New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-02
ORLEANS
The Mai.Eesf.

The annual festival of the New Orlean
1urngemeinde, popularity but rather awk
wardly and incorrectly translated Turner.
Society,"" lost none of its interest the pres
ent year. In the early part of Sunday, the
opening day of the festival, there were some
indications that the rain might be expected
but as noon approached the clouds disap
peared, leaving nothing to be desired about
the weather. The sunshine was not toe
bright for comfort, and the air was breezy
and balmy.
The Fair Grounds had been selected and
properly prepared for the celebration, and
early in the day numbers of people could be
seen vending stheir way toward that To-
cality, in anticipation of the procession OF
the Turngemeinde. Meantime the members
OF the association were rapidly congregating G
at the Turnhalle, and energetically pre-
pairing for the start. Frank Gunther's silver
| cornet band was in attendance, and from
| time to time discoursed sweet music
Between ten and eleven o'clock the pro
cessiOn started from the hall to the Fair
Grounds. The procession, which was headed
by the grand marshal, A. Schmidt, at
tended by his aids, j. p. Hand and
George Hanmug, preceded by the splen
did band Of music, consisted of the
Scheutzen, the rifle section of the associ-
alton, under the command of Captain A.
Hertzberg. Then followed the Mai-fest
committee, of which Captain George was
chairman. After these came the officers
and Board of Control. Pupils, in their
neat, simple and inexpensive uniform, then
the glee singers, followed by the association
.at large. The appearancefof the procession
was very imposing, and the magnificent
banners were much admired by the specta-
tors. About fifteen minutes after one o'clock
the procession arrived at the Fair Grounds
large number of pleasure seekers were
already there, intent upon all sorts of social
and festive enjoyment, for which there had
been ample and varied preparations made
There were temporary booths erected, under
which were dispensed eatables and drink
ables in great variety and of appetiziRg
quality. There were innumerable attrac-
tions in flying horses, target shooting, a
German edition of Punch and Judy" very
funny and very Deutsch in the humor dis
played. A hundred other things might be
mentioned, each more attractive than the
other. The only trouble appeared to be the
ent6arrGS de richesSe.
The principal place of attraction was Zur
Gemuthlichkeit, 'term which requires a
half dozen at least of English words, all
expressing comfort. enjoyment, and every
thing else that is jolly and happy, to express
its meaning. We need not say that an i'm
mensity of German talk was going on all |
around; but we are justified in asserting |
that the German words most in vogue for |
half afohour after the procession reached |
the ground was, elm, swei, trei, fere, lager
Mr.. Buck occupied about half an hour in
an eloquent address, combining happy
thoughts with great felicity OF expression,
and calling forth warm and repeated plaud-
It's from his audience.
After Mr.. Buck had concluded, the band.
lfter other splendid music, burst into
'Wacht am, der Rhein." Then followed
slee singing by the Gesang Gemeinde, com
nencing with "Seid uns Wilkommen," :" fol-
owed by Der Wald." The execution of
hese first class German songs was very
inc.
We have so far described the "pomp and
of the festival, including the
corps of Scheutzen rifiemen
We can not do the matter justice, however,
without noticing the keen enjoyment of the
-oung folks. Had there been nothing else
n the occasion, the happiness OF the little
mes, SO much sympathized with by the old
mes, must have been delightful
We must not forget to mention the gym
astic displays by the pupils of the Turn
iemeinde.
Yesterday the festival went on the same
S on Sunday, except that there was no
recession. The "Volk" made up for this
y extra dancing, however, and it was late t
I the night when the festival termina ted.
his evening the conclusion of the Mai fest !
ill take place at Turnhalle, corner of La /
lyette and Dryades streets. 1