The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-03-18
PORTO RICO'S CARNIVAL.
Picturesque February CeiebratIon
which Is Much Enjoyed by
OLD and Young.

| While the carnival In Porto Rico II
not SO pretentious an affair as is the
! annual fiesta in New Orleans, it il
| nevertheless Well worth seeing. Its
long continuance, however, makes it q
bit tiresome when person has once
been through it, and it tends to de-
moralize business while it lasts. Still
the children enjoy it hugely, and the
| grownrups have q lot Of fun. To q
stranger many of the doings seem fool
ish enough, but when it is remembered
that Porto Ricans are pleasure-loving
| people, with little to amuse them ex-
cept sports Of their own invention, the
celebration assumes different aspect,
says a'San Juan correspondence Of the
New York Tribune.
The carnival starts with the din Of
horns and the bang Of crackers and day
fireworks, and nearly all the 5,000'boys
of San Juan are in the streets. Many
Of them wear grotesque costumes and
hideous masks, and most of them carry
something with which to add to the
noise Of their tongues. Squirt guns,
from which stream of water or cheap
perfume is sent flying into the faces Of
luckless pedestrians are freely used by
the youngsters, and the greater the
amount Of -four a boy can secure the
more joyful be is- Nearly every stors
is turned into market place for con-
fetti, which is sold in little bags to the
children at q penny bag, but which
adults buy by the pound. These tiny
disks Of colored paper soon cover the
streets like snow flakes, being show
cred in all directions. There is also
an immense sale Of papeleta, which il
rolled like the tape Of brokers' ticker.
These rrolls are hurled across the
streets from balcony to balcony, high
In air, and soon form rainbow tinted
network. But II requires q strong arm
and an accurate eye to hurl these SO
that they will land just right; and as
everyone does not possess such quail
fications, the rolls often fall short and
trail down TO the cobblestones, adding
their share to the picturesque effect
as they fiutter in the breeze.
The waste by many makes the wealth
Of the small boy. and soon after the
carnival is fairly under way he easily
procures his supply of confetti and
papeleta by raids on what has already
been thrown. II is just as good for
him. and it costs him nothing; but IL
is not so nice for the person at whom
il is thrown, especially If with the con-
fetti the boy has scooped up plenty OF
dirt. The effect ON white clothes il
Another delight Of the boys is to
chase the decorated carriages. On the
day Of the carnival parade every coach
in San Juan is covered with bright pa
per and artificial or real flowers and
filed with merrymakers, who throw
confetti and make the air ring with
their shouts. The line of march covers
several miles. and even the humblest
''shacks" along the route are decorated |
for the event.
The children's ball. or "baille," in |
the big theafer is the most artistic |
feature Of the entire celebration. |
Many Of the costumes are elaborate
and costly, and in not few instances
historical accuracy is observed. 1t is |
said Of thousands of Porto Rican chill
dren that they easily rank with the
most beautiful on earth. The effect,
therefore, under brilliant lights, may |
DC imagined. Many Of these tots dance
ike the fairies they initiate. There are
other balls, for the grown-ups. where
special color schemes are observed !
strictly, the costumes and the confetti |
At the red ball all the |
iancers attend in red and throw red |
'apeleta; at the blue ball, blue, and at
he white, white.
Assault" parties also add to the |
'un. They are the capture Of private |
louses, Of 'bombardment" by score.
more or less, of friends. When the
hacienda is taken dance follows in |
Ionor of the captors. who usually are /
accompanied by native musicians.