The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-20
The Sons of Malta i'm the Street.

GRAND MIDNIGHT PARADE-THE MYSTIC ORDER VERY
MUCH MYsTIFY THE PuBLIC-L0NG CLOTHES,
SHORT CLOTHES, NIGHT GOWNS NIGHTCAPs,
cowLs, HELMETS, GoNGs AND VARIOUS OTHER
MATTERS, NATURAL, UNNATURAL AND OTHERWISE.
From the Boston Bee, Nov. II.
The sSons of Malta " that mysterious, eccentric, pro-
found body, OF which we hear so much, know SO little,
and less made parade last night, much to the sur
prise Of the good people Of city. As the strange
corge passed through streets TO the sound of
stranger music, it excited general attention. t
The sons numbering about, 200 assembled at Faneuii
Hail. where they dressed for the grand OCCASION putting
OIL the costume Of the citizen and looming the mysterious
Of the order. There deal Of hustle and prepa
ration within, while without curious public had begun to
assemble in considerable numbers. unconth, monk like
objects occasionally to pass the windows or
door, while now and then costume OF brilliant hue and
glisteping ornament would mingie In the Up
stairs and down; down stairs aud up they continued
to wind their way. Ia the course of time members
would come out mount their horses and ride back In
swtest and most incomprehensibe MANNER and for the
most incomprchensble purpose. This done, they dis
mounted and passed into the hall This was frequently
repeated At ten O'Clock large crowd-some 5000
bad gathered in the vicinity Of the hail. and manifested
much impotence to witness the advent OF The sons At
length about hapRst ten O'Clock they emerged with
officers and band, accoutremert ana costume, and
menced their march, passing through Merchants row,
Blackstone, Hanover, Charter, Salem Hanover, Court,
Greene, Chambers, Cambridge, Temple school, Washing
ton Summer, South, Is Harrison avenue and
South End; returning through Shawmut avenue, Dover
FREMONT Peasant ana Charles streets TO the Commons and
hence to the hall.
The procession led OF with three helmets, and
dressed in brilliant costume, mounted gorgeousy
rsoncd horses. Their faces covered, and in
right hand they bore swords. These were sup
pose, their commanders Immediately behind were
raj SECTIONS foot attred IN fancy but rich
bearing in their hands long spears. These followed
by band who performed uncarthly OF tunes
nterspersed with heavy blows upon a huge gong aad
this again. TO the accompaniment OF muI!cd drums
But the crowded state OF our columns does permit
detail OF the composition Of the procession There fol-
lowed those above specified sections ayed great va
rety OF costumes some in immaculate white, others
deep black, and still others IN particoored garments.
Nearly all masks other covering the face thus
completely preserving tneir incogno. Those dressed in
white appeared like company ~ night gowns aud the
heads being covered ike night Some short
others tall. The white and black relieved by the
more snowy costumes, evidently procured from OF
our well stocked theatres.
In the column number OF banners variously in
scrbed There were also several carriages, containing
members OF the costume In another place was
large frame upon which placed huge book, the
representation of one Inscribed with the symbols the
order This design borne upon the shoulders of five
men, who We're supported by guard carrying muskets
The volume was not opened, and we have 40 Of
knowing rs contents We suspect, however, they were
OF an exceedingly woody saturc.
Nearly all the members had upon their garments the
OF the order Most OF them also covered with
cows from out Of the fods of which they peeped upon
the gazing crowd with apparently great satisfaction In
the procession were hundred and fifty from
New Bedford, who came up for the purpose and
early in the morning III special tram Among the bands
in the column were the Boston Brass and the New Bedford
Brass and some others nude up for the occasion The
perseverance, with which Of the music'' pounded
upon the gongs and bass drums was only surpassed bv
the sepucha unearbly sounds they produced Most of
the streets through which the procession passed
throngcd and at various points the mysterious nSons'
We're greeted with cheers AT the Headquarters in Bow
dom square, where the decorations in the way OF tags
notices Chinese lanterns, &c, fireworks shot oil in
their honor
The procession, on its return, reached Fancui Hall
about 1919 O'Clock, when collation. prepared by Smith
was partaken OF by the sSons dsrobng themselves be-
fore rcsoring to the beard
There were, before minated about 200 in the pro-
cesson About AGO from out CT the city The procession
was guarded by regular police force The whole affair
was quite orderly so ia as We hear, and passed off
great success. Just after the procession started the moon
bnIs from It's pent up clouds, and shonc in magnificent
splendor. Taken altogether, it interesting, odd
Understandable, osare cabaistic mysterious spectacle
Who in the world The men were nobody knows5atsie Of
tie order.