The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-09
MARDI GRAS SPIRIT
CONTROLS CLOSING
NIGHT OF Q1NNA[
Big Summer Show Comes to a
Brilliant Finish With the Larg-
est Crowd Seen Upon the
Grounds Any Evening Merry
makers at All Times Orderly.

A clown in scarlet and white blew a
shower of colored confetti out of a pa
per horn and the tiny pieces of paper
f1uttered down and rested ON the bare
head of a pretty girl in blue
The shower from the paper horn was
the signal last night for the carnival
revelry to begin and from the time that
first paper horn was emptied until the
carnival closed it's gates for the last
time, the riotous spirit Of the Mardi
Gras on the carnival streets behind the
great white arch could not be subdued.
It was a weird scene that carnival Wis
itors looked upon last night, and it fit
tingly closed two weeks of pleasure
seeking and fun making. In blaze of
glory and a shower of confetti one of
st. PauPs most successful carnivals
fickered out, and If the immense crowd
who witnessed the finish last night was
breathed such sigh for the fun that
was past.
Weird Procession Precedes.
Early in the evening weird process
sion began to form in Rice park.
Monks and clowns, queens and peasant
girls, knights and desperadoes fell into
line and when long, Wavering pro-
cession had been formed that stretched
the length of the park, the line moved
in the direction of the carnival en-
trance ON Cedar street, where all those
who were in carnival costuffie pere per-
mitted to pass into the carnival
grounds free Of charge. The fantastic
costumes gave Mardi sGras aspect to
the scene and all the ear-splitting
noises that are inseparable from car
nival, the footing of horns, the blowing
of whistles and the rafting Of clappers,
nh ncic
mum was let loose in St.4Paul for one
night at least. e.5
But it was a pandemonium that
never quite lost controlEof dtself..- Oc-
casionally rude FRANKS were played,
but these never approached the law
less. Occasionally a dignified looking
matron was seen to blink Indignantly
when a shower of the confetti was
flung in her face. Now and then a
pretty girl was forced to hide her farce
in her escorts sleeve when the confetti
came thick sand fast. But~s-nobody
looked very indignant, and there were
not carried too far.
Crowd Was Restless.
1t was restless crowd that attended
the carnival last night. On the big
stage of the Midway arena company
of colored singers gave capital en-
tertainment. + They sang plantation
melodies, gave some clever impersona-
lions and endedl.up with a, realistic
cake walk. A trio of colored dancers
also sang and danced. But while the
arena was always well filled, = the
crowd surged restlessly back and forth,
evidently preferring the greater freedom
of the streets to the very mild restric-
lions of the arena. The colored enter
tainers received their share OF confetti,
and even the elephants, including the
dignified Wilhelmina, were showered
with the tiny particles. The elephant
show was, as usual, well attended, as
indeed were all the attractions Which
the carnival has included. But it was
the main street that was filled with the
greatest crowd. and that witnessed the
greatest relaxation. 90
Miss Helen A. Marks, the. queen of
the carnival, was present last night and
. enjoyed ~colored entertainers from
her box in the grand stand. She did
not wear a carnival costume, however.
The faces of those who have had
charge of the carnival were beaming
last night, foritlast nights attendance
capped the climax of a most successful
fortnight. BY 80 o'clock 10000 peo-
pie had passed through the entrance
gate and not all of the crowd had ar
rived then, as was evidenced by the
steady stream of people that contin-
ued to pour into the grounds. 1t was
easily the biggest crowd that has at
tended the carnival since It's opening.
st. Paul may congratulate itself on
the success of this outdoor festival,
the receipts of which eftoi be devoted
to the city's greatest philanthropy.
Carnival Has Been a Success.
After two weeks of gaiety. merry MAX
ing and fun. st. Pauls summer carnival
closed last night with the idrgest attend
ance by far of any night, of the carnival.
Exact figures We're not available last
night. but it is estimated that between
$4,000 and $4,000 will be realized for the
benefit of the public baths. The amount
may be- even higher, but SStwilI not be
known until this afternoon. when the
directors will hold a meeting.
Splendid weather and the cooperation
of the people were responsible for the sue
cess of the carnival During the en-
tire twelve days the weather was good,
with the possible exception Of one or two
days when afternoon rains; interfered to
q small extent, but even on these days
the evenings We're pleasant and the
crowds large. - ~
The carnival court was undoubtedly the