The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-03-12
a GOSSIPPY LETTER NEW
ORLEANS
About M"rdt Gras-Knights Of Cosnus
mcn VI War Spanish Fort
Aarnh Bernhardt FIremcn,s
P1rnde-New Orleans La.
dies and Country
vlHilO

''c iiiiiiVary uisplay Oh
the End OF February, the Knights q
Comus procession, the Mardi Gras, an,
the best of all the Firemen's parad
ta-day. l am practical almost to
fault, having seen good deal of life
as wei as numbered many summer
and the Carnival seems so farcical. $,
utterly void of reality, except t,
attract throng to New Orleans, t,
crowd the hotels and restaurants ant
make things uncomfortable generally
that when the Firemen turned GU
to-day there was 50 much gallantry
so much manliness in the Who'll,
thing, that | enjoyed it heartily-ant
there determined to be fireman al
any cost.
Heaven smiles on all the Fete days
10 New Orleaus-such bright weather
for the Carnival, and this has been q
glorious day overhead-the dust has
been disasreeable. There were twenty
four engines handsomely decorated
some with flowers, some with sail and
one with white doves. Each COM
pany was in front of its engine with
the exempt horses beautifully equipped
with their names in gold or silver on
the girth-sOme | noticed We're lame.
After each engine came the exempt
members in carriages-some were old
and some were young in appearance.
l knew none Of them. Each company
had brass band so we had plenty of
! 2l0sic. ( noticed our fozoQ City
band-I waved to them but they did
not recognize me although / am per-
sonally acquainted with nearly all of
them. There was bond between us
we were all from Mississippi
Jackson was well represented. Bet
ter than any other portion of the
State. The best part of the whole
Carnival is to stand on Canal and
watch the crowd pass along no two
faces alike. Here goes a crowd of
NortherneIs - they all wear eye
glasses and then they dress So differ
emily from Southern people. Here is
party of city people who never no.
tice you unless the women stare at
each others good C othes or bad clothes.
Everybody feels at liberty to look at
every body else-no one knows you.
Here are a crowd of country people
who walk Us if they thought every
body in the city was looking at their
new bonnets, cloak or hat or over
coat-their new rig is bound to be
noticed because they are 50 self-con-
scious. 1t takes great many sorts
of people to make up world. think
the country ones the best of all.
Ask me not what is fashionable in
New Orleans--anything-full dresses,
tight dresses, but always short, very
short dresses, which is SO sensible,
think.
/ saw Sara Bernhardt in Frou Frou.
Her face is magnificent, her eye the
finest | ever saw in woman's head.
She is thin, but her acting is superb.
She wears very little jewelry, which
fashion some Of our women might
adopt.
The handsomest costume saw was
a white satin with crystallized tulle
front, jahot of lace from throat to
foot, jabot on either side from shout
der all around on satin court train.
She appeared only once without
gloves, and that was in the death
scene. Her dresses were all made
with court trains. One green satin
was trimmed in irredescent fringe.
New Orleans did not go wild over her,
md l admire New Orleans for that
much, at least.
The New Orleans women know the
'rt OF dress to perfection. | went by
invitation to the Jockey Club grounds
md races. 1t is fairy land--so many
weet, nice hooks that if I were a
,irl, and had sweetheart, would
make him take ME to the Jockey Club
went to the Spanish Fort, which I
hink Is a humbug. The "animals"
onsist OF eight alligators In mud
ole, three deer and one bird and the
ongue Of a mastadon.
1 came near forgetting my trip to
he man-ofwar, the flagship Tennes-
ee. 1t was the first time / ever saw
man-of-war. Cleanliness Is next to
odliness, 80 they are near to heaven,
Y 1t is the cleanest, neatest place /
yer saw. Met several gallant, cour- !
'ous gentlemen, and as I had some !
andsome, smart girls with me, 1
as treated very nicely indeed. How {
d folks like attention from young
eople! !
Well, | go back to Mississippi in a ;
w days. Ihave had pleasant visit .
my kind friends here. Unjust men, y
on that in going down Canal during y
lie week 1 met Mr.. c. Campbell, h
Uses, Campbell, Bailey, Atkinson,
I'd Fearn, A. Virden, Jr., Misses
aud Cooper, Miss Buck, .,
d. Myers aud wife and child, Mr.. q
@. Barksdale and Miss NJ. g. -
srksdale. I turned to the worthy g
itor Of THE COMET and inquired IL :.
e statehouse was closed, and IL the
aditor was In the city. knew he n
as young man, and wanted to in -
'dnce him to the beauty of the city, a.
It he could not be found, having dis CO CO
peaIed with the Senator from Law ii'
nee. - ca