New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-02-14

We promised in yesterdays Crescentto give to-
day some account of the festive proceedings Of
Mardi gras night-a night in years past devoted to
Momus and Terpsichore, and of late years largely
devoted to Comus also. We now proceed to full
fill our promise, leading of, as matter of course,
with the greatest and most splendid feature Of the
night the festival of the
ETistieIt IErcyve OF Comus.
The Krewe, az is well known is an entirely
secret organization; but yet it ia well understood
to be composed Of gentlemen of wealth and Of the
first respectability in this city. The taste and
beauty Of their masquerading spectacles and their
evident lavish expenditure Of money, not only for
their own amusement, but for the qualification of
their friends and the town at large, have always
proclaimed their standing, whoever they may be.
The previous Mardg gras festiyals of the Krewe
were SO splendid, 80 unique, and on each occasion
SO perfectly original, or different from previous
festivals in design and in the carrying out that
each year The public curiosity has grown higher
and higher, to know what these merry gentlemen
would offer next It is therefore hardly necessary
to state that this, tho fth anniversary festival of
the Krewe, was looked for by the whole city with
higher anticpations of surprise and pleasure than
ever. And we believe the city was not disap-
pointed.
Tho Turnout OF tho People.
Crowded as were the streets during the day, on
account Of the street masquerading, they were
infinitely more crowded at night The fine wealth
er favored the turnout, beside nfusing more than
the usual exharation into the populace. Camp,
Julia, st. Charles, Royal, st. Louis, Chartres, Ca
nal and Carondelet streets-the announced line
Of march of the Krewe--were never more densely
crowded on any OCCASION Whilst the streets
were SO full of people that the great mass could
only move by taking to the middle of the streets,
the balconies, verandahs and windows of the
houses were crowded in that gay and beautiful
style which is one of the great features Of the
Crescent City on occasions of public festiyity.
Tho namber of ladies out waa especially prodigi-
GUS; we believe that nearly all the ladies in the
city must have turned out on this occasion to see
the Mistick Krewe.
Appearance OF THE Krewe.
Between s and O'Clock the Krewe, having
quietly emerged from their Den, effhlged on Camp
street in all their glory preceded by music and with
line OF negroes on each side, carrying chain of
boards brightly studded with torch lamps shedding
almost the light Of day upon the spectacle. AT
the head was carried large arch of Chinese liant
erns, bearing in illuminated letters the title of the
Krewe.
The masquerade came fully,up to the public ex-
pectation, and in some respects eolipsed the dis
plays Of former years. 1t represented Scenes
from Life,'' in the four divisions of Childhood,
Youth, Manhood, and Old Age. The costumes
were sufficiently splendid, whilst the portrayal OF
the Virtues and Vices elaborate and altogether
unique The people, as usual, had to wonder what
brain devised such ideas, and what artist made the
masks; but as the Krewe get up things after their
own secret fashion, the wonder had to remain
unsatisfed.
The first masker represented Childhood an in
fant in a cradle, followed by nurse. Then came
Boyhood, surrounded and followed by some al
most inconceiyable masks, representing a kite, a
spinning top, a sweet cake, marbles, and other
things appertaining to the tender age. Youth fol-
lowed, with crowd Of maskers representing the
virtues aspirations temptations and trials of that
period of life. Afterward came Manhood, with a
band of maskers representing the vices and follies
and the better qualities of mature age. Finally
came Old Age, with maskers representing the VIZ
tues and vices which struggle for the mastery of
man in his latter days. This group was followed
by mask representing Death--a skeleton envel-
oped in shroud.
in extraordinary style. Hypocrisy was smiling
giant some ten feet high, with two faces and a
pair of extended hands on each side, or front.
There was benign.looking female giant of similar
size, in cap and spectacles who attracted much
attention. The grosser vices were rugged up as il
riding different kinds of beasts--a goat, hog
ete.-and one represented whisky barrel. The
display was one which afforded equal pleasure and
10 ifDdou 1uba aba15 I
was about two squares in length, and as we have
already ntimated, brilliantly illuminated.
Scene at tho Theater.
At o'clock the doors of the Varieties the
ater were thrown open for the admission of the
multitude of guests whom Comus had invited
The carriages, for the time, blocked up the whole
vicinity, each disgorgng its load Of fashion and
feminine loyelness. A committee of gentlemen
at the command of Comus, were present to receive
the guests and to attend especially to the ladies'
whom they escorted to and from the dressing
rooms and seated in the lower and upper dress
circles, which had been reserved for their exclusive
accommodation. The nature of the arrangement
may be better understood when we state that our
worthy City Treasurer, Mr.. Adam Gfen, acted as
ticket,taker, and other gentlemen Of distinction as
the ushers and officers of the OCCASION
The parquette of the theater was fioored over as
usual to meet the stage, their being small space
left uncovered for the accommodation of the or.
chestra, during the presentation of the tableaux
By 10 O'Clock, the hour announced for closing the
DOORS the auditorium presented spectacle Of liy.
Ling beauty and fashion, such is to be seen only
at the festivals Of the Miatick Krewe. The dress
circle was one grand gorge of spendidly dressed
ladies, representing the wealth and fashion of New
| Orleans and Louisiana. The circle was crowded 10
the wall all around and not gentleman to be SEEN
The second circle presented similar display OF
feminine beauty and fashion, with gentlemen stand
ing around against the walls. The private boxes
and tile lobbies were filled with gentlemen jammed
tightly together, whilst the third tier was swarmed
| by the same sex like beehive. The theater was
never more thoroughly glutted on any occasion;
and the appearance of the auditorium was alto
gether magnificent
Shortly after 10 O'Clock, the doors having been
closed, the curtain rose aud the Nistick Krewe,
costumed aud masked as they appeared in the
streets began their representation Of the allegory
Of the occasion, the "Scenes from Lfe.n The
sceneries and machineries for the tableaux had
been exquisitely and expensiyely prepared; and
each Of the fableaux was so beautiful whilst il
lasted spectators fell it pity that could
not be photographed in all its living beauty. oi
painted upon imperishable canvas. The tablsauS
were given with The most splengid effect, land il