Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-22
MARDI GRAS.
SPLENDORS OF THE CARNIVAL.
The Rex Reception - Marvellous
Spectaetes - The Crescent City
ThFOnged-The Display at Mobile
Previous Efforts SURPASSED.

NEW ORLEANS, February 2l.-The Rex
reception yesterday was quite nice affair.
The United States steamer Kea1sarge, lying
off the foot of Julia street, was handsomely
decorated, and on the arrival of the King
fired q national salute. The guards of
honor included a detachment of United
States marines and sailors. The royal
collors were displayed on the shipping and
throughout the city, and great crowds
assembled on the streets along which the
procession moved.
On Monday night the prospect for a
pleasant Mardi Gras looked very gloomy, as
heavy rain fell and gale was blowing,
but the wind went to the north, and to-day
the weather is clear and cool. There were
immense crowds of people on the streets,
among them many maskers. During the af
ternoOn the pageants of the King OF the Car
nival, Phunny PhertY Phellows aud the IL
dependent Order of the Moon appeared and
paraded the streets. There were In all fifty
five cars, making a procession with caval-
cades and bands of music over two miles IN
length. All the subjects illustrated were OF
a comic character.
The subject of the Rex pageant was the
pursuit of Pleasure" 1t consisted of the
following characters and scenes: The Prince
of Pleasure, masters of papers, ceremonies,
tiddlers, horse, wardrobe, buck hound, Lord
High Butler, Lord High Steward, Lord
High Cook, all in the most grotesque cos
tunes and mounted. First came Rex
mounted on q huge dolphin, representing
Proteus, and accompanied ny Momus, Co
mus, the Phunnv Phorty Phellows starting
from the moon, Phun. Puck and Bacchantes.
Then came another cavalcads of charac-
ters, representing by their costumes certain
games and diversions, as dice, billiards, cro-
quet, ten pins, keno, archery, fencing and
boxing, followed by the Lord High Cham
berlaiD. The Phunuy Phorty Phe lows pre-
we celebrate as New Year, Twelfth
Night, the Eighth of January,
Valentines Msrii Gas, February 22d,
March An, Fireman's parade, s.. Patrick's
day, April fool day, Easter, the first of
May, July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christ
mas day. The pageant was preceded by
Japanese counsel in Japanese dress, mount
ed and in carriages. Toe Independent Order
of the Moon had sixteen cars, illustrating
popular ballads and presenting many gro
tesque scenes.
Gen. w. s. Hancock arrived here this
morning. He will not complete his tour OF
inspection OF the Gulf and Atlantic fortifi
cations, as intended at the outset, but will
return direct to Washington.
MOBILE, February 2l-Mobile has made
great efforts this year to eclipse the glories
of the Crescent City. The former arrogates
to herself the proud title of "Mother of
Mystics," because OF the age OF her socie
ties, the "Cowhellians'' having this year
celebrsted their fifty-first anniversary.
The Gulf City is thronged with visitors
from far and near, who have been pouring
10 by every boat and railroad train since
Saturday night. l hear the number vsri-
ously estimated at from 10000 to $1,000;
but It is probably near the former figure.
On Monday, the day preceding Mardi-
Gras, there was great buzz and expectancy
in the crowds everywhere over the coming
Of Felix, Emperor of Joy, as the Carnival
Monarch is called here. At about O'Clock
the fine iron steamer Mary Morgan steamed
from the lower bay into Mobile river. On
board was the grandy dressed and masked
Emperor, accompanied by numerous suite
of handsomely uniformed Household
Troops. The Imperial party were sup
the Orient, and bad been welcomed in the
Lower Bay by committee of prominent
citizens, on behalf of the State, county aCd
city governments. Bunting decked every
vessel in port; the First Regiment Alabama
State Troops, Colonel T. K Irwin command
ing, was drawn up on the levee in line; the
Imperial escort disembarked, amid salvos of
artillery and the cheers of thousands, and
marched through the streets TO the supposed
palace of the Emperor. This was the first
day.
This morning (Tuesday) at an early hour
the streets were thronged; general masking,
singly and In groups, being permitted until
l p. m. At that hour appeared the 18th
anniversaly y pageant of the ''Infant Mystics,"
a body supposed to contain the elite of
Mobile youth 1t was truly grand parade,
rehectiug high credit upon the genius,
energy and taste Of this Latin race 1t ia
said to have been the longest ever made by
a Mystic society, numbering % decorated
floats, besides heralds, marshals and host
of richly clad horsemen. The subject theme
was "Grest Lives from the O'd Testament"
At nine o'clock to night the "Order of
Myths' celebrated its fifteenth birthnight.
THIS is the Oldest Mardi Grss society of Mo-
bile; and its colored fires, calciums and re-
factor lights shed a novel glory over its
triumpbs in painting, grouping and cls.
tune. It's subject as shown upon its de-
vice Transparency, was "The Myths of
Northland."
The Myths roll on in a sea of light, leav-
Ing ROSY halo above the houses as they
pass and Mardi Gras pageant is done.
Now both societies are at their balls,
where they are masked entertainers each to
hundreds OF inYited guests, homeland stran-
gers.
Mardi Gras carnival in Mobile has been a
grYnd success. Nothing richer and more
tasteful could well be imagined; aud its
memory will liDger long with every be-
holder.
At midnight Lent Will drop her black veil
over the elittering scene, and all light will
go out of 1t as If by magic.