The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-08
MARDI GRAS.
Its Observation i'm Ncw Orieans-Brfi-
liant Allesorieai, Fantastfcai, ana
GrOfesaue Procession.

liant ANegOricai, FantastfcaI, ana
| Grotesque Procession.
A New Orleans special OF Tuesday says:
The Mardi Gras was celebrated to-day WIN
/ the usual festivities and grand street spec
/ tacles. The city was gaily decorated and
| Illuminated at night. There was an i'm
mense crowd in the streets, among the
spectators being about $4,000 visitors from
all parts OF the Union.
During the afternoon the King OF the
| Carnival appeared with grand pageant OF
twenty cars, followed by the Phunny PhoF-
tv Phellows. with fourteen cars, and the
independent order OF the Moon, with SIN
teen cars. The royal pageant, preceded by
Bnuf Gras and attendants, Illustrated At
lantis. or the lost continent described by
Plato. The tableauX presented were
DESIGNED to represent Atanteans IN
their social, religious. and political
customs. In the preparation OF the
pageant much assistance was derived
| from the well-known work Of Igna-
thus Donnelly, eX-congreSsman from Min
nesota. The original costumes, made in
Paris, which are pronounced the finest OF
their kind, were not received. owing to the
non-arrival OF the steamer Dryburgb Abb
! bey. There were about 12j characters IN
this pageant and seventy pieces OF pdpier-
mGchf work. The subject OF the fifth rep
resentation, by the Phunny Phorty Phel-
| lows, was, as usual. Of comic charac-
ter. and embraced trayestieS on the
drama and opera. Among the tableauX
were burlesque illustrations OF Hamlet
"The Merchant Of Venice,' "Mascotte,"
and "Patence." The Independent Order
of the Moon. for their (the third division
OF the procession, presented grotesque Illus
| tratiOns Of familiar rhymes.
About | o'clock the weather cleared off,
and during the progress OF the Rex process
sion the sun shone brightly for two hours
the first time in the past three days.
THE EIGHT PARADE AND BALL.
At night appeared the ninth pageant of
the Knights OF Momus. The subject was
the "Moors in Spain." The ears were
eighteen IN number, illustrating scenes
from legends and romances and the con-
quest Of Gr9pada, as described by wash
ington Irving and other writers. In this
display there were some ten or twelve
horses, hfe-size, Of pdpter-mdche, and
the cars were magniiicently decorated.
The royal reception at the Imperial Pal
ace was attended by an immense crowd OF
people, the number OF invitations being
over $4,000. The Throne-RoOm, in which
the King and Queen received, together
with Lord and Lady Baltimore, was painted
TO represent the bottom OF the sea where
Atlantis sank. The Queen is Miss susie
Richardson, daughter OF Colonel Ed
ward Richardson. a rich cotton-planter.
Her maids OF honor. are Miss Holland.
of Virginia; Miss Hopkins, st. Louis; and
Misses Lulu Bohnmehl and Alice Aldige.
New Orleans. The Knights OF MOmus
gave a brilliant ball at the French Opera
House, and the Phunnv Phorty Phel0ws
gave one at the st. Charles Theatre. Nu-
merOus other entertainments are in pro-
gress, closing the pleasant carnival season
OF 1888.
THE SCENE on TIE RIVER.
The shipping in the harbor presented a
gala appearance during the afternoon.
Nearly all the steamboats, plying to New
Orleans are in port. These, rs well as hun"
dreds OF other vessels along the whole city
front. were gayly decorated. Foreign YES
sells also displayed their numerous flags and
signals. Tonight many buildings along the
route Of the procession are brilliantly illu-
minated.
The Celebration at Mobile.
BARON MUNCHAUSEN-A NEAT, LAUGHABLE
BUELEsQUE.
A Mobile telegram says: The parades OF
tbe Mardi Gras societies here Monday
night illustrated "Baron Munchausen,"
the procession consisting OF fourteen ears,
or fl oats. One car held bust of the menda-
cjous Baron. Flanking the bust were two
enormous inkstands and four Inhabitants
of the moon with their heads under their
arms. Another car represented the baron
finding his horse. which he has tied 10
cross in the snow, hanging from church
steeple.
ON another ear was the Baron leaping
Bucephalns into handsome dining-room
in the midst OF party OF feasters. The |
seventh car was devoted to Bucephalus Bis.
the steed that the Baron rode in pursuit OF
the enemy through the gate OF a fortress. |
The battlement, portcullis, soldiers on !
the walls, and the Baron on his half |
horse were very effectively represesent-
ed. The eighth car represented Munchau-
sen in the Turkish seraglio. In another |
the Baron was seen inside the jaws OF an |
enormous fish. The tenth car consisted OF
an enormous iceberg covered with bears, !
among whom the puissant Baron dealt de-
struction. The twelfth car showed Cheese |
Island, discovered by Munchausen, in an |
ocean of pure, rich milk. The thirteenth |
car gave the story OF " Baron Tott and the |
Gun" and the fourteenth was most ef-
fective representation Of the fortress OF
Gibraltar.
The weather to-day was pleasant and the |
city crowded. The parade consisted OF
the Emperor Felix and Il mounted escort, |
and nine ears representing petritied poll
f;oe N Y,oof lauChoble buripSQue.