends 1t all.
The famous festival had Its origin
In a custom OF tho French and Span.
ish Catholics, who founded the city.
Before turning aside from the pleas.
ures OF the world and taking up the
penances and fastings incident to the
observance of Lent, II was customary
10 get all the enjoyment possible out
of the week ending with Ash
Wednesday Merry mnskers pnradcd
the streets from morn tin night.
Monks and wild American Indians
mingled with Turks and clowns, Hour,
is from the harems of the Orient went
hand in hand with dcmure nuns and
saucy grisettcs. There was a ming.
ling o. fantastic figures of all sorts
and all were bent on having the bes,
md livllest time possible. Every one
danced or went 10 the opera at night
and the city forgot the worries OF bus
mess, OF sickness, and made merry
for week.
Then. Lent having begun, all wai
stilled, Blinds We're drawn, an all
OF quiet pervaded the streets and al
appearance OF life and animation de
parted as suddenly as it had come
The festivities began to acquire NOR
than local fame. More aud NOR
visitors came each year; some frou
neighboring cities and States, other
from the chill of a northern winter
= N NIX oAFE e