Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-10

untold sums Of lucre, was present shutting
against the bummer now whispering be-
guiding Hords into feminine ears which
would have tingled with shame, but for
confidence in the sheltering mask, and
then into ears equally delicately fashioned,
perhaps, but which, alasl have dready
listened to such words with a trusting
confidence which has resulted in disaster
and ruin.
AT THE RINK
the crowd was not so dense as at Con-
cordia Hall and the Opera House, although
there were seldom less than four sets on
the floor at once. The music was fur
nished BY Bush's string band and was Of
frst-elass quality. Good order was pre-
served, and those who took part in the
dancing evidently enjoyed themselves to
the utmost.
CONCORDIA HALL
presented the largest crowd, the large
dancing room being so well filed after ten
O'Clock that the dancers were sometimes
pressed for ROOM. Here the Chattanooga
band was in attendance, d~iscoursing music
for quadrilles, the lancers, waltzes, schot-
fishes, etc, as called for by the floor man
ager. Police officers sauntered about the
ROOM, overlooking the festivities, though
there was no occasion for calling their ser
vices into requisition for the purpose Of
preserving order.
TIE OPERA HOUSE
had been transformed into a first-claSs
dancing hall by the removal Of the seats in
the p~arluette and tho placing Of a tempo
rary floor over the space on a level with the
stage, thus making room sufficient for a
dozen sets TO form, when quadrilles were
in order. Here the music was furnished
by Hills band, and the crowd Of dancers,
as well as lOOkers-On, was somewhat more
stylish and ~sristOcrstic, so TO speak, and
during the stay Of the UNION AND AMERI-
CAN representative, he was frequently APP
preached BY a masker with the whis-
pered injunction, "Mum's the word
Don't mention my name in to-moTrow's
paper" This was during the earlier part
Of the evening, and our reporter was in
terested in picking out, here and there,
prominent lawyers, doctors, merchants,
grave Senators and rurallstic Representa-.
tives who, even up to yester eve, had APP
peared to our reporter to be wholly en-
crossed with measures Of Fetrenchment and
reform, without a thought Of minor mat
ters. One laW-maker especially, the
UNION AND AMERICAN noticed sitting in
a retired corner, beside a maiden with
flowing hair and fragile form. And as they
thus sat, the Senatorial arm was observed
to be resting on the seat Immediately be-
hind his companion, though its owner was
probably unawar Of this fact, as he seemed
to be buried in deep thought. No doub-
he was studying up some new measure Of
relief for his dOWn-trOdden, tax-ridden con
stituency and was entirely unconscious Of
his surroundings. Let US hope so, for his
wife, miles away in the mountains, certain
ly was.
As the night wore on, dancers and spec
tatOrs increased in numbers and reckless
ness. There were no violent demonstra-
tions, no unseemly language, and no rude
disorder, but q wild abandon took the place
Of the hesitancy and reserve which, to a
certain extent, were noticeable among
the spectators at the beginning
Of the festivities, and as hack
after hack drove up and discharged
their contents at the entrance to the hall
the revelry reached a higher pitch, and the
dancers ~appearedto be at the very height Of
their enjoyment, and thus the hours flew
by until finally approaching day warned
them that Mardi Gras had passed and that
it was time n bring its ceremonies and
festivities to a close.