Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-09
HARDr oaAs.
a Grand Gala Day with the King Of
Misrule, and n Might Of Joy and
Dancing Among the Queens Of

| 'osnS 4~nS sc R
Beauty.
Puritanism is so full Of spleen that il
cannet bear the simplest kind Of merri-
ment. Among the good old customs it
has bsnished are Shrovetide amusements,
that were once the delight Of the masses.
Nowhere on this continent save in New
Orleans il the mimic show Of the carni-
val celebrated, and even there il has
diminished from its eld-style blitheness
and satirical gsyety into procession Of
Masqueraders, grotesque and gaudy,
without wit, sentiment or humor. Yet
this display, lacking as does play or plot,
dialogue or jest, creates the widest glee,
and keeps the good-natured inhabitants
of the Crescent City in roars of laugh
ter from early morn till dewy eve"
Before the war we had in Memphis
Club of Fantasticals, who, like the Mys-
tic Crew of New Orleans, cheered us a
little with their pageantry and sports;
but now there is neither fife nor tabor
to wake our drowsy soHls with tinkling
of joy, nor even the rafting Of tin
can to tell US that the days of frolic are
not yet over. What a dull, moping
crowd we are to be sure, without the
slightest species of high,jinks to wind
up our worldly course ere we enter on
the solemn season of Lent In merry
England on this day (Shrove- Tuesday,
the Mummers were wont to appear in
groups diversified and grotesque. There
was seen the martial St. George, with
goblet for helmet and toasting-fork
for lance, attacking the fiery dragon,
whose gilded wings tapped nightly,
and whose ponderous jaws opened wide
enough to display scarlet tongue cloven
at the end. There were Robin Hood
and Little John, Will Scarlet and Friar
Tuck, with their romantic band of merry
outlaws. There we're men disguised as
women, and women as men; children
dressed like old people, lettering on
crutches, furred gowns on their backs
and laced caps on their heads girls with
their faces painted, and colored paste
board in their bonnets for ribbons; boys
with their faces BACKED, and their jack
cts turned inside out. But superior in
importance and drollery was the great
dignitary of the day, the King Of Misrule,
with his crown of leather adorned with
trinkets Of tin, his robe of buckram, and
his scepter straw. He was followed by
attendants in burIesque costumes; and
after them moved the minstrels, whose
discordant din made boys howl, men
halloo and women scream. Then the
King of Misrule laughed hugely, the
dragon Kissed, the hobby-horse neighed,
the attendants frisked and frolicked, and
the minstrels blew blast that made the
welkin ring with deafening peals of dis
cord. What splendid opportunity there
is for US at this time, if we had the will
and the way, to burlesque our Knights Of
Misrule in Nashville; to enact the little
comedy of the "School Fund.-" wherein
Senators and Representatives would
be allotted conspicuous parts as
Artful Dodgers, Jeremy bidders and
Jacques Stropes. But all life seems
to have left us, and we must plod our
weary way in silence and sadness. We
cannot even have Faust and the Devil as
embems of our City Council nor the
Grecian Bend as sign of our Law
Courts; nor Dogberry as picture Of our
magistrates; nor Bardolph and Ancient
Pistol as types of our politicians; nor
jolly Jack Falstsff, true man of mettle
and fond of sack, as q daguerreotype of
our new Chief of Police. But as we can
not have these gay groups in the day
time, we are promised rounds of merri-
ment at night in the shape of Calico
Hop by the Chickasaw Club. That in
deed will be a sociable up to the season,
and is likely to advance the price of cot
ton two or three cents in the pound. The
scene in the ball room will be pictur-
esque, for the ladies will be dressed in
every conceivable color of calico-pink,
yellow, red, blue, lilac and Wholesome
perhaps in chintz vslsnces, and others
in delicate speck aud spray patterns.
But grander than all these will be the
life, animation and gayety OF the lovely |
ladies present. No matter how they are
spparelled, their charms will beam in
beauty; and as they trip through the
merry dance there will be gracefulness
in their forms and an elasticity in their
steps sufficient to fill every beholder
with feelings of delight. If Epaminon-
das were alive and permitted to attend
this Calico Hop, he would go into costa
cies over the easy motions of our bellies.
What grand sight to see them move in
majesty
% With antic Sport and blue-eyed Pleasures,
Frisking light in frolic measures;
Now pursuing, now retreating,
Now in eircling groups they meet:
To brisk notes in cadence beating,
Glance their many.twinkling feet"
A VERY choice article Of Goshen But
ter, just received at ]. Devoto's, corner
Of Third and Adams streets. lac
SABArzKY's CONCERT. The concert