The New York herald., 1877-02-14
THE KING!
Triumphal March Of His August
Majesty Fun.
AT NEW ORLEANS.
Mammoth Professions, Glowing TableauI,
Grandeur Unbounded
REX TAKES WATER.
Revealing with GOddeSSeS, Greeks and
Romans of RenOwn.
VENUS IN ADVANCE.
From Athens Princejv Palaces to BOstonS
VENUS IN ADV AN c &
From Athens PrinceIy Palaces to Boston's
Pork and Beans.
YE LOVES OF MUS

u
,iiy in which the Catholic element predominatcs. and,
iccond, scm.tropca climate. The one invests the
aolday with proper significance, while the other is
adapted to the spirit character of its proper cee
brat,on. In Europe 1t has always been observed as
individual emanc patton from social law in
which the spirit OF rcvelry aud mischief asserted full
icensc IL remained for America to touch il with the
magic wand oil organization harmonzing all It's neon.
yruous elements into school Of art ~ once lnsiruc-
tive, beautiful and elcvating in its influence To our
city Mobile belongs tho credit of organzng,"
nearly half century ago, tho lrst secret society
charged with this mission. Although It's initial efforts
crude rs comparcc with the magnificent displays
pf to-day yet they In success. and resulted
n founding an institution which has since become the
icIgh: pride OF otsuccessivc generations, its innu-
.ace gradually extending throughout the Union and
ultimately establishing :tsclt permanently in nearly
al the great Southern cities.
CoMus IN NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans always celebrated for the artistic cul
ivaon OF its people, soon recognized the merit Of he
system, and in 1857 organized the "Mystc krcwe
pf Comus," which appeared on Mardi Gras o! that
year in representation OF the characters ci Mltons
Paradise Lost Its subsequent history and triumphs
too well known to need other than passing notice
here As in MOBILE, It gradually became the parent OF
p;hcr associations, all OF which have made bril-
Court" which takes charge OF the day display,
and which created Hs Majesty 'Rcx" uhe
Carnival Kngl whose nag now floats as
lhc recognized symbol OF the realm whenever
his voares congresate together, and whose peculiar
,ut sonorous proclamations have almost invested the
institution with distinctive diction OF lis own.
Other associations have also earned enviabe rcputa
lions, such the "Twelith Night Revccrs"
knights OF Momus' and "King's own" The main
characteristic of all these bodies and that to which
their be mainly attributed Is the preser
vation of secrecy. The public is carefully kept in
ignorance OF their personality. They appear and dis
appear like phantoms, and as each association is self
supporting refusing all outside donations, their
popularity is, OF course. unbounded The King OF the
Carnvas annual displays have hitherto been purely
historical in character, very similar In conception to
those which the ste days Of nearly every city in
France, Germany aud ltay are to-day celebrated.
THE KINGS ENTRANCE
five years ago represented OF the Ptolemies with
his Egyptian Court; then followed Magian monarch
with his Persian surroundings. Another time, King
Totla the Goth, with his barbarian cohorts, rode into
the city as he rode Rome conqucror. The
last the finest display witnessed IN the world,
the whole power Of the authorities national state and
CIVIL being enlisted in its success. Since then the
ngs affairs would seem to have fallen into less
rcten hands and though he appears regularly he does
90 shorn OF most of his oden pomp ana power He
will, however, in time his government is too
thoroughly organized to die out, and, usual with
other monarchs one of those heaithful changes OF
Ministry, which apt TO during reign, may
revise his odcn glories and add additional ustrc his
name.
Fortunately, no such shadow has ever fallen
the record oil tho Mystic Krewe which has gone from
year to year. pilng triumph upon triumph each display
eclpsing It's predecessor Having great
the ng, inasmuch its procession takes place
Al ight, it Is thus enabled 10 produce splendid
effects at infinite less cost. Yet, while not sparing
Of expense 1t very properly nvades the higher regions
OF CLASSIC literature, poesy and Imagination Tor fit
themes to Illustrate. which are invariably elaborated
and beautined to degree in which the brain OF the
the hand OF tho finished artist plainly
recognizable.
Few persons save those experienced imagine the
labor and Administrative ability called into play in
preparing and marshalng OF these displays every
detail OF which must move with the precision Of a
clock, and that through streets rendered almost i'm
passablo by crowds of spectators In addition to the
strangers who overflow the city Mard Gras the en-
tire population centres IN the lew streets which
the necessarily short route extends other portions of
the city being for the time literally deserted. Every
sustain the throngs OF slgh-scers who invade them
Tiers Of front Of houses extending
from the curb to the second story Every window is
aied. every vantage spot struggled These night
professions usually consist OF about l25 charuc
tcrs, grouped upon about twenty iurge plat.
FORMS twenty-five feet by ten icci in d.
mcns,ons, each drawn by four caparisoned
horses, led by as many livericd grooms These plat.
forms cunningy butt up, with wood canvas PAPER
niach6 and other simple contrlvances, INTO the most
wonderful and artistic forms. Whether It is repro.
sent the throne OF Solomon. pastoral scene, the
ocean depths the Olympan heights, The skill OF the
designer and the touch OF the experienced artist
cndow il with the semblancc OF reality. Nothing 50
asonshrs the spectator as the effects thus produced
In which tho domain OF the impossible appears SO
often successfully assaiIed. only through careful
study and experience long years could such
ou,slic per lection ever been achieved.
As THE PROCESSION MOVES
through the streets, in front, around the bands o
masic, preceding aud following, along either side 0
the entire Inc one unbroHcn cham Of brian
lights mounted upon powerful relcctors. These arr
from 500 900 In number anu utilize The service
over 200 spectral bearers who are carefully drilled 70
the service IN anticipation The secret OF the place
preparation changed every year, Is always CAREFUL.
guarded from the public and IL invariably located II
some remote district o the city, the procession gen
orally appearing the route advertised IN The yer!
opposite direction from which expected II IS hrs
hcraldcd by a flood OF light, overtopped "
a heavy though brilliant cloud OF smoke, wh'ci
shadows il like an airy canopy and adds no little i'
the weird effect of the scene The subject displayed II
announced upon transparencIes OF ever changing do
sign, invariably cxquisitely painted Upon one oc
casion an original poe illustrated by ixing tIbleaux
was thus Grsl published the world, SO that ever,
one could read u i passed
Afer proceeding short route the lights onl!