The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-24
THE AMERICAN sCARNIYAL.
MARDL-GRAs INNEW ORLEANS.
The Reign of Fun and Good Humor--
Grotesque. Street Rrocession--.iTih.e he. Mys-
tick Krewe Of fComus:-.--How tho Grand
Duke Enjoyed Himself. -.


The New Orleans papers Of Tie 14th are filed,
70 the exclusion of everything else, with a@c- &C.
counts Of the Mard. Gras Carnival festivities,
which occurred on Tuesday, the 18th Instant,
We make the following extracts: u 49,.
The maskers were In greater. numbers,
the dresses more grotesque,. and the
throngs that crowded the principal streets
GUS days. IGaily bedIzened incognita rode
fn hacks and carriages open to the sun
light, with an unsettled purpose ana wander
ing vein, Inisome of these Vehiclesit seems
ed as If the Lydia Thompson; :; troupe had
stepped out from the stage and forspok their
miinicry On the boards, and transferred 1T to
the streets.G Inothers 1t Appeared as If: the
concluded to try the open air Instead OF gas,
light, each going on It's own carte as far as re-.
CARDS posturlDg and tableaux.
Jocko was seen In q furniture car Of ordinary
pattern. followed by scores Of ganins that he
threatened with his elder. truncheon, and
gibbered at them to desst. The more noted
Of these appearances were classic. The knight
of old, his helmet lit up with bedizening span.
giles, his shirt frayed Ia silver fringe, his
limbs encased in mimic coat of mail, and 8
pasteboard shield upon his arm, strntted
through the streets, while gamins halloed
'-CrCuS J.
The great bodyot the crowds that lined the
curbst0ne to witness the. parade of the mask
ers selected. individual features Of the line.
The predisposltion to attire Of cambria, red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and
;violet, prevailed TO a considerable extent,
and an occasional passer-by, disguised,
created q war,of laughter. the people selling
every opportunity TO. break out In good
ture Feminine.looklng individuals aired
their pedal extremit'es on the dashboard, and
waved their handkercbiefs at the crowded
galleries and balconies. Or they sat magnif-
Gently In thsirear OF. thelr. conveyances, and
made thems. Ives sick by smoking and partak-
ing OF other enJoyments particularly mascn:
extreme Of shabbiness, gunny bag suits imi-
tating dress coats and z0uave pantaloons, al:
ternately with-yariegated patches and simu-
Politics came fn for It's share Of. the homely
satire which consists of these trayetles on
real life. One offtheimasEers rode on mule
nearly buried under q circular chapeau OF the
Napoleon time, aud carried for q banner a
Republican ticket made up In his own fashion.
Cares cabin, with Its interior filled, accord
ing to the remark of bystander, with "dem
sugar-fleld tellers,n caused many humble
loOker.On to give vent to his imprisoned
humor. Milk carts, filed with black.trlm-
med-With green suIta, somebody inside. oil
course; green and black suits, pastebosrd and
by In the great march Of King Comedy,
that sometimes degeneraieG Into farce.
One of the vans, otherwise known as
q furniture cart, contained the Dukes
guards, and were drawn by the Duke's
mule, and the many signs contained 10 this
party raised the rislbles OF the throng wherever
they went. OF course the never-to- -be-forgot-
a.. ia oS @In fot In ooa nr, q
block 10 front OF, olgar stores; the charcoal
faces, and individuals With a strong smell OF
shoe-blacking and notlcesble: direction to-
ward negro mihsrtelsy; the inevitable baboon,
masked in the usual way and playing fantastic
tricks before the populace-all. these kinds
formed the greater part OF the comic march.
Battered halls, conlcaf hats, such as stage
q 'uIacKtng DrlIBn, sugar-loufed hats with the
sharp end Knocked out, felt, silk and paper
hats, worn in every Imaginable way, were
seen in streams, and the comic stage seemed
to have emptied Its characters into the line.
One of'the great features Of the day was an
extremely novel association, whose name is
the Pack. representing complete deck OF
playing cards-hlty-lWo. The costume con-
sisted Of o light wooden frame, on which was
stretched sized white cotton cloth, the frame
measuring about thirty-three inches on each
of the four sides. Every member represented
four cards: that is, the hrst bad the four jacks,
painted artistically In neat colors; The next
four aces, four kings, tour queens, &C., through
the Geek, each member trump. The frames
rested on the shoulders, reaching below the
knees, making pretty display. They march
ed In single file, several feet apart. At the
head strOde three veritable Cinnamon, their
claw.llke diglts grasping more than one pack
of cards, which they seemed to be familiar
with. The idea was novel one, and good.
The column led by Comus swept into line
and began 10 move at the usual hour. Ap.
nearing as suddenly as If the earth had cast
them UP, the list of Homers heroes, dlsem-
bodied from the HAD and Odyssey, filed
through the streets In a grim aud ghostly pro-
cession, bringing with them an unseen train Of
dim recolleclions, with which the olden time
Is laden.
The procession seemed to please his high
ness, especially those which referred to HIM.
children fantastically dressed, bearing the
placard .'The Grand Duke" seemed to tickle
his lordship's palate, for he laughed heartily.
The stiff old admiral also deigned 10 raise his
hat. While one of the divisions was passing,
beautiful bouquet was hauded his dukeshlp,
who took It with q graceful nod and handed it
to young lady, who bore 1t off In triumph,
much 10 the dissatisfaction of the bellies who
sat around infblissful anticipation that 1t would
be handed to them.
At eight in the evening the Grand Duke
again visited the City Hall TO witness the dis.
play OF the Mystick Krewe, and TO make the
acquaintance of Comus Afterwards he visited
the Varieties Theatre to witness the grand
lableaux OF the Krewe, and to partake in the
pleasures of the ball.
In the evening the Duke attended the ball of
the s.Mystck Krswe." He seemed very much
pleased with the tab!eauX, and often clapped
his hand, evidently his way Of expressing his
apprpc}atIon