American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-01-29
Carnival at New Orleans.
Yours truly
+. q. G.

Carnival at New Orleans.
The "rainy season" which has
caused q great stagnation of bust.
ness throughout the entire South
seems in no way to have dampened
the ardor of His Majesty, Rex. OF
the exalted officers of his Carnival
Court now gathering at New Or
leans.
The managers of the Mardi Gras
festivities there intend to make the
display this year eclipse in grams
deur and magnificence anything
hitherto seen on this Continent, and
to this end have arranged a pro-
gramme of novelties which will at
tract to the Crescent City thousands
from all parts of our common
country.
The first of the stree. pageant
will take place on February 22d,
when the Boston Lancers and
Charlestown Cadets, two celebrated
companies from Massachusetts, will
be received as guests by the Vete-
ran Continental Guards. This Is
the first visit of citizen soldiery
from the north to New Orleans, and
is paid ut the invitation of the Con
tinentals, who were the guests of
the Lancers ON their late visit to
Boston.
TIE Lancers uniformed in scarlet,
blue and gold, armed with glitter
ing pennant, decked lances, and
superbly mounted, will add not q
little to the gorgeousness of the
display, and their appearance will
be IN entire keeping with the mag.
nificence of Rex and bis Court,
whose special escort they will be on
the day of his majesty's arrival in,
the city.
The regular United States troops,
stationed at the barracks, will a:so
take part in the display, and with
their regn' alton blue uniform, bust.
ness-lixe step, aud martial, brorzed
and veteran faces make an excel
lent foil to their moe gaily>attired
citizen comrades.
Next in order will be the i)lumi>
mated night street pageant OF the
Knights of Momus on Thursday
evening. February oath, which will
be carried out with all the gor>
geousness of detail for which this
organization is famous, aud which
is only equaled by their Mystic
Brethren Of the "Krew."
On Sunday, February 9th, the
whole division of State National
Guards of Louisiana will parade to
receive fhe list Regiment OF New
York State National Guards, who
will arrive on special train of
sleepers, accompanied by their f,-
nous band OF forty pieces and full
"drum corps" The train will be
gaily decorated and will have at
tached an open Car arranged for
the band and another bearing
twelve>pounder served by Il special
detachment Of artillery, the inten-
ton being to salute with cannon
and music the different towns zen
The next day, Monday, February
23th, will be the reception OF his
majesty Rex, tho guard to be de.
tailed from the louisiana State
troops.
Tuesday, March LIST, [Mardi
Grasl magnificent imperial day pa.
geant of his majesty Rex, "the
King Of the Carninal," escorted by
the "King's Own,""Phorty Funny
Phell0ws" and kindred oreaniza
tions, and guarded by the home
and visiting military.
On Tuesday evening the grand
feature of the Carnival, the gOr
geous illuminated street pageant OF
the world renowned s.Mystick Krew
Of COmus" completes the series, and
is a fitting finale to those that have
gone before.
1t is hight, and from the remotest
environs of the gay city. from
every square and st: ect and by-way
come the expectant populace-old
age and childhood hand in hand,
the rich, the poor, all conditions OF
life crowd merriIy with laugh and
shout towards the ceut,e of the
city, the usual focus OF display.
Crowds of maskers dressed In
every conceivable costume under
the sun elbow their way, with many
= jest and joke, though tho laugh
Ing throng. All is merriment and
ga ely, and from every side sounds
the laugh of old age, manhood in
It's prime, gay maidens in their
'teens," youth in all ages and its
ancy in its nurses arms. Sudden
y the heavens are aglow, and from
EN- thousand throats comes the
Try, "They come they come y and
he vast crowd, up to this time a
moving uncertain THONG. resolves
tself into an audience, expectant,
lecorous and appreciative.
The lights grow brighter, all is
hush falls upon the
crowd, and then, with a
,urst of applause from the assem-
lied thousands, the longlooked for
pectacle, with strains of exquisite
music and crash or martial drums,
freaks upon the adniring throng.
coming from no one knows where,
md disappearing as mysteriously
8 they appear. To the looker-on,
b e1scene is weird and wonderful,
nj ill ro,pa;p ;mnraaead y,nOu tho |