New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-22
MARDI.GRAS.


SO than ever.
The weather was most happily adapted
to the holiday; throughout the morning and
afternoon the sky shaded with light tieecy
clouds, which, as evening advanced, cleared
of, leaving brilliant starlight. -
Early in the day there were indications
that the influences which bring forth fun
were busily at work. Al first an occasional
little boy or two, dressed in his big sisters
gown, and, true to his masculine instinct,
irving TO ape the manners OF {. man while
dressed as Il woman.
Anon fall grown individual. with ardent
prescience Of the coming lnrth and fun,
would be seen mer1sly staggering along.
As the afternoon advanced the one or two
increased to dozens, aping and initiating
every imaginable variation OF the ludicrous
and the grOtesgue.
But although there were q large number
OF individual exhibitions OF everything that
could provoke visibility and excite merri-
ment, yet the great interest OF the day evil
IDENTITY turned upon tie expected evening
procession of the Mistick krewc Of Comus.
Son,e indefinite announcement that ap-
peared in the daily prints, III which eight
o'clock and the Clay Static were somewhat
1nj xed up, seemed TO have taken hold of the
public mind, and'long before that honr a
dense crowd was assembled on Canal street.
extending from below Camp street far up
TO the neighboIhood of Burgundy street.
Camp street, Royal street and St. Charles
street were also thronged, for the expectant
crowds We're uncertain from What point the
maskers would appear.
The great point of interest was, however
the Clay statue, for there men said the
procession was to start, although it might
be supposed that it could no. start from
there unless it first got there.
AS the time advanced the crowd thickened
until there was hardly room 20 move in any
part OF the streets. Amid the dense and
restless crowd, equally restless vehicles
moved to and fro. But few Of the carriages
contained maskers. These had disap-
peared with the daylight and all the inter
est concentrated in the Mstick krewe.
Every gallery on Canal street was packed
with people the pedestal OF the Clay
statue was az thickly covered by boys, who
swarmed like flies wherever q foothold
could be obtained. There was intense
crowding pushing and squeezing but all in
high good humor, and during the whole
time that people stood packed together
almost like sartlines, waiting for the tardy
spectacle, we did no: hear an impatient or
angry word
And we here remark en- ptlssGEt that in
our walks among the tens Of thousands that
poured from every quarter, we saw but one
intoxicated man, and his drunk was Of the
Nticent order, that did no harm to any but
himself. The only thing 20 vary the monot-
oLy OF the long expectation was the occa-
sional tail of some unlucky wigL: into one
OF the gutter holes at the street corners.
which, although innocuot.S enough on ordI
nary occasions. were now dangerous. owing
to TIE thick crowd.
One aged lady fell in this manner and Ie
ceiyed tue sympathy OF a. around. except
one coarse minded brute, who laughed
aloud. But by a poetical justice that was
exceedingly refreshing 70 every one around.
this fellow, in stepping incautiously back,
fe. into the gutter. and measured his ras
ca!Ty length in some inches Of fetid water.
He drippingly arose and limped of. reckins
with offensive eti.uvia. evidently conscious
that if il was fun 70 laugh al The mistG
tunes Of Others, it WAS net quite so fanny 20
be laughed at in turn. FOR every one present
enjoyed his discontinue most hilar.ouslv.
-, -,
hand, q hazy light was discovered Ear down
Canal s,reet near The iron building.
Slowly it appeared 10 approach, and music.
faint At first, but growing louder and
louder, accompanied II. IN a short tine the
proces sion of the Mys;ick Krewe Of Conus
burst upon the gratifed spectators.
I. could not be accurately described in
anything less than q Volume TO do it justice
Nor Is minute description necessary, Tor
there are few among our population who
did not see for themselves.
There were representations n advance
of Prince Arthur and the attendants of the
Fairie Queen (ride Spencer There was
everything that belonged to the regions Of
allegory or fable Personitied virtues holi-
ness, temperance, chastity, zeal, truth: and
personitied vices, idlcness, gluttony, pride.
and all the mali"n category Of sins. The
four seasons were there, deity represented,
with accompanying symbols, Ancient myth
ology lent its aid, and.we had Pluto and
Proserpine, Neptune and Ampbitrite. King
Death lifted his grim countenance among
the crowd. There were representations that
seemed suggestive OF the old Saturnalia,
when the Lord OF MisruIe Wed with the
Abbot OF Enreason in making The mirth and
fun uproalious.
On they passed, {. fine band OF music pre-
cetling, and another in the rear, amid the
adnliring shouts OF delighted thousands.
Up the south side Of Canal street to near
Burgundy; down the north side OF Canal
to Camp street; Up Camp street TO Julia,
and down ST Charles street to the City
Hail. TO pay the respects OF the krewe and
It's king to tie Mayor OF the city.
Tie interview between the two function
aries was interesting, the lnore so, perhaps.
from the contrast between them; for one
was the king OF fun, " uuips and Cuirks
and wanton wileS,' while tie other wades
II weary way through dull care, III enaea
voring to disentangle the official lntricacies
OF debt enthralled city
The monarch Of trol;c said II effect. that
in accordance with time honorcl custom,
he had called on a ceremonial visit 20 the