Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-02-14
ORIGIN OF THE FESTIVAL IN MEa-
RHNa-

ORIGIN OF THE FESTIVAL IN MEz-
PHIS.
About the sIst Of December last we
publiahed in the SUNDAY APPEAL, from
advance sheets of APpletOn's Journal fur
nished Us by the author, an article from
Of
ARD GRAs
as It is observed in the {" Gsulf Cities.U In
that srttcle occurred this, which we ex-
trsct from It as an epitoms of the In
formation so admirably conveyed By the
author:
Msrdi Gras, the eve Of Lent, is ever the Gull
mlnation Of that whirl Of gGyety and enjoy
menr crowded into the ten short days Of ante
Leuten carnival. NotOnly long habit, but the
very genius OF the people, makes this essen
uaL only in the French cities of America,
where blood IS not only s~usrepubleb by descent,
but tempered by climate anci habits OF life, to
an absorption OF reckless gayeby-can a carni-
val approach to anything Ike the universal
feast that abSOrbS all the Catholic countries OF
southern Europe. During the carnival, New
Orleans is the scene Of one continuous revel.
Private parties follow each other with rapid
ity unknown at other times; the papers TEEN
with notices Of masked balls, military balls, |
hremen S balls; the theateFs are crowded, and
the gala nights at the opera are more brilliant
than ever. And, not least, the most cunning /
secrets Of the kitchen are called forth 10 sup |
ply the endless round of dinners and suppers
state and cosy, grand and social, public and
prlVate-With which the city fOrttnes its inner Il
TO say Yale CGTns! The people in the
crowded streets are elRSticJOyous,anticipatory.
The city seems 70 brace It's nerves for the COM
Ing forty days Wresle with the desh, BY alb Il
soibing that huge amount of adipose fun Of
moral Information, But al eliminates on 4
that last day, when The Lord OF MLsrule is
dictator; when yCunz and old, rich |
ana poor, meet at the f~oOtstooi Of common
subjects; when wild revel is tae portion of the
graNeSt and the meekest, Until the solemn
clang of midnight proelaims an end 70 that
day Of joy" Fat Tuesday"
This article, widely published In u
WEEKLY as well as SUNDAY APPEAL, at
trscJed d attention Of many gentlemen,
among them two OF our editors, who had
taken steps to re-estsblish the "Sons OF
initiative to the organization of
MYSTIC CREW."
when we hsd q visit from our old friend,
Mr., Specht, who dscisred il his purpose
csrry Ous the scheme NFe had in view,
inviting th5 co operation OF the people
through the press, We promised and
gave d best efforts, believing that in go
doing we wers working in the real inter
ests Of Memphis, in whose behalf the
APPEAL will ever be found lsboring. We
WENT FOE MARDI GRks,"
we brought it here, and arc glad of 1t. It
Il has made the people laugh; Il has put
hem IN good humor with themselves,
each other and sll the world. We
DIN the crowd; we throw up our hat and
Try, long live King Carnival Wye le
Asrdi Grssl"
On THE STREETS. IN THE MORNING.
The msskers began to appear on the
itre9ts about ten O'Clock. A few were
,ut before that hour, bus from that time
inward the crowds at the street corners {
we're dense, and the maskers and num-
ners became more NUMEROUS every {
,oOr until there was no computing the
and variety of the disguised. At 9
Don IL wss the common expression that &
here never were so many people seen in 8
before. The capacity of cur
ity for holding and accommodating sight ,
GERS was never more severely tested, and =
displayed to better advantage. :
me private houses, as we'll Is the hotels, \
UEDed out countless Numbers OF specss- a
ors. Every corner FROM EIeale 90 Market :
trees was denssly picked with people, the
Of whose t
LAUGHTER 1
ould be plainly heard in the suburbs, :
boVe the usual din Of business and the y
attic of vehicles. The first lsughabls :
that was noticed occurred on =
lain street, near the Peabody hotel. A :
spsnose gentleman created sc much ex- 7
among the gamias that they as :
round him IN great numbers. !
Gss pleasant and enjoyable, but became =
rou olesomei in the course Of an boar. He !
.mpe1 into al empty caol-cars to get !.
way from the crowd. The negro driver !,
as scared to death and got out on the 4
back. Presently bbe cart YVES
lied with boys, not less than forty of
oem being packed in the vehicle. The b
sgro, becoming aroused, moved towards 81
be catch-piD Of the a
TUAsLER a
Ie pulled out ths pin and away went the
dumping the load ofllVe Goals out on
10 pavement. The laughter was bolster f
us when thousands of pecplesaW . mass 81
{ msckerelism scattered about the Nicol- 81
Masqusrs monnted On EaRles and ssses "
-ere numerous, grOtesQus and Hilarious. 81
pair Of loving princess and princeeses Al
1de in from countrydoIn got up in
orgecus apparel upon
PRANcINa PALFREYs, IN
love to each other as they rode "
long the streets. The only drawback TO No
70 perfect illusion was an old army "
lankes which covered the princes nag, W
stead q 9 housing of gold and silk:
got up D~utchnau, with along blue
rat and tails split up to the shoulders, :,
enTup through the streets drunk, He a
as among Inc best maEcuers out. he -
as so trueto nature, and 80 little exag- e.
about him. A sauad of regga- %
ufans from the Sandwich Islands, took ~
1ssesslon OF 3 cotton drey, already load 4,
| with i've bales OF the staple, and made v
INFINITE FUls ~
they rode up Main st1est TO the Ohio 81
moi. No party that were on the street leI
more excitement than two cut so
ndtsh Characters with claw hammer NJ
- made Of calico and tRli e-xtfnonfahaE ~
-. who sailed In behind 3 bevv Of ~
ar pretty ladies that were mp town 10 "a
s.the si2hts. Wherever tia ladies' went al
8 boys followed, TO the Andnite amuse- al
emf Of the people. Two wen gOt-np ba