American citizen., 1881-03-12

nd displays will have reached your
paders in advance Ot this letter so
| will not inflict upon you the
| 'thrice-toltl tale.'
The theme selected for pTesenta-
tion by the Mystic Memlhi was
he mythical legend of the quest of
the Golden Fleece, 10y Jason and
his Argonauts. The tableanv were
correctly planned and tastefuily
executed, hat sufficient allowance
was not made for the effects OF ll>
| Elimination, and perspective. and
so the pageant or Tuesday night
was in some measure disappoint-
ment. This was partially owing
to the liberal employment as
grooms and stecds, of those two
W )rthy elements the nigger and
the mule. These fraternal animals
have no sureriors and few rivals III
the colt on furrow, but in classic
procession they are liable to bHik,
and 20 shaw" when the programme
calls for a "gee" movement by the
right flank
Through the courtesy of Capt.
Ricketts,. the able and versatile
cit, man of the Avalanche, your
correspondents WAS favored with
tickets to the grand st and, and the
grand balls. At the latter, good
naturel frecdO:l-nOt vcrglng on
license ruled the hour. This scribe
beng approached by graceful
masker with an invitation to dance,
essaypd the racquet, and after
swinging thrice around the hall,
| fiattening out about two score
cOrns and collecting small keg OF
pomatnm and poudre-le-viz on his
nanlx ..bOOsOm," WAS hOnOred by
IA delegation Of floor managers,
who politely requested that he
wOuld submit to have his pedes-
tails fore hur' ened or else dance
sitting, This seemed to be a hint
worth taking. and so l retired to a
corner, wondering why It is that a
young woman, if she is awkward,
and bIon.ie. and plump, can feel
the slack Uf her pOmpadour train,
and bump mp against every couple
in crowded ball ,kn ock the breath
out of the bald heads and the butt
tons off tie yonng frIlahs, yet all
will smile and bow and looked
pleased at it-while il man steps
on toe or innOcently scrapes a
shin he is .'frcd out" instanter.
To speak critically OF the attIac
ltions presented to the eager throng
of thousands who had gathered
from all the regions round about
TO enjoy the occasion and do ho1>
or to the wonderful City of the
Bluffs, which has risen from dis
astcrs more appalling than fire,
and more dircfnl than floods, would
hardly he fair, because it WAS ey
ident that a few had born the
Itrouble and expenses, while the
lmany shared in the benefit T;Ie
dramatic and terpsichOrean, fea-
ttures were, beyond question, the
work of cultured minds and skill
fful hands, but for reasons doubt
less insurmountablc, the first were
!not presented on a scale to meet
popular expectations, but the balls
were elegant and truly enjoyable.
The strictest order prevailed both
day and night throughout the city,
though proper latitude was given
! to harmless jest and inoffensive
merIiment. Now sitting on Capt.
Postal's elegant Clipper Packet,
the popular Hard Cash, review
the two days'festivlties,a ,and Though
tired and weary (for there is said
! TO be no rest for the wicked, ami 1
sometimes fear this includes mOrn>
ing paper reporters and rrinters)
/ feel that it ia "A privilege to have
been in rcjuvenate;l Memphis OH
Marli Gras of 81, and wish when
the carnival of 'S2 cones round,
you and l, Mr.. Editor, and the
| Jolly Com ,Djssioner. may be there
TO see.
A party OF gentlemen sitting near
me are talking about "the blind"
IN il manner that leads me to Opine
THAT an opthalmic epidemic is ap-
pretended, and as one or two of
them has a go"d deal to say about
their "aunties," will retire, not
willing TO overhear family SECRETS
but they must place small val-
ue on their female relatives, as
they speak only of "fifty.cent
aunties." The floor of the boat is
covered with weary pilgrims
farmers, merchants and others
from Indian Bay to Pocahontas;
and by their stcntorous breathing,
1 have just discovered a curious
anatomical fact regarding the IN
habitanis of the White river valley:
many of them have an extra bonp
and it is the-tI ON bone.
Dos.