Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-02-18

NtW OlitduB bNt"h W
notice the stimulus the advent of so
many visitors gave to business, and
they endeavored to make each years
festivities greater and more attrac-
tive than the one preceding. More
attention was given to the street pa
geants and parades and the Mardi
Gras has now become as much part
of New Orleans as her narrow streets
or her levees.
Along Canal St, the Broadway Of the
city, great grand stands, with tier after
tier of seats, entirely hiding the fronts
of the massive business blocks, are
erected These are draped with gay
streamers of bunting, and innumera-
BILE paper lanterns and electric bulbs,
giving the broad avenue an appear
ance never to be forgotten. In the
middle Of the street, car lines on both
sides almost touching it, standing
alone in dlgnified silence, is n huge
statue of Henry Clay, a frown on Its
countenance seeming to denote stern
dlsapproval of this unseemly revelry.
1t was from the pedestal of this status
that Lawyer Parkinson harangued
the mob and aroused them to the
frenzy that preceded the hanging Of
n number of Italians, in revenge for
the murder of Police Chief Hennesy.
Here, in days gone by, Creole youths
and maids made love, hidden from
prying eyes by the shadow Of the
monument. Those days are gone, how
ever, and, lighted by the glare Of
thousands of lanterns, the Clay statue
alone seems to be out of place amid
the gayety of merry New Orleans.
For the street pageants and the
floats which go to make 1t up, brains
are racked each year for something
original. Some times n standard work
of fiction Is taken, and it's characters
and situations portrayed on the f1clts.
One year the coats of-arms of all The
States were built on u massive scale,
and made up the parade. MiltO,a's
MASK of Comus" was another espe-
clally noted subject which was taken
for the parade.
Hours are required for the parades
to pass any given point. The huge
wagons are drawn by six, eight on
ten horses. Each team Is led By a
fenrfully and wonderfully bedecked
and inordinately proud negro The
city turns out en- masse. The grand
stands are filled early. Families come,
bringing their dinners or suppers
| done up in bundles, for they know
not when they may get home again
| Tho seats are a mass of agltnted hu
manipulating laughing and making
merry, while they wait On the streets
the maskers hurry to and fro. Men
women and children-people of every
age and nationality, some whose COS
tunes are beautiful and some whc
are horribly ugly, but all happy with
the gayety possible only to n tropica
people shout and sing, The parade
passes. After 1t Is gone the merri
ment continues and Is kept mp till the
travellers are forced to deslst from
sheer weariness.
Throughout the days preceding thu
final ball guesses at the Identity of tn,
King and Queen are made. Botl
have appeared in tho street paradei
and every ono has seen them, bu
they were closely masked and The
gaping onlookers are no wiser than
before. Some famed Southern beauty
of course, will be Queen; some hand
some gallant from Rue Toulouse o
Rue Royal Will be her Consort, be
yond the shadow of doubt, but ther
all certainty ends.
Finally tho last night comes; tn
King and Queen are crowned ant
take the throne amid storm of cheer
that shakes the old opera house, who's
walls have witnessed the triumphs o
| A tst.