Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-19
THE FUN IS ALL OVER Mobile and New Orleans Begins
 Repentance Today WITH SACkCL0TH ANDASHES The Months and Seasons Were Represented at
 New Orleans
BY THE MYSTIC CREME OF cOMUS
Mobiles Societies Represented "Flow- CTS, Fruits and Vegetables D" "A Sure Cure for the Blues'', 'Flora's
 Feast," Etc.


 parades were concluded tonight by the gorgeous and dazzling tableaux of the Mystic Krewe of Comus This organiza- tion is the oldest of the kind in the city, having made it's first appearance on mar di gras night, 1857. Since then it's annual display has fittingly been the gorgeous conclusion of the street displays.
 The months and the seasons of the year was the subject illustrated tonight.
 Twenty floats were used for the tab leaux. On car No. Comus himself rode in the center of a large fountain, from the mouths of which four golden dragons poured sparkling streams, while oup- bling directly in front of him in translu- cent sheets played the irridescent water of change, thing of beauty and joy Tor ever.
 No. 2-Title, "The Year 1S96" on winged hour glass, resting on rosy clouds. The scythe of time encircled it, typical of the gathering in of the years. The calendar. as we know 1t, was not in gen eral use until 1751. The months Kept their old Roman names, but simply changed places. January was the eieV- enth instead of the first month, as now.
 No. 3-'Time" seated on the top of the earth. watches the ceaseless flow Of the sands in an hour glass. Below him. Tn mystic cloud lands, the magi, or wise men, pore over ponderous volumes, reck- oning the moments and computing the calendar
 No. 4-"Winter." In front of two col umns of snow and ice stands the hoary guardian of the frozen kingdom. Held by his spells are falls of freezing water. On either side bask polar bears.
 No 5-"Birth of the New Year. In the oldest books it is written how the sands of time accumulated until they rose in cloud like mass to the moon. The sort light of the moon was shed over space like n veil, iute- which the stars were gathered until there were so many mofshs--only the Sphinx. who IS the SIS fer of the stars Knows the secret or IL all Tn her arms are cradled all the years. This was a striking tableaux
 No 6-"January," so named for Janus, the double faced God, who was supposed to look with an old face on the year that was gone and with new one on the year that was to come.
 No 7-"February," symbolized by Co., muri in A chariot of dripping and gleam- ing icicles. they typifying the breaking up of winter The fishes, embems or feD- ruary in the zodiac, rest unsnared In loops of ribbon around the cars.
 No S-"Spring,' a tableaux or sree.
  Tagged branches of an anelent tree' decked with festoons of jasmine snowy storlxs from time immemorial. her spe- ciai messengers stand ready to fly and announce the glad coming of spring.
 No. 9-"March." Rain and cloud ana snowv sleet follow each other-noW one, now the other.
 No 1O-"April" Easter was typfied Inv a huge egg, in the shell of which sat a glittering fairy, "Aprils lady" watch
 No. 11~"May." typifed by a chariot made of a gold sunfiower' drawn py doves. Within the chariot sat Gemini,
 No 12-"Summer." Springs of water r,,sbinp from masses of rock luscious lunches of rawberries, great ears or green corn and cherries, ripe, vied with each other in beauty.
 No 13-"June" typified by Juno her- self standing in the midst of exquisite roses. and around here were attendant
 No. 14-"July" On the top of the dome sits Caesar, in whose honor the month was named. Four golden lions face pro tectjngly outward, one for each or the supposed corners of the earth.
 No 15-"August," represented by a Ina acchanalian revel from an overturned flag: a ruby stream issues, while an im- mense golden pitcher serves as leaning place for jolly Bacchus.
 No 16-"Autumn," with cornucopias laden with the cho, est and most lus- ,cious results of all the long hot days gone before
 No. 17-"September," the month of storms and gales equinoctial, water spout bursting in hidocean while sea nvmphs play and throw ragged juvelus of lightning back and forth. September wasSso called because it was the seventh noontb according to the Roman calendar.
 No. 18-"October," hearty brown De- tober, is typifed by great tree. robed in autumn with foliage. A cunning spi- der spins his glittering web from branch to branch. At the root of the tree wary fox and timid fawn step from their hiding places among the leaves and chestnut burs.
 No. o.19--"Novembrr," a monster turkey, so significant of the festival that distin- guishes the month. In front stand a Puritan man and maiden; representa- lives of Thanksgiving at the back-two cooks in spotless garb. This tableau was one of the most striking in the se- ries.
 No. 2O-1"December." This was beauti- fully symbolizcd by Christmas tree and Santa Claus his sleigh and reindeers.
 The universal verdict is that Comus has never shown a more strilsingly orig inal pageant. After the parade the Co., mus ball winds up the festivities. and to- morrow begins repentance, with sack cloth and ashes.
 At Mobile.
 Mobile, Feb 18--The carnival has been a grand success and the parades of all the mystic societies were very ne and pleased the immense crowds which came to Mobile to witness them. Yesterday Emperor Felix and staff were given a cordial reception. This afternoon the day socetfes-the Knights of Reveiry and the Comic Cowboys-paraded .he streets. The former took for their sub- feet "Flowers. Fruits and Vegs tables which they depicted on eight floats. as follows: Pansies, tulips. daisies, pond