Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-10
MARDI GRAs.
FOIIy's Brief, Mad Reign In Nashville.
The Street Pageant a TaWdry Affair,
But They Shook En- Up Lively After
Dark.
Wild ReVels at the Opera House,
COneOrdia Hall and the Rink.

| had not given notice OF the abandonment
! of their project, and therefore left the pub
lie in doubt as to whether there would be
a procession, yesterday, at all. This feel
ing of uncertainty, together with the cir
cumstance that nobody knew anybody in-
tending to participate, gave rise TO
much curiosity to know what sort of a
pageant il would be. This curiosity was
general and fundamental, judging from
the u~neasiness Of our community for seve-
raj hours before the time appointed for the
Kings subjects to arrive and cOngregate. It
must have spread beyond the limits Of the
city, too, as there was a considerable
sprinkle Of visitors from sister towns. By
noon the principal thorOughfsres were alive
with pedestrians, walking hither and thith-
er with most energetic strides as if on bus
mess Of urgent importance, but really
straining their eyes 10 discover the maSque.
raiders.
The Royal programme was as follows:
1. The procession will move from the
Square at 2 O'clockP P. NJ, sharp.
2. All decorated wagons must form on
North College street. right resting on the
Square.
g. All subjects on horseback must form
on North Front street, right resting on the
Square
4. All subjects on foot must form on
North Market street, right resting on the
Square.
5. The bands of the day will form on
the south side Of the Square, at the Court
house.
g. The procession win move around the
Square to Cedar, Cedar to Summer, Sum-
mer to Church, Church to Spruce, Spruce
to Broad, Broad to Summer, Summer to
Lincoln Alley, Lincoln Alley TO Cherry,
Cherry to Broad, Broad to Market, Market
TO Church, Church to Cherry, Cherry to
Line, Line to College, College to Locust,
Locust to Market, Market to the SQUARE,
where the loyal subjects will disperse.
When "2 O'Clock p. n. sharp" was at
hand, the procession was formed and ready
to move, and a sea of eyes rested upon il.
To make it complete it lacked nothing so
much as subjects-loyal, obedient subjeccs.
There were not more than ffty-hOTse,
foot, and dragons. A band wagon headed
the line with a banner flung to the breeze,
bearing this device in characters apparently
made with afre-cOal: Nashville subscribed
$50! Memphis $500! The OLD FOGY
MUST PREvAILw
The band wagon was followed by three
i u AOuL OLl4Cl hCuAIACeg Oh OAAlHAGAf GAAA
several persons on horseback and on foot.
The costumes of those dressing as females
and some Of those dressing as males were
made of calico or cambria. A number Of
the females were attired as young men,
with pug hat, mOustacbe and cane. There
was abundant evidence that most of them
belonged to that class for whom mission
homes are built.
The procession moved off amid yells Of
ridicule and derisiOn, chiefly from the
small boys, who ran after them in great
numbers, pelting with snow balls as vigor-
Ouslv as they could. On returning TO the
Square, they were greeted by an immense
crowd I'D another fearful yolley Of snow
balls. The occupants Of one Of the car
riages bad their masks almost battered of
BY these missiles.
On ~disbanding, the motley crew were
not content to quit the streets, but scatter
ed in various directions, riding and walk
ing. Many incidents occurred before
night Of the most disgraceful description.
The women, dressed as men, visited many
Of the saloons, and some Of them drank so
much as 70 become Ostentatiously drunk.
To sum up their conduct in a word, they
made the most Of the license which had
been temporarily accorded.
The Balls.
Although the procession was not a sue
cess to any eminent degree, the balls which
were held a. the Rink, COncordia Hall and
the Opera House, were attended by i'm
mense crowds, and the dancing was kept
up until a late hour, or rather an early
hour, for as we 60 to press, at 3 A. NJ, they
are still under way, and the strains Of
music, together with wild sounds Of mIrth,
are waited on The morning air 4 distance Of
several squares. The crowd az these seve-
raj ~terpsichOrean temples was Of an exceed
ingly
HETEROGENEOUS CHARACTER,
made up as they were of all classes Of So
ciety, the nymph dU pare being the most
prominent, Of course, from the mistress Of
the leading mGisons de joi, blazing in dia-
mOnds, lustrous silks and rich ~velvets,
down to members Of the lowest grade Of
this class, who are frequently at a loss to
know from whence their next meal will
| come, and whose fictitious names OF "Lil-
lie" maggie "Daisy," "Birdie," and the
like, have been known ere now
TO appear upon the police
court docket in j~uxtaposition with
such charges as Drunk on the streets"
ssVulgar and abusive language" etc, but
who eagerly seized upon this U day, or
night Of mad revelry and license out Of
ali the three hundred and ~sixty-ige which
90 to make up the year. And who can
blame them2 God knows their everyday
life is dreaTy enough, shOrn as 1t is Of all
that goes to make existence bright and
cheerful and something to be desired. On
this one night Of all the year they are per-
/ -TA+al - rr-nnsaNn nrwnw nnnaN #nwuNE
with representatives of a higher grade
Of society, under the friendly cover Of
masks, and, thus disguised, to receive at
tentiOns to which they have long been
ST. and to even Join hands in the
t'merTy mazes' with members of their own
sex, similarly disguised, who, yesterday
and to-day, would consider themselves
tainted if these sOiled doves but
touched the hem Of their garment, for
know We, gentle reader Of the upper-ten,
there were among the maskers last night
ladies to whom the most aristOcratiC doors
in Nashville are always open; ladies whom,
perchance, you will brush against at d.
vine service next Sunday, and some Of
whom you will certainly meet al the first
say party you may attend. Then, too,
SCALAWAG,
or hummer, lent his presence TO the gay
scene, carefully concealing his identity in
Outre costume and behind a mask. A
hummer is a vagrant, no doubt; and yet
there are characteristics Of the vagrant
which the hummer lacks. He is not
nOmadic in his character, and eYinces
no propensity TO wander. 1t is true
that be is often summarily elected
from cosy retreats into which he has
insinuated himself, and Is compelled
to sally forth in search Of other shelter and
warmth, and possibly drinks; but he never
walks further than the attainment Of his
purpose compels him to walk, and sub
sides into a vacant seat in the first saloon
which he may enter with impunity. Al
though you, most Christian reader, are not
guilty of going "around with the boys" or
of taking your REGULARS" during the day,
or of imbibing your morning and nightly
"nips," for the benefit Of your cOrns,
OF whatever other excuse you may make
to your conscience; yet there are many who
are addicted to such indulgences, and to
them the cOuntenance of the hummer is
familiar. The early birds, who are out at
daylight to catch the worm Of the still, are
quite sure to meet him, as he comes forth
from some unknown and unpleasant rest
ing place, following his UnerTing nose to
some friendly saloon where a bar-keeper,
who is not altogether inimical to his class,