The Democratic advocate., 1878-03-16
Correspondence Of the Ne'c York World.
THE CARNIVAL IN NEW ORLEANS.


Celebrating Mardi-Gras in style not even known in
Ante -Bellum DayS-The story of the Day Process
sion and the Parade of the Mysiick Krew-Heath-
en- Gods Galore.
NEW ORLEANS, March 5th.-Seldom
within the memory of the proverbial Oldest
resident, and never within the recollection
Of your correspondent, has the celebration
of Mardi-Gras in New Orleans been more
general or more universally successful than
to-day. The streets bear their usual Car
nival look, the large stores are all decorat-
ed with bunting and flags of all kinds and
designs both varied and handsome. Many
private residences fly the flag of Rex, the
King of the Carnival, from their roofs and
windows. Canal street is gay with colored
banners swaying to and fro in the gentle
breeze and floating over the heads of the
thousands of gay folk who throng the
thoroughfare. Hardly building on this
stately street but has some kind of deeora-
tion. The same is true of ST. Charles,
Camp, Prytania, Jackson and other of the
chief thoroughfares up town, and of Es-
planade, Royal, Dauphine, Bourbon and
st. Louis down town, in the French quar-
ter. Every car, carriage and vehicle of
every description carries some emblem of
the Carnival reign. All the shipping in
the river is decorated, too, flags of all ma
tions fly from the masts of innumerable
craft and the very cotton bales on the
levee are turned to account by being made
to bear some kind of flag.
As has been the custom with us since
1871, the days pleasure began with the
arrival of the King of the Carnival and
its celebration by a mid day street process
sion of great splendor. The subject of the
pageant was the contrast between the heroic
age of myth and fable and the evolutions
of nineteenth-century civilization-with
all that that term implies. This afforded
an opportunity, well used, to hold the
mirror up to Nature in aspects of the hu-
morous, the absurd and the sarcastic The
range of characters and incidents was wide
enough, to be sure, beginning with Aga
memnon in the van, and closing, in the
rear, with types of modern avarice and
greed. The subject, it was announced,
had been selected by the King himself,
who has been passing brief season in his
winter palace at Mycen@, lately rediseov-
ed and reconstructed by Dr. Schliemau
Here his royal mind was filed with thoughts
of his iliustrious ancestors of the Pelopid@
and the Heraclide; of lphigenia and ely
temnestra; Of Jason and Medea; Of Paris
and Helen; of the struggles between Greek
and Trojan heroes on the plains of the
Troad, beyond the blue waves of the Kgean
Sea. Thus it occurred to him to show his
loyal subjects here the contrast between
things as they were among the mythical
heroes and things as they are among the
practical moderns. The way in which he
has done his royal work speaks well for
his royal intellect. The royal humor, too,
was displayed now and again-sometimes
a Greek helmet was replaced by a modern
stovepipe, sometimes polonaise took the
place of a toga proterta, or a pair of top
boots was substituted for the classic sandals.
The procession was divided into two
sections:-Ffrst-Rex as AgamemnOn, re-
turning from the Trojan war. Second
A caricature of the mythology of the
Greeks and Romans.
First came six Greek princes, leaders of
the Hellenic hosts who besieged Troy and
returned victorious to Hellas. They were
clad in armor, waving crests were on their
FURNISHED helms, bucklers on their arms
and massive javelins in their hands.
.r.1n--l D.x-an1 No. kLa
Pylian Sage. His head was encircled by
a chaplet, and gemmed girdle confined
his tunic. A purple mantle hung from
his shoulders. On either side were heralds
in white robes, sounding brazen trumpets.
Then followed three venerable priests
swinging golden censers.
The great Agamemnon next appeared in
an emblazoned chariot drawn by four white
steeds. He was attired in complete armor,
a radiant baldric tied on his shoulder and
sword glittering at his side.
His buckler's weighty orb was next displayed
That round the warrior cast dreadful shade
Ten zones of brass It's ample brim surround,
And twice ten bosses the bright convex crowned.
Chained to the car behind walked two
captive Trojan princes, clad in various
colored robes, scarlet cloaks, helmets and
circlets of gold.
A body of Greek warriors came next.
With them were Lydian and Carian SOL
diers bearing bows, arrows, battle axes
and round shields embossed with brass.
These completed the immediate escort of
the great leader of the Argive host
Thus did Rex as an Homeric hero ty-
pity the the tragic element The comic
was yet to come.
Next after Agamemnon followed Mighty
Zeus bestride an eagle (the golden eagle
of America).
Jove was arrayed in kingly robes, pur-
pie and ermine, and grasped the well
known thunderbolts.
The Queen of Heaven followed closely
after her mighty lord, drawn by gaudy
peacoeks harnessed to gorgeous chariot.
The appearance of the goddess was much
changed since the days when she wandered
among the Thessalian Mountains, watch
ing to detect Zeus in furtive dalliance
with wanton Dread. Costume-She
displayed a coiffure a la Pompadour, cor
onet, blue velvet mantle bordered with er-
mine, roseate toga, fan, bracelets, and jew
els galore.
Poseidon next came in sight, in the per-
sou of a jolly sea-captain, commanding a
yacht drawn by golden-maned horses. His
costume was a cooked hat, blue jacket,
epaulets and yellow breeches. In one
hand he held a telescope, through which
he took casual observations; in the other
the necessary trident. Accompanying
him came his spouse; Amphitrite, whose
costume consisted of ribbons, spangles,
founces, a Ia mode, fan and parasol. Po-
seldom, jr., and crew of tars with dolphin
tails, showing them to be Tritons in dis
guisc, accompanied the party, while by
the side of the vessel lazy Triton took
soundings in the mimic sea.
Minerva Reformed followed after, ar
rayed in short clothes and mounted on a
pedestal, presiding over n meeting of scien-
tifc persons-an elderly female. Her
costume was hemlet, spectacles, steel
cuirass for stays, sword and crimson bal
dric, boots and spurs and umbrella, the
Gorgon- faced shield at her feet In front
was an owl couchant, near her three saw
ants experimeuting-an astronomer, in
blue coat and tall cap, looking through a
telescope; a chemist, in sulphur -colored
gown, manipulating apparatus, and hea-