New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-02-09
WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEB'Y 9, 1858
.MfRDI GR4S

The anniversary return yesterday Of this an
Gent festival brought with it but few feeble
limitations Of the masquings and jollities for
which our city was so conspicuous in the brave
days Of old. Originally gala day of Catholic
institution, arising from deep religious feeling
designed to typify passage in the life Of g HIM
of Nazareth" when he broke bread with his dis
ciples, and after season of limited rejoicing
went forth into the wilderness to undergo
forty days probation of fasting and prayer, and
to DO tempted by the sArch Enemy it was in
its inception a time hallowed by many sacred
surroundings, and in its observances was re
garded as day set apart for heartfelt devotion
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the day pre-
ceding Lent. The days of the Carnival that
have just passed, have, from a remote antiquity,
been considered but as due preparation for the
forty days of vigorous self-denial that are to
succeed. The early religionists, with whom the
observance of Lent was an irrefragible law, with
q wise liberation for human infirmities institu-
ted the Carnival days as fit preparation for
weeks to come of fasting and prayer Within
the former brief period the most confirmed asce-
tic might unbend from the strictness of conduct
usually required, and go forth upon the high
ways to rejoice and make merry. Mardi Gras
being the end Of the Carnival, those who wished
10 economic the time and make the most Of the
short period of festivity that yet remained
would be naturally DESTROYS of crowding into
the last day of the season all of pleasure and
enjoyment possible. Hence the institution Of
the festival, and hence the grotesque obser-
vances that have made it an anniversary to be
looked forward to with agreeable anticipations
by all the yotaries Of pleasure
In the early days of our city, when il was
peopled by Catholic community, who under
stood and could appreciate the obseryances of
the day, Mardi Gras was a season of striking
and memorable peculiarities Then, people of
elevated rank took part in the professions.
Long lines of carriages, filled with gayly dress
cd .masquers, troops of jewellers, decked in cos
tunes representing every nationality and fling
through the streets in glittering throngs, gave
TO the thoroughfares a gala day brilliancy, as
delightful to the eye of the transient visitor as
1t was suggestive to the devotee Of the pious de-
sign that gave Shrove Sunday place in the
calendar. But now the aspect of things has
changed. Our population is not what it was
The old regime is no more. 1t has fallen
into the List of forgotten things, and the
sway over manners has passed to the swine
eating Saxon. In the place of the long and
brilliant professions that formerly enliven-
ed our streets, few yagrant jewellers, who
nickname Gods creatures" and make hid
eous the public places by their Bacchanal revel-
fies, are all that remain to ape the old and for
gotten observances.
Yesterday, in accordance with the usages of
these latter days, hordes of vagrant Juveniles,
armed and equipped according to custom, with
bags OF flour, and locomotive magazines of mud
and missiles, sailed into the streets, pelting
with never ceasing fire, the masquers that
dared show themselves, and making a scene of
disorder and confusion singular to behold. Woe
to the luckless reyeler that encountered their
close battalions and woe to the unfortunate
Ethiope who, unused to their merry markings,
exposed his head to their savage assaults! Not
the staid garb Of the citizen, the rustling OF
the silken gown, could charm them from the
enacting of their provoking orgies
By mid day, a few carriages, filled with outre
jewellers, appeared in the streets, but apart from
these, and few persons on foot, who paraded
the pavements, and encountered the bar-rooms
In their strange habiliments, there was nothing
that marked the day with any peculiar charac-
teristics.
At might, several balls were announced, and
were numerously and gayly attended
The Odd Fellows Hall, the Armory and Union
Hall, were filled with delighted throngs, and
Mardi Gras ended in general jubilee
We fear that we shall look in vain for the re-
vival of this time honored anniversary, with all
its old and glttering accompaniment.