Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-21
AT TIL BAY.
WHAT TIE CORRESPONDENT SEES,
THINKS. AND SAYS.
Workingmer's Frocession-"M ardi Gras "
Lent, and How it is Observed
What Gossips Say.
SAN Francisco, February Is, 1880.

SAN FRANCISCO, February Is, 1880.
Aroused the other day by the great sound
of drum in the distance, l few to an open
window, and, sure enough, "down the street
there was something coming" headed by an
advance guard of boys, one of whom tried to
persuade the people that the sounds of the
bugle came from crooked stick he held in
his mouth. A transparency, noticed, We
VIII Not Beg" was carried over sturdy
shoulder, and then followed the march. 1t
was the Workingmen's procession going about
and calling upon corporations to discharge
Cinnamon. As far as good clothes and BAN
ners went, it was poor enough procession,
but it plodded on determinedly, unmindful of
lookers-on, of the silent laugh or the amused
expression. Some were smoking pipes, some
were arm in arm, some old, some young, some
straight and free of step, some bent and tired
appearing. A dozen women were sprinkled
through the ranks, two only of whom seemed
Get me use hateful word) genteel.
ONE WAS TALL,
And possessed nameless air of independ-
ence. She wore walking hat and gray
ulster, and straighter shoulders 1 never saw.
| wondered if she were Mrs Anna Smith, Of
whom so much mention is made. Ifso, Mrs.
Smith is a good-looking woman. II these
people are SOBER honest, industrious and
starving, then it is a dreadful thing to see
them if they are idle, dissolute, incapable,
the fault is not in work or employer. Yet,
thinking they may be the first, a throb of
pity must go through the heart, to see ones
own womankind thus before the common
public Of the street. Just now the process
sion is one of the sights of the city. The
sand lot is such curiosity as Seal Rock is
and sand-lotting has come to seem business.
A lady has asked this question, and | tell her
| don't know When she lived in the East
ern States she could get hired girl for half
what she pays one here, and yet they say
living is cheaper in San Francisco than in
Boston or New York. What makes the diff
ference in wages when here labor seems
drug in the market, if one must judge from
the outcry? Nov, here is question that
puzzles me again:
Is supposed to be season for fasting and
prayer, and self-denial, and all notifications
of the flesh, isn't it? Very well. So we
don't eat meat, but we may have eggs, and
pudding. and fruit-cake. and mince pie, and
the most delicious fish of the market, and we
get fat on Lent. 1t is time set apart in the
year for prayer, so we take prayer-book
and read, and 90 out to service early in the
morning and yawn while somebody else reads
prayers, and its fashionable, and it sounds
well to talk about, and then as we have
plenty of time, we read new novels
till lunch time. Then there are self
denials and notifications, that means
no gay dressing and no dancing parties. But
the most bewitching quiet costumes are per-
missible, and they require ever so much
preparation and thinking aboutand vanity, and
one may talk all sorts of nonsense in evenings
out and evenings at home, at teas and dinners
and lunches, and still do the proper thing by
Lent. | have the vision of the first Lent as
it was kept by the man Of SORROWS alone, but
that one is not our Lent of to-day. The letter
of the law is right, but what fearful twist
ing and turning it gets Is this a time to be
planning festivities, TO be making dresses. to
be getting ready for weddings to be talking
of invitations, that there may be grand
burst of joyful celebration at the end of the
fortieth day? Not in this spirit was Lent in
augurated, and how can people go on, year
after year, with this dissertation of all sacred
ness-hlling Lent with very carnival of ex-
pectation? have heard ever so many fash
lonaole women say they should be glad when
Lent came so they could rest. This is like
the poor woman who took the little girl to
the funeral because little Mary was ailing and
the ride and country air would do her good.
Just before Lent there was grand, decor
Gus and
uIGH-ToNED FRoLIc.
| Which stirred society both as being a novel
event and as being the last opportunity for
kicking up heels before the beginning of the
forty days. But forget that society in
its dignifed frolics never condescends to kick