The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-19
MASQUERS MAKE MERRY
THE ANNUAL RECEPTION AND BALL
OF THE MAENNERCHOR.
Charming Prince Carnival An the
In the SOciety's History.

Never before did the Maennerchor So
ciety give such ball as It did last night.
1t was, in fact, one of the most pretentious
Mosques ever witnessed in the city. Over
three hundred of the members of the So
ciety put on the visor and joined in the
rout of the Prince Carnival The present
commcdious quarters of the society were
taxed to their utmost and all three of the
floors of the building were called into requi-
sition. The costumings were both elegant
and Iudicrous, and the merriment and
pleasure were unrestrained for many hours.
A rule that mono but those in masks should
be allowed on the floor was strictly OBJ
served, and the common expression heard
on all sides was, "Sehr sheen aufgefeuhrt,"
which means, in English, that 1t was some
thing very beautiful.
The masquers began to arrive at
o'clock in the evening, carriage after car
riage depositing their merry loads beneath
the great canopy at the entrance The
members OF the reception committee, wear
ing the distinguishing insignia of FOOLS caps
and sashes, met the arriving jewellers and
ushered them into the dressing rooms.
Every arrangement was perfect, and no
confusion resulted. As fast as their wraps
were shed the masquers Joined the motley
throng, which by o'clock swarmed over
the entire building. 1t would be useless to
describe the different characters, they were
so varied and numerous. The whole range
OF DISCUSSES that ingenuity and means could
devise paraded before the eye in a chaos
of color and pattern There were beautiful
flower girls and court ladies whose spark
ling eyes and hidden features added
charming mystery to their being that made
one all the more anxious to know them.
Then there were dukes and Prince Ru-
dolphs whose handsome exteriors made
them the exposures of admiring glances.
But those who played comedy role per-
formed very important part in the carni-
VAL adding frohcsome spirit to the whole
occasion and making impossible anything
like stiffness or formalty. No introduce
tions are necessary at a masQue, but it is
difficult to find out who ones partner is. As
is usually the case, the masquers for the
first hour last night strictly observed the
law of the carnival-that the least said the
better. Such a bowling and scraping, with
only humble or two to be wheedled out
of the boldest This edifying period of
mummery lasted until the grand march was
ready TO start which was about $3.50
o'clock.
A GATHERING PAGEANT.
The grand march was one of the most re-
splendent ever witnessed The brilliantly
lighted dancing hall, with its marching
masquers, its crowded balcony and its stage
OF ferns that hid the orchestra made pic
ture that filled the eye with rapture. The
march was led by the floor committee of
eight members. who were handsomely cos
TUNED in the court apparel belonging to the
eighteenth century in France. Then fol-
lowed the Dramatic Trust" composed of
the active members of the society, who each
represented some favorite character of the
stage Ell Captain seemed to dominate the
trust by reason Of his greater height of
stature and exaggerated coat of mail. but
the Roman gladiators, the comfortable
looking Falstaff and the heroically nodded
dancing girls were very conspicuous. After
the trust" came the car OF the Prince
Carnival. which drawn by two ele-
plants whose trunks We're marvellous to be-
hold. The car itself was a chariot modelled
after those used In the triumDhal process
Eions of Rome and in its capacious interior
sat Otto Levison who In stature and avoir
dupOis is said to be first among the men,
bers of the Maennerchor. He reclined lux
uriantly in his seat Of state and welded
his scepter with benignity over his subjects
and particularly over the elephants that
drew him about the charmed circle. Fol- !
lowing the prince came the Salvation
Army, the beautiful girls that represented
in general Once around the hall the prince
was drawn 10 the music OF the march and
then was wheeled into a corner, where the
elephants Immediately assumed an erect
posture. lie Hitfcus tneu continued ana
was participated in BY about two hundred,
the size of the hall not permitting any more
10 enter. The gay throng continued TO
perform the complicated evolutions for up
wards of half hour and the effect was
that of q Kaleidoscope scene of changing
colors and figures.
The pageant Of the march was frequently
applauded and II was wonderful with what
precision and lack OF confusion it was car
ried out. The waltz which followed was
marked by some expert dancing in wooden
shoes by several Germans just over the
was taken advantage OF by the Salvation
Array the curfew boys and other ridicu-
lousy attred characters 10 exploit their
parts. The Salvation Army is deserving OF
more than passing notice. There were a
dozen or more characters in the army, in
Guiding a bass drum. a flag and a convert
who being a drummer. carried q vallse. the