Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-03-01
THE CARNIVAL.
Memphis Celebrates Mardi-G ras
in Magnificent Sly le--.The
Professions and Balls
Yesterday and Last
Night.
The UIks and the Msmphi Pagsants.

The delightful weather yesterday
added no little to the successful 0elebra.
ton of the Mardi-Grs carnival. At
least twenty thousand strangers we're in
the city, which, added TO our population
Of fifty thousand, amounted to seventy
thousand people. the vast majority Of
whom appeared on the streets to enjoy
the revelry and festivities. A dense
mass Of human beings, q sea of heads,
b~lockaded Main street from Beal to
Poplar, a distance of nine squares.
All day long msskers and mummers
.promenaded singly and in groups, to the
great Amusement Of the spectators.
Toe center OF attraction wal the grand
stand at Court Square. This stand was
crowded to excess, at least two thousand
people having seats thereon. During
the day the largest mount of masking
was done by strangers, the city
people preferriug to look on and
reserve masquerading for the night.
The terrible infant with the tin horn was
everywhere, and blew in your ears those
horrid blasts Of mimic war, aud that SO
loud and shrill that you we're compelled
to muiter Calculations on both the iB.
strumeRtsl horror aud its triumphant
possessor. The stuffed club men and
bladder.toting 6ends we're also out in full
force, enjoying the familiarities and lib.
critics Of the day. Many very amuaing
character sketches we're depicted. The
couple in a wagon turning the crank Of
a hand organ aud representing the Two
Orphans Led AsiraY," were generally
admired. Everything appeared fantasti-
cAland absurd, and everybody seemed to
laugh aud enjoy the grotesque side Of
human nature, which came up to the
surface in so odd a shspe-that Of Folly,
with its cap and bells. During the dsy
the number Of msskers and mummers on
the streets was moi as numerous as on
last Mardi-Gras, and for the reason thai
last year the city people INDUCED largely
ia the fun from early morn until late into
the night.
THE gLKss PROCESSION.
At 3 o'clock the celebrated mystic
association Of "Ulks' appeared on Main
street in a pageant representing the re
turn Of Louis TX. of France from the
CrusaGss. Tho csvalcado was divided
into fourteen groups. and it created the
widest excitement as it passed along
down Main to Beal, and then counter
marching, travelled back over the same
route. During the progress OF the pro
c%ession the streets we're literally packed
by the multitude Of people who surgeC
backward and forward for q distance o
nine squares. Sheds, awnings, window.
aud house-tops were filled with specta
tors, the ladies predominsting in mum
bers at these locations. The care takel
by the citizens generally in placing sup
ports under awnings prevented any acct
dents from occurring during the day o
Right--in fact, nothing occurred to ma
the pleasures Of the carnival in any re
spect. The "Ulks" procession was ex
ceedingly we'll gotten up, the costume
OF the different groups being most a ppro
pirate. The ancient "peelers'' and thu
citizens and soldiers of the times Of tn,
crusades we're we'll depicted; the Crosi
was triumphant over the Crescent when
the Christian hosts had defeated tht
Saraeens. King Louis and his gooC
Queen Marguerite Of Provence wer,
seated on a throne surrounded by thu
gallant French knights, esquires anC
equeries, AS the procession passed th,
appearance Of Main street was magni6.
cent-the bright dresses OF the ladies, the
waving of handkerchiefs, the shouts o.
the multitude, and the music by the
bands from New Orleans, St. Louis and
the city presenting an effect most at
t%ractive to the senses.
This procession being over, the next
great attraction was the famous street
pageant o!
THE MEMPHI.
The subject Of this was Poetry. Ii
was illustrated by different epochs with
reference to Greciau. Roman, Italian,
Spanish, French, German, English and
American history. 1t was a poetic in.
spiration, chsrmingly presented in char
scter and deserved to be classed among
!" The polished arts that harmonise mankind,
Soften the rude and calm tho bOisteroul
mind"
1t is needless to give a detailed de-.
scription Of each float or epoch pre-.
sented in tableau, This has been done
by the Memphi, who, in advance, scat
tered broadcast throughout the city,
pamphlets containing a complete de.
scription Of the theme and the manner
in which it would be presented.
At halfpast 8 o'clock the blazing
lights that burst forth in North Memphi,
told the tale, that the Mystic Memph'
had commenced their march. Twenty.
eight floats, each containing a historical
tableau most poetical in conception auc
effect. came down Main to Beal, snd
couutermsrching returned over the
route. Colored lights were turned on al
different points along the route, all o.