Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-02-14
ARRIVAL OF 1877.
How Mardi-Gras was Observed
in Memphis Yesterday.
The Makers and Mummers-PrO-
CsSsion Of the Ulks and
Msmph-Balls at
Night, Etc.

Although the clouds lowered on yes
terday morning and the cool northwest
wind brought with it a light shower Of
sleety rain, at an early hour Main street
was throngei with people. Toward noon
it was cloudy, but dry and cool, and the
maskers began to make their appearance
in large numbers. The sun did not shine
out as:it was won't to do, and Dame Ma.
ture seemed to be sulky and in a bad
humor, and, woman-like, ready to break
out into tears.
The very best calculators announced
that at least twenty thousand strangers
were in the city, people who CAM here
from the far North. the distant South and
the East and West, attracted by the repu.
tatiou which Memphis has secured as a
city which celebrates the great carnival
Of Mardi.Gras in a manner not excelled,
and probably not equalled by New Or.
leans, where the Gallo races, the French
and Spanish, years ago made the Mardi.
Gras carnival an American institution,
tranSplanted from sunny Italy to bloom
more freshly in the tropical climes OF
the North American continent.
By high noon yesterday the numerous
private stands, the grand Court Square
stand, the windows and awnings on
Main street, were filled with people all
eager to see the follies Of the day and
enter iutoi the spirit Of the great car
nlval. Weather or no weather, Mardi.
Gras had to come off; it could not have
been postponed, because on the next
day today Ash.Wednesday, the Lenten
season Of fasting and prayer commenced,
and the deeds committed by the flesh
had to be accounted for aud atoned for
by devotional exercises, and for forty
days aud nights, until the Easter hoii
days announced that the days of repent.
ance and fasting were over.
Mardi,G raS is Of ancient origin, aud its
establishment as q festival in Memphis
is a fixed fact, thanks to our liberal citi-
zens, who are cosmopolitan not only in
taste but nationality. Mardi. Gras, Shrove
or Fat Tuesday, is celebrated in nearly all
the Countries Of ~Europe-the French.
man, the Italian, the Spaniard, the Ger.
man and the Englishnan alike celebrate
it, but in different styles. 1t is of Pagan
origin, as indeed are almost all other
customs Of this world, and it was daily
celebrated by the old Greeks and Ro
mans who worshiped Pan and Bacchus
and celebrated their festivals 10 a right
royal manner They were given to ex-
cesses just as we are given to them upon
Mardi.Gras. Men and women, then as
now, often forgot themselves and became
intoxicated, not only With the pleasures
OF the occasion but with strong drink
They, as we, dressed up fantastically and
they ran about the streets OF Rome and
Atheas as msskers and mummers. Hea.
thenism gave place to Christianity nearly
nineteen hundred years ago, but the
world is all the same, and the people are
the same 80 far as emotions, impulses,
passions and eveu habits are concerned.
We merely refer to this in order to show
that the celebration Of Mardi.Gras on
yesterday was but history repeating it
self as it passed down the corridors of
time, aad as it will continue to repeat
itself for ages yet to como in the womb
Of the distant future.
THE STREETS, ETC.
By two o'clock on yesterday a wave of
people surged from Beal street to Poplar;
they crowded the streets, house-tops aad
Window ~anxiously awaiting the ap-
proach OF the Ulks. Hundreds Of mas
queraders and r%evelsrs ran about the
streets to the great amusement of the
people. Many Of the characters displayed
elegance aud taste, while others took a
humorous vein aud added no little to the
enjoyment Of the day. At two o'clock
the Ulks debouched in column into Main
street from Adams and the public expec.
tation stood on tip toe a~nxiously await
ing the pageant. 1t came down Main
healed by the officers of the police force
and the st. Louis Prussian band, which
latter discoursed some excellent music.
Then followed the floats which repre-
ssnte the themes sought to De depicted
by the Ulks. The floats were as follows:
No. l. TIE Spirit Of the Ulks.
No. 2. Radicalism Aored.
No. 3. The INVASION Of Germany.
No. 4. Die Wacht am Rhine.
No. 5. Arctic Discoveries.
No. 6. Tbs Sublime Porte.
No. Z. 0uli Ireland.
No. 8. Scotch Poets and Heroes.
No. 9. Origin Of Chivalry.
NO. 10. Cleopatra and Caesar.
No. IL. New Version of Caesar.
No. IL. The Universal King (the
Baby.
No. l3. The Detected Monarch, No.
mus.