Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-05

A correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial giving birds eye view of
the recent pageant of the Mystic KreW of
1 Comus in New Orleans, says:
The pageant was an illustration or
representation of Edmund Sponsors re-
markable categorical poem, ''The Faerie
| Queene." In front of the procession was
borne an Illuminated transparency, giving
a general Cesign of the representation.
| Then followed a band of music, and
then, mounted upon a prancing steed,
Prince Arthur, in whom the poet intended
to iypify the virtue, Magnanimity. Fol-
| lowing Prince Arthur, who was all
a-glitter with purple and gold, came the
| first car. In this car were four occu-
pants. The first was Error, ga monster
vile whom God and man doth hate" then
| Despair, man of he'll; then Hypocrisy
and Deceit. Following this were six
| other cars, all filled with hideous Occu-
pants, whom have not time nor space
to describe. 1t was the most curious,
impressive and wonderful procession l
ever saw got up by mortals. The whole
was Illuminated by brilliant light, and
those who saw these monsters drawing
their slow length along through the streets
can never forget it. 1t looked more like
a delegation from the internal regions,
Satan and all, than anything else.
The procession of demons, giants, by
dra-hesded monsters, and devils passed
through the crowded streets to the opera
house, in which the tsbleaux and ball
were to take place.
These annual balls and tabesux given
| by the Krewe are feature in New Or
leans. No other city has anything like it,
for no other city has ''Mystic Krewe;"
none are admitted except such as are in
vited, and no amount cf money will buy
a ticket The tickets are not for sale.
! Admission is free to such as are invited,
| and no other can come in. Those invited
and those who fail to be invited, never
know whose work it is. The whole mat
ter is kept secret and the Mystic Krewe
is surrounded in mystery. In the first
years of their existence, the Krewe only
sent invitations to New Orleans people,
but now they include residents of other
places as well.
l received an invitation with the "salu-
tations of the Comus," and after sedng
the pageant pass, went to the Opera
| house. will not attempt description
| of the scene there. The first, second and
third tier of seats were occupied eXclu-
sively by ladies. They were of the best
families of the South. So much lowell
ness, such display of gorgeous raiment
such flash of jewels and gems never
saw before. The Times called it para
| disc of lovelipess, q garden of jewels
and a bouquet of rainbows," and the
Times was about right.
1t was after 10 o'clock before the
Krewe came in and put their first tableau
upon the stage. This was Truth, sup
| ported on her left by the kneeling figure
Holiness, and surrounded by CourtesyA
Friendship, Charity, Temperance and
Justice. The next was combat between
the knight of the Red Cross and Sons of
Joy. Those who have read the descrip-
ton of the combat given by Spenser can
imagine the appearance of a tableaux
representing it.
The third tsbleaux was a representa-
ton of Mammon seated on a money chest
guarded by five giants, the Dragon and
Satan himself. The fourth tablesux rep
resented Change and the fifth one
"Victory." In this were over one hun
bred characters, and the scene was i'm
pressive in the extreme.
After midnight the stage was cleared
for ball. The Krewe took part in it
for a while, and then suddenly vanished,
no one knows where.