Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-26
AT MOBILE.


 MOBILE, Feb. 25.-The mardi gras carni- val opened brilliantly here today with an immense crowd of strangers already pres- ent and added to by every incoming train. The weather was delightful and clear and the whole population was out Of door6. All day individual maskers and detached groups were about the streets; the various clubs and other buildings decorated, and the whole city is in grand holiday good humor. e.
 At 8 o'clock the civic parade ordered by Felix, Emperor Of Joy, formed and paraded the principal streets. First came the bands, followed by the entire police force uniformed and marching in four platoons. Then followed the entire fire department, headed by it's chief and assistant, with salvage corps, merchants' fire patrol and with all the machines, hose wagons and horses specially decorated.
 Then following another band came the
 CONFEDERATE VETERANS
 drill team, forty strong, and marching by Hardee tactics. This is the only uniformed and drilled team in General Gordon's com mand. Following it's team marched the entire Camp Raphael Semmes No. II, United Confederate Veterans, some 100 scared and grizzled old soldiers in citizens dress, with badges and their wartime camp slouch hat of gray. The veterans were the great feature of the day, creating great en- thusiasm as they passed, and being greeted with cheers and applause all along their nlaTCl lrOm olu auO young.
 After brief rest the great throng reaa- sembled in even more packed masses, lin- ing every sidewalk, gallery, stoop and window for the two miles of the announced route of march of the
 MYsTICK KREwE OF MYRrHE.
 This is the youngest regular mardi gras society, and 1t always parades and holds it's masked ball on Monday preceding mardi gras. The Rogister's colored picture sup piement had alrea dy shown the floats and described each group and costume fully, so the public was thoroughly posted and Promptly at clock it moved through piause and cheers. The subject of the Krewe of Myrthe's ninth parade tonight was E vAHALLA, OR MYTHS OF THE NoRsELAND. It was preceded by a fine band, following the richly painted and foiled device of the order, the subjects represented on the floats being "The Dragon of the Dead" 'The Rainbow Bridge," "Baldur's Flu neral pyre,n ,, .,Lo5 Is Punishment," colors and buff shapes, all dazzling with tinted foils and lavish ,gildings. The CO.'S tunes of the characters in these moving tableaux were rich and magnifcently jew eled, the masks and properties beiag ps- culiarly fne.
 The great point of this pageant was it's great mechanical ingenuity. Every float was a working one. Dragons and pythons spat fire. worked their jaws and fns and tails, and writhed as though alive. Giants rolled their heads and winked at beauties on the galleries, and butterflies waved | their wings and fishes swam through gauge l clouds and painted water. The parade was 1 far the richest ever given by the Krewe Of 1 Myrthe, and the visitors said 1t was the | best ever seen on Monday night. The | streets are still crowded with maskers and | and the grand ball of the | Krewe is in full glory at the First Regiment | armory.
 NEGRO ORGANIZATION. A novel feature of this carnival is the parade and ball tonight of the first colored | mystic organization ever known. It is II called the o. o. D., and it's members must t be the best class of negroes, to judge from the excellence and richness ofits costumes | and the elegance of it's programme card. -.
 THE COMING EVENTS. Ast Tomorrow will be the gala day proper of | the carnival. At noon tho great fun. | makers, the Comic Cowboys, will parade. ! At the same time the famous Knights ef | Revelry will give @ magnificent pageant, the twelve signs of the 20. | diac. At night the greatest of the carnival orders will parade, the Order of Myths be- | ing the senior and the Infant Mystics the | junior.
 Strangers are still thronging into Mobile | by every train, and the crowds are esti- mated as much larger than those of last | year.
 Bailey, Mcconnell & How-