Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-07-24
MARDI GRAS IN NEW
ORLAENS.


Ever since my return from the Carni-
val I have wanted to tell you about IT,
but there has seemed to be no time until
now.
Everybody has heard of Mardi Gras,
and those who have never seen it want
to do so, and | am of the opinion that
those who haze seen it desire to do so
again. It fell to me to count one among
the thousands of strangers Of the Cres-
cent city at the last celebration of the
King Of the Carnival, and the spirit
moves me to tell you something about it
just as the small boy who goes to the
circus comes home and tries to describe
the wonders of the sawdust ring and the
Jokes of the clown.
New Orleans people are, as rule, Civ
en- to very considerable amount of fun
and frolic, as if the warmth of the sun
which shines down upon them had coax
ed into activity all the genial part of their
natures, leaving the ribbed side Of them
in stunted condition, too puny to assert
itself. SO the revel in the sunny life they
make for themselves, and spirit away
from their sight the things which might
sadden and depress.
There is a dark, dark side Of life in
New Orleans; poverty is as unfinching
and charity's hand little colder, think,
than in some less sunny spots; sorrow
and sin and shame have their home there
as in other cities, and sometimes / fear
there is less effort made to save the stray
ing, to comfort the sorrowing, to lead
the blind, than there would be were ma
ture less kind in her gifts of warmth and
| sunshine.
But our path leads through the pleas
| ure grounds, not by the charnel house
| and these more important things must be
put aside until more convenient season
just as the well regulated housewife
commences preparations for Christmas
| day before the arrival of that Festival
| day, so do the people of New Orleans
| prepare for their grand Carnival by ar
ranging attractions which shall pave
their way to the chief display. Strang
| ers come from all parts of the country
many of them arriving days in advance o
the coming of King Rex, and no trouble
is spared to keep them well entertained
| during the interval of waiting.
| This year the chief entertainments dur
ing the week proceeding Mardi Gras were
| the ball of the Continental Guards, tina
of the Young Mems Benevolent Associa
ton, and the grand fancy dress ball o
the Liedertafel. Probably nowhere il
America is there to be seen greater va
riety of elegant and unique costumes thai
are worn at this masque ball, and ingenu
ity, as well as purses, is heavily taxed t,
invent new designs.
| The prettiest entertainment was tina
given under the name of The Children
Festival, at the French Opera House. I
was both Festival and Baby Show, an
whichever attracted the most attention
more than can tell. / saw baby shoy
in Boston in 1880, and l begin to thin
''babies is babies" whether they De foun
Dixie. They are given to the collie,
teething, to drooling and to wakefulnes
now as well as then, and fail to discoy
er any more music in the shrieks of
colic-inficted New Orleans baby than
did in one seen in the same conditio
''away down East" 1t may be rank tres
son, and perhaps King Rex will cut m
off forever from my rights as royal sui
ject, but herewith make confession {
faith in the fact that Boston mother
were not behind the door when handsom
babies were parceled out any more tina
were the mothers in this Crescent city.
OF course the handsomest baby mus
have a prize, and somebody must be til
poor wretch to decide which shall be th
winner. Gen. G. II. Beauregard we
chairman Of the committee having tn
delicate task to perform, and if he don
want to change places with penitent
ary convict for the next decade he is
less sensitive man than / take him to b.
Think of it We gods! and pity him. WI
the fury of a whole regiment of wome
scorned isn't to be compared to the fu1
Of one woman whose baby has been, me
aphorically speaking, sat down upon by
committee.
The tableauX given at the Festiv
were as charming as such things can
when beautiful children, in garb fro
fairy land, are artistically grouped.
was beautiful picture from beginning
end-one we would all like to linger owe
as we do the engravings of some rare o
book, but there is such crowding
pleasure if one fingers long at any ol
the crowd will trample him as it go
hurrying on to 'sthe next"
Even Sunday was made day of me
ry-making. Out on the bycicle groun
of the city Miss Elsa Won Blumen rode
:. bycicle in a race with two horses-Ma
Wilson and Stella-mile heats, best ty
in three. The woman won the race,
she is quite apt to do in all the races
life if given half chance.
1 did not attend any of the Sund
shows. but l can assure you the crow
were immense, and to the strangers frc