The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-18

to accommodate with acceptable hospital
ity all who attend.
The gorgeousness OF Afardi Gras Il
great, and the attractions of This quaint
city ana salubrious climate are equally
great.
SUCCESS DUE TO RIVALRY.
The cost OF these pageanis IL so great
that visitors wonder that the city OF New
Orleans can produce them year after year
and Il IN probable that there Is not an-
other city OF tho size in the world where
the money could be rai~ed continuously.
The rivalry Uf the secret societies is re-
sponsibe for it
In the evening IL the pageant or the
Mystic Krew or Comus. and IL is then
that the greatest revelry reigns I'm the
city. New Orleans on Mardi Gras night
furnishes a srene which will be remem-
bered for a lifetime.
The pageant is followed by two balls,
the Comus bail at tne French opera
house and the ReN BAH. Al both OF these
balls Rex appears. accompanied by his
queen. for Rex always selects a queen
during his stay Ia New Orleans.
10 IL a different queen each year, bur
always belle from one Of the best fam
lilies IN the city.
Rex and his queen hold a reception at
the Rex hall and see the ball progressing
well. when they leave and pay a visit
20 King Comus. AZ the C0mus bail The
queen wears magnificent ieweled
crown. which has been on exhibition FOR
weeks
The Comus bali r. the social event OF
the carnival No one is allowed to attend
except IN full evening dress and only
women are allowed 20 be seated in the
interval preceding the dancing The men
are kept in the background until the
tableauX % costumed maskeTs from on
the floats from the street are finished
when the music starts and the men can
join their partners in the dance
The hrst dance Is the oid-time Soutlorn
lancers. led BY the king and queen. When
the dance II ended all unmssk, and the
ball proceeds When the bali ends the
Mardi Gras is over
ORIGIN or MARDf GRAs
The Mardi Gras has been az annual
event In New Orleans for years. it had
it's origin in the Old days of Southern
planters. when the people of Louisiana
had To- depend on France for everything
of civilized manufacture. The carnival h
essentially French in Dature, ami the
printing matter and many Of the cos
TUNES are still procured IN Paris.
The nrst Nardi Gras was held In iST7. It
consisted OF "A street procession. given by
a number of young creole men, some of
whom had been educated In Paris. The
next celebration Was held ten years later
and was much moro magnificent.
Thereafter. the Mard Gras was OF al
most yearly occurrence until the civil war
when the carnival was discontinued.
After the war. the custom was resumed
and soon the Mardi Gras began again TO
rival the magniiicence of the old days
when cotton was king. The carnival has
been held annually without interruption
since the war. and every year has been
increasing in magnihdence and I'm fame
During the Mardi Gras, New Orleans is
alive villa visitors from an over the
world. Then. N not always. it Is the most
cosmopolitan city i'm the United States,
and many OF its Visitors stay for weeks
charmed 10y the attractions OF the quaint
city, of the climate. and the surrounding
country.
New Orleans may we'll be considered
the capital of the South. IL has all the
characteristics Of a capital city. lt is the
oldest OF the large cities OF the Mlssissip-
pi Valley, and has "a varied history fun
OF interest To those who will stop 10 study
II.
successfully Il was French. Spanish.
and lastly an American capital and IL
bears all the marks OF the transitions
Spanish ruins are still preserved I'm the
neignoorhood Of the city and Spanish
architecture is apparent throughout the
French quarter the ola part OF New or
leans. Many uf the old customs OF colo
NAL times still exist.