The Natchitoches enterprise., 1918-01-31
OUR LOS ANGELES
LETTER
The Rose Pageant

Monday night after dinner, we went
down to enjoy New Years eve in big
city and we saw and heard enough, l
assure you. The immense Xmas tree
in front Of the Examiners office, the
Plaza Spanish and all the others were
alight, the streets crowded, solid lines
of cars moving along, all with bells tied
to the backs, horns and whistles blow
ing. At the arcades of each building
about every four feet-were improvised
stands of all sorts of horns, rattlers and
skillets. moustaches, beards-the last
every where, every body going around
a la'Charley Chaplin. Such a racket!
all the hucksters ringing, blowing and
shouting, punches of people with horns,
and everybody moving along slowly,
taking part in confetti battles, with
those long serpentines with piercings
simply wrapping one up i'll maze feather
busters, and all sorts of novelties,
every thing in patriotic colors, and
YOU never heard such bedlam. The
city flashed lights and rockets from In
SEPARATION Point on Mount Lowe at mid
night and the bells didn't stop ringing
or whistles blowing, before or after
end the noise kept up all night. | see
by the papers, that there were only 26
auto collisions and nine deaths; so many
less than usual.
Bright and early next morning we
went down to the p. E. station, en-
route to Pasadena for the famous Rose
Pageant, where three-car trains were
running out every two minutes, and
early as we were, the streets were
packed as solid as New Orleans at
Mardi Gras. There wasn't standing
room, but such good natured crowds;
and the steady stream of autos touching
each other all the way over, looked
like a stream of ants. The streets were
TANNED, and as they don't allow cars
to go any where near the parade streets,
it looked so queer entering Pasadena
to see rows and rows literally thousands
of cars, jammed together. Every inch
of room is sold, even the steps of the
churches and many take camp chairs
and sit on the walks which are chained
off, and it looked odd too to see solid
line of knitting down the curb. We
were fortunate in being guests of the
Caldron. the most exclusive club here
and had dandy seats in big window
where we could see every thing. 1t
was wonderful day, clear and sunny,
tho every body complained that it was
too warm; these regal mountains which
rim the city were wonderfully clear
and you can't imagine the wonderful
beauty and profusion of the flowers
in the gardens, on the streets and in the
parade. L wish l could describe the
parade which differed from our Mardi
Gras because flowers are used Solidly.
Of course the military feature don1i-
mated and was thrilling and naval.
marine and regimental bands, flags and
cheers kept US all tiptoe.
Every other, or practically all were
patriotic, and every other minute a
band playing The Star Spangled Ban
ner would pass and that enormous cheer
ing crowd rise up and cheer and cheer
and I was as tired when it was over as
if / had marched myself. This was the
18th parade and all the money made
was given the Red Cross, the Navy |
Army foot ball game alone at Tourna-
ment Park making $4,000 and it will
be double that amount for the Req
Cross when it is all settled.
| never saw such flowers in my life,
such ferns, such great poinsettas and !
every other kind and there were so
many Bougenvillea pieces too, rose !
colored flower that climbs over every
thing out here. The floats are usually
allegorical but every thing was military
this year, and l am willing to wager
that if the Kaiser could have seen the
spirit, the thousands of soldiers, sailors,
etc. it would make him wonder that
people as pleasure loving could even
turn something like this pageant into
public protest against Prussiasm. =
of soldiers from Camp Kear-
hey, sailors from the naval stations at
San Pedro and Diego marched and their
lags, bands and perfect precisions were
thrilling.
A full size tank, solidly covered with
ferns, outlined with roses, with British
lighters atop, created a sensation, as it
md they were genuine and the guns on ;
his tank as did the guns on several
,thers, Cannon / mean fired salutes
very little while. There were hundreds
f Red Cross nurses from different coun-
ries- uniforms showed the differences
marching too, and an enormous fiat
loaf of green had huge erect Red
ross of roses with four women in cos
ume, perched on it, knitting.
One of the great Red Cross workers
ere, entered marvellous floats with
old red crosses in roses emblazoned on
he sides followed by grooms, each
eading a pair of dogs, Airdale, st.
Bernard, Red Cross, Malamutes, Rus
ian hounds etc. Following were am
llances with a magnificent horse in
ne back of each, wired house con-
aiming handsome dogs, splendid horses,
ed Cross insipnias-a whole fleet of