The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-11-25
That Mobile Coast.

4
morsl-of New Orleans. One of our dailies
in a fit of abstraction and, we may say, of
desperation at the desrth of topics, con-
ceived the gigantic scheme of making New
Orleans compete with Florids for the
patronage of invalids.. So the Register,
true to it's geography, determined to
stand between us and our suggested rival.
| Without awaiting further movements, il
took the aggressive instantly and attack
ed in force. 1t upbraided our goodly city
with mud, Sunday theatricals, alligators,
sorcery, horce racing, Cleopatras, Antho-
nys (not St. Anthonys), swamps and gumbo.
1t intimated that even Mobile and it's
vicinity might be better place than our
gay metropolis for very pious invalids.
| There may be some trRth in the prenises
and yet injustice in the conclusions. We
have mud Mobile has sand. Sand is the
emblem of steriity mud-Mississipp mud
with little dexterous handling turns into
first class sugar. Sometimes other people
afterwards put sand in the sugar-we don't
say Mobile people-but people who live
| where sand is handy. There is none here.
We are not, however, down on sand abso-
lutely. Where there is no smoke sand is
useful to show which way the wind blows,
and, therefore, it is an appropriate thing
steamboats,, no foundries, no establishments
of any sort in sufficient force to get up
more than an occasional and momentary
puff of smoke.
| The Register may be somewhat too near
the truth in its estimate of New Orleans
| Sundays. At any rate no one can dispute
it's authority as an expert on that subject.
Travellers do say that Mobile has tue
appearance of keeping Sunday all the
week through. There is, according to them, a
general air of cessation from business that is
as perceptible on Monday CT any other
| week day as on Sunday.
The sorcery and the Cleopatras we deny
vehemently. There be truly q number of
stately danes whom worldly persons assert
to be as hapdsome as Cleopatra was, but
these ladies, 80 far from melting and swal-
lowing their pearls or other jewelry, delight
to show that they have them yet. Indeed
we conclude tnat our esteemed neighbor
must have come over here once as a dead.
head under the necessity of getting bach
by the return train, and that it was too much
dazed by the unaccustomed brilliancy which
met it's rustic stare to discern clearly or dis
r tinguish accurately. The sorcery whereof i
shudderingly discourses was only witchery
t There was nothing of the superhpmau q
, all about it; ii Was strictly human, thougl
q of au unusually fine type somewhat mod
anI h., kha
= eorsets.
9 Gumbo Now we know that our confrer
: went back in that return train. He didn
= stay to dinner. If there is one thing pa
= excellence upon which New Orleans pride
d herself, it is gumbo. They have cotto
7. aud rice and tobacco elsewhere, they hav
n grain and pork and silks, they have i'm
i ports and exports, palaces and fountainI
), they have art and science, talent, beaut
&c and accomplishment elsewhere as we'll q
It here, but they have not gumbo. GumbO
/ in New Orleans only. It originated her,
it expanded aud grew to perfection her
2. 1--WE speak of it now not as a dish but as a
g art.) 1t has never been possible to sccl
% mate it elsewhere. Men go away resC
o lutely bent on keeping up gumbo, but soc
u they find that it is no longer the sam
ef thing. The inspiration has been lost an
1t nothing of it remains to them but fondl
b, cherished memory, 1--WE speak of it no
Of as dish.)
n Well. Never mind. These latter T,
y Elections have restored our equanimity. W
le have no ill-will against the Register. w
g. are even willing to take Mobile, includiu
le that rather frivolous old paper, into OF
er family. New Orleans is a growing plac
le The Mississippi Valley is natures grande
Dr. empire and the Crescent City is its natur
m emporium. The little jealousies aud spit
's of capital cannot permanently chain dow
or the great forces of nature, and the your
D. giant will soon snap all such chains lii
m gossamer threads. New Orleans must
the commercial center of the world ar
a count her population far up in the million
t. Already she has stretched forth her har
q A.