The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-02-24
our POR a HOLIDAY.
DALLAS Tries Her Prentice hIand ~
wholesale Merry.Making.

Carnival week. II matters not that
the day chosen " not Shroye Tuesday,
II comes within the seven days lnme-
dlalely preceding the Lenten season
within the week ret apart for the
amuaementa with which the Latin
races usher IN the forty days OF fasting
and prayer epioined by the Church In
whose embrace they were born and
hope TO die, Mardl Grqs (iat Tuesday
the day before Ash "Wednesday, has
OrGenturles Witnessed, la Continental
Europe, the elimination Of the ex-
cesses Of u week of wild and reckless
sports, In Rome, the corso resoundS
TO the gallop Of riderless uteeds, cheered
on 10y the shouts Of m almost mad
dened mulitude In Venice, gondoliers
convey parties of fair ladies and chly-
alrlc gentlemen to masked balls; In
Florence, the city is ablaze with light,
and from early morn TIL the great bell
Of the Cathedral sounds the hour of
twelve, the streets are crowded with
men, women and chlldren-the noble
and the peasant, the countess and the
chambermaid, the charcoal dealer and
the goldsmith all mingling regardless
" rank, and only intent upon crowd
Ing into n few hours enjoyment SUN
client TO last for the forty days morti-
icatIon to follow, In Paris the day Ia
observed almost universally the em-
ployes Of the municipal abattoires
(butchcrs) form In procession, with II
white OK (6oQ gras) fatted til his eyes
stick out with adlposity, his hoofs
gilt, and his horns bcdecked with gar
lands, march to the Marie, and are
received by the authorities with that
respect with which only Senators Of
Assembly are treated. In South
America, shells of wax, filled
with perfumed water, are showered
from the balconies of the residences Of
tlack-eyed senorltas, to be followed by
a snow.st0rm Of CHILEAN flour blown
from air-guns in the hands and mouths
of favorite servants stationed be-
low who mark with unerring pre-
clslon the party upon whom the shells
are cast. In Mexico, where the Church
reigns supreme, the sports are not so
marked, but are entered into with all
the vim and energy capable of being
displayed by people whose every av-
ocntlon and amusement are controlled
by either Church or State.
II one were TO ask of n Boston pun
dit, "What Is Mardi Gras ?" ho would
most likely be told that II was II day OF
rejoicing with the semi-barbarous peo-
pie Of the South. And with tho ex-
ception OF the "semibarbarityn part
Of IL, il would be n nearly correct an.
swer. Outside of New Orleans, Mo-
bile, Charleston, Savannah and Pensa-
cola--outside Of those cities founded
and peopled by those whose ancestors
came of an American graft upon n
Latin stock-the Specification of the
day IL almost unknown. Since the
days of Julien Poydras, ninety or more
years ago, New Orleans has, with the
exception of the five years taken
up by the war always celebrated Mardi
Gras, but 1t was not until 1871 that
anything like organization, and the
presentation of tableaux in torch lit
procession by night, was attempted
Since then the MyStickc Krepe Of 10
mus, composed of the first gentlemen
of the city, have, each year given exhi-
billions of every conceivable nature,
the production of which involved
heavy expense and brought no direct
returns, except in the attraction OF
visitors to the city.
In 1857 the Cowbellion dc Rakin
Society, of Mobile, was organized, and
though the association chose New
Years Eve for its display, was in every
other sense, the parent of the .Nystickc
hreWG of New Orleans, If IL were at
all to the point, names could be given
here that many residents of Dallas
would recognize.
Memphis, in 1872, felt the sneoessity
of doing something to revive her
waning fortunes, and Mr.. Joseph
Specht, coniectioner and good citi.
zen-by birth n Bovarian- hethought
himself of the Mardi-Gras move.
Assisted by Lou Leubrie and few
other liberal-hearted citizens, he sue.
ceeded in arousing an enthusiasm
which resulted In a complete success ;
the procession was striking In its
originality; the fine masquerade balls
given under the auspices Of the general
committee will never be excelled, and
the profit to Memphis retail dealers was
estimated ut hundreds of thousands of
dollars for the three days occupied In
the celebration OF the sports. Since
then Louisville, Nashville, and this
year even Cincinnati, have taken up
the measure, and between to-day and
Wednesday next the whole Southwest
-1-from Galveston to the Queen City OF
the West-will be In fever OF delight
over holiday which four-titths of the
jewellers know nothing Of its origin oil
why they rejoice. What Memphis
started as an advertising scheme has
spread until 1t would seem that Mard
Gras Is to become national fete.
1t is not pretended that only Church
of-England men or Catholics should
make the Carnival week one of re.
joiclng; we of this pushing, money.
grubuing age, have too few of holidays
and il 1t be possible to institute an.