Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-03-26
A CARNIVAL SCENE.

Sedfoa5 HuobdhaS olteH pace lnefuhSlftS III
ludlcrous circumstances Jealousy is a ludi.
crous passion, at best but in those countries
and times, where and when the carnival RACES
in the full scope of it's licentiousliess, the jeal-
GUS lover or husband not unfrequently be.
comes an object Of supreme ridicule. Mo-
can we, Americans, who prim ourselves on the
sweet virtue, the unsullied, unsupported chas-
tis of our wives and s~weethearts, wonder
greatly that husbands do become jealous dur
ing the carnival, where that fete is celebrated
in the manner We see it in Paris or Rome.
There a lady may not venture in public at all
without hazarding impure contact. The
''world, the flesh and the DEVIL" reign supreme
-intrude themselves every where-hold out
their bewildering seductons to all. Where
veratWo or three are met together, it is in the
name of-the carnival. You know the deri-
vation of the word, reader: the bestial passions
are unbridleI, and scanper wildly through
the miasmatic swamps of vice, and over the
lilly-spread meadows of virtue.
A husband, then, has some reason to be
jealous of his wife, if she 60 much abroad, or
even look out at window, in carnival times.
The only proper place for a prudent lady on
that occasion, is the snug back-paflor, in
which there is neither canopy or alcove. And
then, the circumspect husband should be
constantly present, to see that no gay Lo-
thario, in petticoats, seeks an asylum from the
ribald throng, in the hallowed lap of domestic
felicity.
These precautions we aver, are not only
proper but highly prudent. Sex is not always
guessed at by dress during the carnival. Your
house may be honored by the familiar intru-
sion of some fair princess, who, in a year or
two more, (or perhaps the next day,) will sport
a lordly pair Of whiskers! So it is: but all
these casualties, (for such we must philosoph-
ically term them them, will never authorize a
procedure like that of which the Count
p is accused, and the Incidents of which
charming history. we are, with this exordium,
prepared to lay before the reader.
THE BALL.-There was a brilliant ball at
the Grand Opera, the 9th of January last.
Madame, the Countess de P, one Of
the most beautiful ladies of Paris, had, on va
rious occasions expressed a lively desire to
witness a ball at the Opera. But the Count,
an attentive and very watchful husband, never
failed to meet these solicitations with a decided
refusal, and the old proverb about the fatality
ola woman's will, seemed in this instance, in
a fair way to be falsiied. Circumstances
nevertheless, took, eventually, IN amusing
turn, and we should not wonder if, ere this,
Madame the Countess de P had whirl-
in the waltz, glided through the dance, or JOHN
ed in the bounding gallopade at the Grand
Opera.
We spoke of the 9th of January. The
Couht de P had slipped the wink" Gas
we say in English,) to his faithful domestic,
and leaving bis pretty young wife in her with
drawing room, ordered his coachman to drive
to the dwelling of his old companion and
friend, fasbourg St. German. There a social
dinner was in waiting, and the Count sat
down with an agreeable society to a no less
agreeable repast. The advent Of another year,
and the demoralizing scenss that every return
of the season brought with it, furnished rich
colloqual topics to the %coterie: The Count
was eloquent on the Importance of a husbands
charge. Woman, tender, charming, angelic
creature, was subject to Illusions. In making
her more beautiful, more lovely than her lord,
heaven had also made her more frail. She
was the "weaker yessel"-the polished por-
celain vase, incapable of combating the rude
exposures to which we safely submit the
coarse stone jug.
Just as the count had emphasized this last
word, 'jdg;;' a hurried note, without sigma
ture, was handed him by a domestic, who re-
ported that he received it from a gentleman
then at the door. The count made no inqui-
ries about the carrier, but mounted his coach
and sped with all possible haste to the Grand
Opera. He staid, however, to read the note,
which ran thus:
"Madame the countess of P is 1T this
moment at the bal! in the Opera; at 2 o'clock
she will be under the horologe, where she has
a rendezvous she is in the character Of a
magicien, with a beautiful costume"
Arrived at the Opera, the Count searched
eagrely through the throng, but without dis
covering The n1agieien in her .5oi costuns."-
He renewed his search again and again, with
no better success, until the clock struck two
Quick ii thought, he hurried to the place Of
rendezvous, and there, behold! the costume
described, the vearer pacing innpatiently te