Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-01-06
A New Years Call.

A New Years Call.
About noon, on New Years day the
Spruce Hill band came to town at the head
OF the most grotesque procession that has
ever marched IN Juniata. The Democra tic
ox-roast procession of more than year ago
was grotesque, but every one in proce ssion
then was recognizable by friends, and they
marched as civilized people do, but the pro-
cession last Friday marched like Indians
do-in single file-and every one wore a
mask or was painted and all were disguised
in Pioneer or Indian costume, excepting
the band, and because the band had on
bright uniforms and were not painted OF
masked, some people conjectured that they
had been caught on the road and pressed
into the service by the seventy bersemen
that constituted the procession, aud if they
had played a dirge, I funeral marcn, or
doleful music it is probable that the con-
lectures would have run SO far away with
the minds of some of the spectators as to
lead them to declare that the borsemen were
taking the band out to stretch hemp, but
the music was of such cheerful Kind ,t.ss.
the thought of hanging the band was quick-'
ly dispelled. The only persons in the
procession that wore costumes that people
may see in days travel was boy with a
fiaxen or whitish wig aud the marshall and
his aid. The marshall had his face conceal
ed by n mask, OF false face, and wore a red
shirt, aud not a few declared him 10 be the
leader of gang of bloody shirted boys, or
Ku-Klux, or JEFF Davis followers. Others
ayersed that he was at the head OF Re-
publican circus opening the campaign. His
aid wore no false face, but mad cut the 10 ne
hair off buffalo robe, or the tail of black
tailed horse and made for himself long
Spanish moustache and full beard, which
disguised his features, however, a couple
of ladies' in town caught his eyes, knew
them aud gave him away to the town boys.
The lieutenants we're not recognizable.
They looked like sume of the fends of
the Black Crook play, that the master OF
the region OF darkness might conjure up
when he had some diabolical work on hand
10 be executed. The rank and file, well
reader, you should have seen them. If
Barnum could secure the company tor his
show on street parade they would eclipse
all other portions of the public show, even
if the late lamented Jumbo were in process
sion. The leaders of this silent and well
behaved procession, recognizing the eter-
nal fitness OF things knew that it would
never do to get off such parade without
having the fair sex represented IN it, and
therefore a number of the company put on
petticOats and riding habits such as might
have been brought over IN the May Flower.
One OF the ladies forgot TO let down her
back hair and the short hopeful hair Of
the back part Of the young mans head gave
him away, notwithstanding his desperate
effort 10 flint with fan. The young man
has evidently been studying the fan tiirta-
tion. The protector of the caravan recog-
nized the propriety OF having the family
| represented 1aS s-ith that sheet u Va
two carriages each drawn by two horses ac-
companied the procession, one of the car
riages was quito primitive vehicle on
wooden wheels. 1t carried two men and
two women. One of the women had on
! her knee what looked like disguis ed child
| with painted face. but at a certain point
in the march the supposed baby barKed and
revealed itself as barking Tuscarora valley
dog. The other carriage contained what
was supposed to be family of considera-
| be size. Everybody asked, "who are all
these people" No one could answer the
! question. Everybody asked, 'what do
they want 7'' One would say the horsemen
have come 10 plumber the banks and haul
the booty away ia the carriages, another
Court House records, AMI so conjecture
continued from one statement 10 ano ther
till it was announced. and became general.
ly understood that it was a company OF
highly respected people from Tuscarora
valley, mostly from Tnrbett township, with
a srrIukling OF Port Royal citizens making
New Years call on MIffiinto wn people
The masq ueraders left in as gentlemanly {
niabrer as they came the most amusing an'
best behaved parade of masqueraders tha
has ever visited the county seat. They pdi'
Mexico visit. Long live the silent New
Years dsy masquerading paraders iron
Tuscarora valley.