The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-02-07
THE KING AND QUEEN
1t Costs Money for the Honors and
Wealthy and Prominent citi-
zens are the Only
Ones Chosen.

Orleans awakened this morning to the
rush and roar of mighty multitude
of invaders such as has seldom be-
fore broken the quiet of the Crescent
City Of the south. Some have come
thousands Of miles to take part in the
great event of the year in Dixie-the
Mardi Gras Carnival of New Orleans.
The usual program the welco.Ae to
the king and queen, the balls and
great street pageants--will be carried
out today, tonight and tomorrow on
a more magnificent scale than ever be-
fore.
On the streets noisy parties of
brightly dressed maskers show like
splashes of vivid color amid the dense
throngs of lighthearted spectators.
Football rushes through the crowds
now and then are occasions for panic,
fainting women and painting police
men; there is pubilant laughter and
gay bandage; a constant shower OF
bon bons and confetti and the slash of
bands of music that come and go.
Banners wave. The city is a-riot with
color by day, ablaze with rainbow
lights at night.
Then, in the distance, rose-colored
clouds herald the approaching fam
beaus of the carnival parades. Lights
on the line Of march are momentarily
extinguished. the better to reveal the
splendor OF the passing pageant. A
multitude of clapping hands applauds
the king. Years are forgotten, envy
ings OF rival beauties are lost in adj
miration. crowds cheer and the night
is animate with light and color and
laughter Amid the quiet, scented
gardens of Uptown and Downtown
wearied housewives heave sigh of
thankfulness that it is now too late
for more unlimited guests to arrive
and that they are spared from sleeping
on the doormat or the roof.
The king of the carnival IS entitled
to all the honor which he receives. He
pays well for it, although man is
sought to occupy this place not only
because he can afford to fill the role
but because he is popular', esteerled
by the city and his fellow clubmen.
Perhaps no sceptre held for so brief a
time is proportionately so costly Five
thousand dollars represents the con
tribution demanded of the king for the
carnival. That, however, merely rep
resents the opening of the kingly
pursestrings and the pouring forth OF
many thousands more. There are
sums toward carnival expenses; there
are royal dinners, luncheons and re
ceptions held In honor of the kings
encourage, his guests. his friends, and
his queen and her friends, to say
nothing of the unlimited amounts
spent for flowers and considerable
sum for jewelrv and suitable gifts fol
his queen and the men and womeI
who occupy places in the royal house
hold''
In the early days of the carnival th.
queen was chosen for her beauty from
among the women at the carnival ball
and she might be the veriest strange
to the sovereign about to honor her
Only one queen was ever SO selected
Since then, while it has always beel
tradition that carnival queens mus
be beautiful, other reasons hav
weighed most in her selection, such a
her family's relations with the king
their wealth and the prospective
queens social popularity The chosel
one must enjoy a great degree Of ia
voritism among her women friends o
her selection would give rise to al
amount of envy not to be calmly cor
templated.
1t is no longer an easy matter t
ind queen. This honor costs Sc,
eral thousand dollars and entails N
end Of social excitement. The queen
gown must he truly royal, and no
many real queens wear court dresse
OF greater splendor than this fai
sovereign of day. She must selec
her maids Of honor--a task likely t
cause irremed'able breaches in many
friendship entertain them roya
~ before the night of her reign, be
sides presenting them with jewelle
souvenirs of that occasion. The auee
has also to entertain the king and hi
suite.
What Mar Has Done, Man Can Do.