The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-04-15
MYRA's MEANDERINGS.

NIid-Lent-Unusual Disregard OF Ienten
Pcnnnces-F Freaks of the FaslliOnables,
Etc.
New ORLEANS, March "a, 1882.
Ny DEAR FLoi:
The past few days seem to have dropped
.outof my life in some unaccountable way,
and glance at my calendar with a start
to find that we are standing upon the eve
of the 25th of March, which you know is
memorable anniversary. have missed
the reckoning somehow, for it appeared
NO later than the ides Of March and it
did not occur to me that mi cdreme, us the
French say, was past and gone. That is
the halting spot where eur Roman Cath
ollie brethren pause to take breath in
their forty days pilgrimage and penance.
Entertainments are adjudged quite legit-
innate then, and the brooding stiffness
and solemnity Of Lent is interrupted FOR
Il slight alteration into the walks of
worldly enjoyment. Then the banners
are unfnrled again and the steady march
goes Oh till the Easter glory shines from
hill-crest and tree-tops, athwart dingy
buildings, into dark alley ways and deep
down into the hearts OF men. Christians
of all denominations are warmed and
blessed by this wordrous light, and
Easter is devoutly held as sacred anni-
versary in much the same way as Christ
mas, wllilo many deride the idea of q
Lenten abstinence and self-denial, or
simply ignore it. Surely, the Feast days
set apart by the Church, can not he prop
erly appreciated, accepted and uuder-
stood, unless the Fast days are also
observed, for the one explains and sane
titles tie other. If we emerge from the
shadow, the Easter sun will seem all the
brighter, and il the forty days have been
probably spent, the glorious truth Of
the Resurrection will be the moro fully
graspcd aud comprelIended.
It does seem that never before has Lent
been SO entirely disregarded by this com
munity. After an unwonted gay winter
it would appear that our beau monde
should have been willing to renounce
tho pomps and vanities for forty days, at
least; but it is difficult to stop the bali
now that it is fairly set rolling. Enter
tanments of one kind have simply given
place to another, and kettle-drums, din
ners. lunches, commerce parties, 'sLow
Teas" and High are the order of the day.
II we may judge from the number of
elegant entertainments that have graced
the winter season, aud still hold their
sway far Into the present solemn period,
the people OF our Crescent City must he
on the high road to an unexampled pros
perity. A lady in moderate circum-
stances remarked tho other day that she
could not afford to entertain now, as it
seems customary to bestow handsome
presents upon ones friends and acquaint-
ances for tho privilege of having them
assemble at our houses-the hospitality
EXTENDED to them not being deemed suf1i-
cient compensation.
It is certainly pleasant enough to be
invited to lunch and find at ones place
ut the table a lovely gift in the shape of
!, ten dollar fan, for instance, and to be
the recipient of beautiful "fayors" at
the commerce parties; but it strikes me,
Floy, that Mrs Grundy has adopted an
ultra-extrayagant mode Of receiving
ones friends. 1t is said that the gifts
and favors awarded at the commerce
parties i'll most northern cities are paltry
compared to the handsome ones given
here. 1t appears to me far more beconi-
ing to bestow some little trivial gift OF
memento than high-priced tokens which
can not fail to place all the guests under
serious obligations.
1t is quite amusing to stand ON neutral
ground and watch the maneuvreings Of
society! Each vies with the other, and
our tsslliouables will not he outdone by
each other, but insist upon preserving
the balance of power in their little world
III manner which seems to those who
stand outside the pale Il grotesque muta-
ton of the great nations method of
equalizing forces! 1t is a sore conflict
sometimes, and involves the bittercst
sacrifices-this fcverish effort to keep up
appearances and preserve the equipoise.
Does it not seem strange that rational
people will voluntarily place themselves
III condition Of such absolute seryitudes
The honors and rewards of society amount
to a pitifully small consideration at best
its adulation and honeyed words pail
upon refined taste, while opportunities
for real selt-culture and advancement
are entirely interlicted by the despotic
votaries who absorb all the shining hours
in the thought of fashion and dress. Am
too severe? l can not think so, for
have seen behind the scenes and known
many lovely character marred by a too
stfict adherence to the teuets of Grundy-
vile, while the tastes, thoughts, aspira-
lions and emotions were all warped and
perverted. One of the saddest and most
ctt,ctGal mctamorphoses l ever saw was
from simple, frank, earnest girl, into
fashionable, designing, cool, calculating
leader of the toa, who assured mo not
long since that she "lived and moved
and had her being" in the gay life for
which she felt herself SO well adapted,
and could not conceive of fuller or more
intense happiness than the constant par