The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-08

creased the anxiety of the multitude that held |
invitations to get favorable positions from
sequence. at an early hour all the approaches
to the Opera House were thropged
with curious and impatient people. AT length |
the doors were opened and the throng surged in, |
an eager and waving mass Of humanity, and the
vast amphitbeatre was soon filed to its utmost
capacity. The glamour OF fair faces and the
alabaster gleam of white arms made the grand
dome resplendent with that flight which never
and sweetest of all symphonies, the low murmur
of a human multitude, filed it with music. How
sweet this music was that night, made up as IL
was, of Joyous voices and triils OF low laughter
from women's lips
"The song and sadness laughter interweaves
When gurgling through her lips like singing
brooks
Through autumn lesves.'
Yet how ominous, how terrible has thi. same
murmurng OF the multitude been when pro-
vohed by other lords OF misrule, whose purpose
has been to plague, and not TO please them. Ah,
wondrous compass and expression, the grandest
and most awful when angry, the sweetest and
tenderest when joyous. But erewhils this
sound OF voices was drowned in the blare Of
trumpets and the roll OF drums, and the curtain
rolled up to show The
FIRST TABIEhu.
The display this year was representation Of
the various games, cards, chess, croquet, etc
The first tablesu was arranged to dis play the
various games, which were the dominant feature
Of the display, the musicians and officers Of the
household being placed in the background.
The central object in this tableau WAS the huge
and magnificent
TWELFTH NIGHT CAKE,
in whose vast reoesses the fsteful bean was
somewhere hid. This huge oonfeotion was pre-
oeded by
THE LORD or M1sRuLE,
attended by his two heralds.
On the right OF the cake was the Royal Punch
Bowl, and on the left the Boar's Head, attended
by the Mustard. Behind the Punch Bowl stood
onr genial friend The Cook, and behind the Bears
Head was he OK the e6fngent nose with his cork
screw In hand. Marshalled in military precision
on either tide were the red and white
oHEssMEr.
the PAwps in front and the royal pieces behind
them. These we're easily recognized by their
costumes, which were at once tasteful and accu-
rate. The Pawps were represented by arobers,
in snits Of chain mail and red and white velvet
with cocks for hesdpieoes, and armed with
erossbowB
The red King and Queen were dark-browed
and wore robes OF red velvet trimmed with
white sables, while the white King and Queen
were blondes, and wore pale blue robes and
white sables. The Knights, Bishops and Castles
were plainly designated.
wore red and yellow checked tuDio representing
draugbt board, and had about him other marks
Of identity plain as any "strawberry mark
that ever was borne on the body Of long lost
brother.
was the "heavy villain Of the evening, and was
quite az disrepntable looking any private could
desire TO appear.
THE KINGS OF oIUBs AND SPADES
were also easily distinguishabls, though the first
In nowise resembled chief OF police, but had
rather sn elegant and bandit like appearance that
would make him most acceptable as 3 Loan Of
touer."
THE QUEEN OF DIAMONDS,
the tuelsry saint OF modern mstrimopy, reigned
solitary and alone, her rival the Queen of Hearts,
not putting In an appearance, doubt'ess being
detained at home by domestic aff,irs, perhaps in
preparing the historical tarts, for which eonfee-
tion her reputation is proverbial.
onoouET
was represented by two seductive and bewder-
ing damsels Of the period, one in yellow and pale
green and the other In red and dark green.
THE SECOND TABLEAu
brought the musicians and officers OF the
household out more copspcuousy, but not
with an effectiveness that made us cease TO re-
gret the necessity which compelled the Revellers
to abolish the street parade, where each Chsrac-
ter Ia brought prominently TO sight in effective
groups, which osnnot be attained on stage.
On the extreme right msrshaling his jewellers,
stood
THE LORD OF hIsRULE,
in q rose- -colored suit, sashed with white and
trimmed with lace, q tunic OF the same color
about his shoulders, hat also coulev de rose.
with pumes. and in bis hand q baton Of
gold. By him and at the extreme right of the
line, stood
THE TWO HERALDs.
One, old man with long white beard,
dressed In white and purple, the other black
bearded and swart, In red and green, each with
n helmet with cock for the crest and herald's
trumpet terminating in an ass's head. In the
front line with these were the
MUSICIANS OF THE HOUSEHOLD
These consisted Of, OF course, first,
THE DRUM MAJOR,
in suit OF green and gold, with ponderou, staff,
but himself, contrary to custom. Of diminutive
size. Next to him was
THE BAGPrPB,
a Johnny Highlander, in plsids, his own huge
belly supplying the wind bag for his instrument.
This WAS q most amusing caricature. Next was
the
DRUMMER BOY,
and tpauiettes. His left hand neighbor was
queer looking arrangement, which, We suppose,
with skirt Of metal. bell shape hat and capote
of the same, and q rack of bells in each hand,
like the white lady OF Banbury Cross" who |
makes music wherever she goes.
THE ARcAD1AN PIPES
were hext to this queer figure. These were the |
self same pipes with which Pan delighted to en-
tertain the Bscchanals and the simple shepherds |
in The morning Of the world, made Of the sghipg |
reeds in which the lustful god OF old found music
first when he clasped them in his embrace, think |
ing that he detained the fair but unwilling Syrinx |
there. The performer on this occasion, however, |
possesses an advantage which was doubtless de- |
MED Pan, which consisted Of mouth that could |
"reach an octave" and give every tone Of the in-
strument at once. |
THE HARMoNIcoE, |
the modern adaptation Of the pipes, was also
there to remind us OF other days OF song and |
story, bringing to our mind the good old days OF
plenty and piunder, when our erstwhile citizen, |
Geo. W. Carter, used to ravish select coteries by
his performances on this same Arcadian instru. |