The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-02-16
NEW ORLEANS LETTER.
Mardi Gras. with its Attending Festivities.
Fades into the Oblivion of the Past.
Parades More Beautiful than
Ever-streets Thronged
,,.;4I, RzaaIra.s
with Maskers.
New Orleans, La. Feb. 13, 1907.

New Orleans. La, Feb. 13, 1907.
i Statf Correspondence of The Chief
Well, it's all over now, and Mardi
Gras with its attending festivities has
| laded into the oblivion of the past
The solemnity of the lenten season has
descended upon the erstWhile gay old
town like gray twilight after brill
liant day, and so sudden is the transi-
tion that it is like the abrupt shutting
of of marvellous music or the swift
awakening from dream OF surpass-
ing splendor. The parades this year
were even more beautiful than ever
stThe Quest of the Fountain of You'll" "
was effectively depicted by the Mystic
Krewe of Momus Thursday night of
last week, and the handsome pageant
was followed by a series of beautiful
tableaux and a grand masquerade ball
at the French opera house. His sub
| lime majesty, Rex, arrived al noon
| Monday amid perfect hedlam of
changing bells, shrieking whistles and
booming cannon, the kings gaily
decorated flagship being escorted by
a large number of imposing vessels of
every size and character, all brightly
bedecked with flying flags and bunt-
ing. The story from the Arabian
Nights, 'sThe Queen of the Serpents, !"
was the subject of the Proteus parade
Monday night, which consisted oftwenty
magnificent floats. Rex's pageant on
Mardi Gras day pictured Visions of
Nations,n and Comus display Tues
day night-the most gorgeous and re,
splendent of alI-illustrated Tenny-
sons beautiful poetic thoughts in
twenty-five superb floats. All day
M ardi Gras the streets were thronged
with maskers who made merry and
amused the jostling crowds with their
antics and funny stunts. Canal street
was revelation of electrical effects,
bursting into a splendor of light each
night like the blooming of strange
and beautiful flower, and as the
weather conditions were of the ideal
'ssunny SOUTH brand, the city was
seen to it's most wonderful advantage
by the thousands of strangers within
its gates.
God bless the spirit of our carnival
that rules US SO absolutely with it's fun
and festivity-the happiest and most
care-free season in our city OF dear
delights
The Joyous time when pleasures pour
Profusely round and, IN their shower,
Hearts open, like the Sea<on's Rose
/ The fow'r ret of a hundred leaves,
Expanding while the dew-fHil flows,
| And every leaf its balm reneiyesi
The Sons of Veterans have extended
an invitation to members of the Army
of Northern Virginia, Camp No. 1, to
accompany them on the train which
they propose to charter for the trip TO
the Richmond reunion.
/ The Cook County Democracy and
the County Democracy Marching Club,
/ rival political organizations OF Chi
cago, were conspicuous participants
in the carnival gayeties.
The big United States cruiser Co
lumbia, which came TO New Orleans to
take part in the carnival festivities,
was visited by thousands of enthu-
siastic sightseers.
/ Archbishop Blenk will leave on the
10th instant fer Cuba, where he goes
to be present at the conservation oil
Rev. Father W illiam A. Jones, bishop
elect of Porto Rico.
/ The public schools Of the city were
/ closed from Friday afternoon to Wed
nesday morning for the carnival holi-
| days. .. B.