Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-02-24

the Crescent City is in the midst of he
carnival, and to the stranger presents
most grotesque and amusing sight. In n
other place, in this country at least, i
Mardi Gras celebrated with so much atten
ton to details, such lavish display or will
such artistic method. The festival origi
mated in Italy, among the Latin Catholics
and every city OF Europe which has an,
pretensions to gay lie has, in a measure
been affected by the custom of masauera
ding. New Orleans, one of cosmopolitan
cities in the world, got
----,-s--..;s, xHeR Rardf (srxS 49, -, q
from her immense French and Spanish
Catholic population. The carnival season
opens about Twelfth night, and at one
time, during its six years existence, the
season devoted to Momus was inaugurated
January by the Twelfth Night Revel.
lers.' This society was composed of very
wealthy men, and its pageants and balls
were gorgeous to an extreme degree. As
precursors to the carnival season the small
society clubs, numerals (such rs 1--WE
Ten, "Cs Six" United Five" &C. and
dancing classes give
SOirees Dansante En- Masqpe
by the score, beginning about Christm as
time. Once the season has fairly opened
grand mask balls in the large halls Of the
city are affairs of nightly occurrence, and
many romance might be written from the
incidents and accidents that cluster around
the fairy world of the gay masqueraders.
The sparkling bottle with the tiusel cap,
the perfumed blonde, the glittering rapier,
the cartel, the fast youth, the sombre DOM
ino and the pimpl mask are the woofs
that may be woven into the romantic web,
and love and hate share alike the adcan-
tages OF the hours when they do their
work incognito. In former days the Marii
Gras was fete of
Indfscriminate Masking.
Everybody had his or her own peculiar
makeup, and each one did as he liked.
went where he wished, and acted often. in
a way that brought Censure upon the cele.
bration. Under cover of the disguise dseds
of violence were committed, and the
authorities framed laws rngu-
lating the manner of observing the day.
At one time il was considered the proper
thing to throw handfuls of flour at persons
passing by, and people enerally went out
on this day with their worst suit of clothes,
for they were certain to get compliment
in the shape of fstful of -four in the back
or face from some bold gamin or cheeky
masker before reaching a dozen rods from
home. Some misChievous individuals
women were the principal evil-doers in this
respect, jealous rivals, probably-got to
mixing pepper with the -four, and in many
cases serious injury was done to the eyes.
and the use of the flour was prohibited.
A law was also made requiring that men
md women, before entering a mask ball,
should be thoroughly searched for con-
cealed weapons, and this did to some ex-
tent, lessen the number of affrays in the
ball and wine rooms. The mask ball and
eveas innrsasa s@g - - -~~--, 49, -.
hight. lust as Ash Wednesday. Catholic
holy day is sounded in
Every Mask Drops
from the face il covers-for Rome has SAID
hat il would be mortal sin 20 wear 1t
into Lent; and by daylight next merning
the forehead will I've stained with the I'M
press OF the blessed ashes where the
mask rested the night before. From this
Catholic custom grows the fashion oil un-
at midnight. In 1851 the now
world famous Mystick krewe of Comus be-
gan its orgies. which consist OF street
pageant illustrating some historical, legend
ary or romantic subject. and closing with
grand tableaux and hall at the principal
theatre. The invitations are received by
those whom COmus designates rs guests,
but the happy ones who are favored never
learn from whom they came.
The Krewe Looms
up suddenly in the street, and then march
to the theatre, and, when the curtain de-
scends upon its lat picture on the stage IL
as suddenly and mysrerinusly disappears.
n II appears on thc.ball room floor. II Is as
guests and in the regulation dress SUM.
There has never been discovered The Sllght
est cley to the identity of Comus Merry
Erewe. And this j. likewise true OF all
the other mystic societies connected WIN
the carnival The MYstick krcwe he
celebrated every Mardi ''ra> ~ 10 the
nresent time, with the exception oi the
period of the civil war, aud has in regular
order illustrated the following themes by
street pageant, and Thcetrfcai Tab
Ieaux:
,s,7 Millions Paradise Lost" 1853.
"Mvtbology OF the Classic Period 1899
"Engligh Holdays-Msy Day, Midsummer
Eve Christmas and Twelfth Night 1850,
"The Great Men of America; 1861, The
Seven Ages" Shakespeare 1861, The
Feast of Epicurus." 1858, "Lalla Rookb'
CMoore); 1859. THE Five Senses $50,
History OF Louisiana tststuary!; 1871.
'sTbe Fairie Queen" (Spencesl; Js12
Dreams OF Homer" lS7a, Missing Links
CDarwinl; 1874. "Comus Receiving the Ma
tions;" 1875, -Four TIoussId Years o.
Sacred History" 1877, "The Aryan Race;
1873, ''The Me,amorphoses' (Oyid); 1880
THE Aztec People, 1881, MYTHS o
yorthland--The Sibelungenlied.' The
orders Of these pageants are sent to Paris
/ vear a,.:.d. as..d. and paHy thousands OF dollars
are expended in perfecting and producing
them before the public.
The knights OF Momus
came into existence in 1872, and gave thel
| f;rst paeeant December 81, but aftefSA'
| CHANGED the date OF their procession 10 tn
| Thursday preceding Mard; Gras. The sub
iects they have illustrated are: l12, III
Talisman" Walter Scott; 1873, "Cominl
Races" (Bulwerl; 1876, Louisiana and Hei
Products: 1871 "Momus' Dream o
Hades" Ia grand onel; 1875, Scenes from
the Realms of Fancy Cstill grander); 1880
"a Dream Of Fair Women" (Tennvsonl
| 1881, Scenes from Popular Story Books.
Political strife prevented the display y
1875. and the epidemic at the end OF %
| prevented the observance OF 20. Tn
Twelfth Night RevelleIs made the follow
| ing displays: 1870, "Historica Scenes
| ISL, Nursery Rhymes, Mother Goose !;
1872, English Humorists' 1873, AUDI
bon's Works" which was remarkaol
display. the birds being perfect, -grea,fi
| magnified, Brilliantly colored and strik
ingiy mounted and posed in natural seen
cry: 1874, ':Dolliana, another remarks
bic display: 1S.6, The March OF Ages.
The Revellers and their chieitain'
Lord of Misrule. . left the Southern climat
in 1877. The idea Of
King ef the Carnival
to enter the city the day before Asrdi Ora
and then take charge Of the city the follo'
ing day, took shape in 1872, when he al
pesred in regal spiendor, attended with
the hosts that usually grace the tram OF !.
oriental despot. Probably no monarch !