The New York herald., 1876-12-01

In the "gude oylde, merrio days" when Harry was
king, upon the occasion OF any Thanksgiving hoyday
or peaccmakng. 10 saith the old chronicles, thero
wero always "ayre' number Of tho merry hearted
citizens, with their followers and families, who would
show their joy and peaccuness by roting In
through tho streets OF the ''citye" Included among
this number In merrio England, ut i0ast, wore
and boys who would don various fantastic costumes
and parade tho streets doing all sorts OF ridiculous
things under tho license of n holyday. That this
strange custom was introduced into the United States
many years ago Is q matter well known 10
our readers. The "Mardi Gras," or Fat Tuesday,
In New Orleans is carnival so full or fun irolc and
merry license that people thr0ug from every direction
10 WOW the groesqaerie exhibited IN It's processons,
and 10 curry with them some idea 0t the shifting
color daring froic and bizarre effects Of Mard Gras
company parsdIng Canal street or winding amid tho
devious ways VI ST. Charles street, Ia New Orleans.
THIS custom, imported from the Corso in carnival,
unlicensed Rome" has found It's way 10 Now York;
hence yesterday morning, at an carly hour tho citizens
OF this city not surprised At hearing the barc OF
hundred truinpetsa IN discord, Of coursc--and the
shouts OF merry voices, disguised and nuiilcd by
masks Thesc sounds frum troops OF little merry
mcu, who arraycd in shabby scarlet lveries, IN
iaticrcd raiment, in castoH clothes, and who with
painted faces perambulated the with
freedom that had something VI the daring oil the Lord
Of Unrcas0n In H.
The number or .rantasticals" abroad yesterday
was not quite up TO the standard OF pre-
vous years, but In tho Eastern aud West.
districts there wore somo amusing dis
step and disregard Of infantry tactics ia the cvolu
tons All VI costumes were put ia requisiton,
OF them uccidcdy inexpensive and some quite
handsome The American Indian was largely repre-
kentcd IN NIL tho organizations, and some OF tho
theatrical costuners did thriving business IN the
Ioaning out OF demons dresses and clowns habili-
menls, aud one OF characters, Including General
Boum and other opera tomge notab'Ilties. created
much merriment. Among the fantasticais out
parade aud gone for days shooting" were "Thc
Young Twontieth Ward Fantastcs," "rhc Ghtterng
Stars" "The Odcon Rangers" "rhe Ocean Rangers
and .'rhc CcDtennais" the latter especially noted tor
their antiquity OF costume ana device, which would
have done honor 10 the Ancient and Horrbles" OF
New En- gland iamc.
The usual humber OF companies to which local poll
ticians had gwen Their names and upon which they
had bestowed prizes started out carly most OF them
gong to Now Jersey over tho Corandt street, Dcs-
broscs ana fwcntythrd street icrrcs and ono OF tho
best companies, turning out In full iorcc, marching
we'll and accompanied by an elegantly decorated
truck, drawn by eight horses, was composed Of the
employees OF the .Grcat Atlantic and Pacific Tea
Company" the looking hncy and marching
through Twcntylhrd street with the precision Of vQt
crans Some OF the .'iantastcas," on their retuvn,
bore torches and coiorcd lights In their ranks and
kept up tho festivities until late hour.
"WActher casarisn Is TO be the NEXT issue or s