The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-14
CITY TOPICS.


| on the part Of the clergy was large, embracing
the rector Of nearly every parish in the diocese,
and composing body Of divines in whom the
| Episcopal Church may feel justifsble conf
| dence and pride. The proceedings were
marked with harmony and an evident desire to
forward, by combined effort, the cause Of
the church throughout the diocese; to instruct
| the young, provide for the needy, and systema-
tie and perfect the missionary lsbors 10 the
more remote sections where parishes have not
been regularly established. The question OF the
religious education of the colored race came up
and was discussed. the matter being finally left
to the discretion Of each rector in his respective
parish. Arrangements were perfected for more
thorough statistical report Of the annual labors of
clergymen, and the salary of the episcopate was
Increased from $4,000 to $4,000, the assessments
therefor being proportionally distributed. The
convention adjourned to meet on Ascension Day,
in 1870.
Any one who has ever heard anything of the
Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans has heard,
in connection with them, Of the great mask ball
which annually winds up the carnival at the st.
Charles Theater. It Is q fixture. a landmark, q
tme-honored custom and an amusement-seeker,
on Mardi Gras night, would as soon think Of find
ing the City Hall walking down st. Charles street,
upside down. as to pass the doorways of the Old
Drury, and not find a blaze of light, and a volume
of enticiDg music issuing forth therefrom upon the
wistful gazers and listeners without.
Well, this year, Major Bob Strong and number
of others, all of them genial souls, determined,
managers, not that there should be the usual ball
given-that was matter Of course-but that none
of the festivities chronicled on past occasions
should surpass in zest and brilliancy those which
ushered in at the st. Charles Theater the forty
days of fasting in 1869.
Their determination once made, to work they
went with will, and tickets went of like hot
cakes, while hundreds, in eager anticipation,
awaited the festive gathering. On that night
AFTER Dark " was played, but 1t was rushed
through, for there was tempting enjoyment be-
yond, aud little feet were pattering in impatient
eagerness to begin the dance. Presto-change.
The theater soon became q ball room encircled
with tiers, from which spectators might look down
upon the merriest of scenes. The orchestra took
up its position for the night at one end of the
dress circle, the guests began pouring in.
masked, dominoed, disguised or costumed in
every imaginable way; the music struck up, and
ayers determination was realized.
Whist scene It was to one looking down upon
the floor from the dress circle How many light
hearts, how many hirtations, how many covert
intents there were concealed beneath that mass OF
humanity which. arrayed in all the colors of the
rainbow, whirled necessarily hither and thIther
How many eyes were turned toward the spot
where sat fair little Lolita evidently enjoying the
spectacle to view which she had postponed her
departure-how many amusing mistakes occurred
under the form of supposed recognitions; how as
late as two O'Clock In the morning. new guests
were constantly coming inflow for a few
moments General Sherman and his party looked
in to get genuine idea of how the carnival winds
up in New Orleans--how-well, we might 60 on
dd infinituna in this strain. There was capital
supper room and bar up stairs, under the auspices
of that famous caterer, Mr.. B. Gastinel, and the
guests, weary and hungry from much dancing,
were not slow to discover the fact.
But all joys must have their termination. And
so it was that when the grey dawn began to
break, and the market wagons were rafting over
the stony streets, the first precursors of coming
day, the last guests departed homewsrd, merrily
talking Of the enjoyments they had found, the
lights were extinguished, and SO once more the
theater where Ristori and lForresti have called
forth the plaudits Of the populsce was still and
quiet as the grave.
There was q regular polyglot debate in the
lower house yesterday no less than four languages
being spoken in the course of It, The subject
which ELECTED such q multiplicity of tongues was
a bill providing for the observance of the Holy
Sabbath ~ which hod haan ;nfrodnoal In q orlird
person day or two previous. After considerable
pro and con, had been said, Mr.. Guigonet, from
Avoyelles parish, asked permission to address the
House in French, which being granted, he pro-
ceeded to deliver Gallo discourse, utterly and
entirely opposing the measure. The wild boy of
Lafourche. known to the world as Murrell, then
took the floor, and in his simple and untaught eo.
quence advocated in the Ashantee dialect, varied
occasionally with choice extracts from Congo and
Abyssinian writers on the subject, the passage of
the bill. Up to this time the House was filed with
shouts Of laughter, for Notwithstanding the serious
ness of the subject, the discussion which it evoked
was too sublimely ludicrous not to excite mirth.
But then Mr.. Rengstorf of Orleans, rose, and irst
by request, speaking short time in German, his
native tongue. and then in English, delivered
short, pointed and effective speech, opposing, on
general principles, any law which would endeavor
to create a conscience for every man, and then
force him to obey its Misunderstanding, as the
result Of long experience as minister of the
gospel, his belief that all such ensctments were
unnecessary and hurtful. The bill was killed per.
fectly dead By ALTO 20.
Now that the carnival, with its multiplicity Of
balls and other entertainments is over, and that
the first feeling of relief that tired jewellers ex.
perienced at the prospect of some rest from
dancing is passed away, the young people-and
the old people, toe-sre beginning to look forward
to an opportunity to shake off for season the
austerities Of Lent, and TO again enjoy something
of the carnival festivity. Such an opportunity
will soon be at hand on the 22d-snniversary never
diving Of the birth Of an immortal man. The Con-
tinentsl Benevolent Association win give their an
nual ball at Odd Fellows Hall. The association
is one that has risen from the ashes of the ante
bellum and inter-bellum Continental Guards, and
to our old citizens who knew well the sterling
worth and high position Of It's members, this is
sufficient to define exactly what the Continental
Benevolent Association is. As to their ball, 1t
will he A magnificent one. and can be