The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-03-11
MYRA's MEANDERINGs.
Another Change of Base-From Country
to City-The Carnival Pageaats, Etc.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. q, 1882.

Another Change of Base-From Country
to City-The Carnival Pagea nts, Etc.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. q, 1882.
MY DEAR FLoY:
You will register me a peculiarly
nomadic individual, fear, because of
the tendency to pitch my tent in divers
places. l am resolved, however, to DEM
onstrate the not too palpable fact of my
who are just ~ little bit doubtful, that I
have no idea of being termed "shifting
as tie sands" but intend to settle sober
ly into fixture, henceforth.
The New Year brought long contem-
plated change for US, and the transition
from country to city was hailed with
delight by all the members of the family,
save Edith, who had conceived roman
tic attachment for the old plantation
home where so many Of the associations
and pleasant memories of her childhood
and girlhood gathered, keeping fresh
and fair happy past and holding it be-
fore her like panoramic view. After all,
it was perhaps the part Of wisdom to
sever some of the old links that were be-
coming day by day too closely riveted,
and learn, like the vast number of
practical people in the world, to "act i'll
the living present. and not fix the gaze
too great height above the material
necessities and stern realities of every
day life. It was only an illusion van
isl,ed, and youth hugs to its heart
many tiln,y faucies and cobweb Illusions
which fail to bear the test Of daily expe-
rience, and disappear before the winds of
adversity and necessity. There is some
thing touchingly pathetic in the way in
which we learn to adapt ourselves to the
changes which ever and anon succeed
one another in each little life, and grad
ually become content with the present
circumstances, no matter how utterly
different they may be from what we at
one time esteemed the acme Of human
enjoyment. Also, the manner in which
we inevitably let die the hopes and be-
li.fs and trusts of the opening years Of
manhood or womanhood, and learn after
q fuller experience, the lessons of maturer
wisdom which must be conned, however
sad the unlearning Of some of the sweet
est faiths of the first youth, as o prelim-
| mary exercise. Well, though contact
with the roughness and practical reali
ties of daily fruitful experience may
tend to create distrust Of much we once
earnestly and tenderly accepted and
destroy many pleasing fancy and illu-
sion, there is very much that is beauti-
full and good which is only strengthened
and confirmed by the swift marching
years, setting the seal upon lofty char
acter.
The most sanity old men and women
are those who iu faith and simplicity,
hope and love, are as little children. Let
us keep our hearts warm and we may
carry youth and many of the simple
trusts of beauteous youth into the
teens of second centory, as Oliver
Holmes says, if we could last SO long.
The city has been all agog for a fort
night or more, but now the annual Leu
ten sobriety is settling upon it and she'd
ding a gracious influence.
| Of course you have heard or read all
about the various representations ol
Proteus, Rex and Comus, so shall not
enter into second description here
Oh! the crowds! How they jostled and
pushed through the streets from morning
till far into the hours of night! 1t is re-
ally the most entertaining feature OF the
Carnival, many think, to view the
heterogeneous mass Of men and Womel
that gather here from East, West, NortE
and South, and enjoy character reading
to limited extent; for it is just posi-
ble to guess at life sometimes, by
small and apparently faint indications
The girls and boys at our abode all at
tended the Mystic Krewe and Rex balls
except Edith, WHO having been twic,
before, preferred to escape from th'
crowd during the night, at any rate
You would have been heartily amused
at the proposal Of the two small boys
aged respectively thirteen and fourteen
to escort to the reception of Rex the lit
tie eleven year old cousin who is 81
small that she seems oven younger
After many chivairous promises and as
surances, they finally prevailed upon he
aunt to let her accompany them. 1mag
. inc how very cute and sweet our littl
} midget looked waikin. off with her tw'
gallant young escorts. After al, sh
was much better provided for than th
f young ladies themselves, who could onl,
boast of one beau apiece. No doubt sh
enio7ed the novel entertainment ever
more than did the grown-up ladies ant
, gentlemen, and she made rs ali yer,
: merry the next day by her childlik
comments aud criticisms. What thes
children expected Mardi Gras to be W
can hardly imagine, for they have evi
IDENTIFY seen nothing that eaualled thei
antieipations. Great was the dismay Q
little Minnie-who after seeing the pro
cession was conveyed to the Oper
| Il,
tain rose upon the first tableau. sh