The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-03-11
The Season Of Lent.

over the great social world. The
fashion plates have been laid aside.
The caskets containing the jewel
links of gold, symbols of captivity,
have been locked up and hid away in
the drawers. The doors of Vanity
Fair will be partly closed, the cur
tains partly drawn, the violins will
be muted, and the sound of revelry
less boisterous. Society will remain
until Easter Sunday in fatigue uni
form, and there will be mild form of
devotion and tender rebukes from
easy shepherds to the focks which
have been dallying with such luxuri-
GUS ease for twelve long months.
Fashion, which governs the world
as with the sceptre of a Russian
Catherine, or of Maria Theresa, has
led it's gay votaries through the wild
est and most tiresome of sarabandes
and now it seeks o short rest
Hops and germans, balls and routs,
dinners and teas, lunches and even
ing parties must be suspended for
awhile; the social and fashionable
world wants rest!
It is easily observed that in the
progress of time the observance of
the season of Lent has materially
changed. Its former austerities have
been relaxed; it's admonitions are
less poignant. The gay and faultless
beauty is no longer required to be
recluse, to mar the symmetry Of her
shape with sack cloth, to disarrange
her ringlets or fastidious bangs, nor to
retire to her private room and medi-
tate upon the pomps and vanities of
the world. To those who have
watched the "ups and downs" OF the
world who have searched the depths
of the human heart and are acquaint-
ed with the frailties of human ma
ture, these changes viii appear to be
for the best. The alarming increase
Of opportunities for delightful sins,
and charming peccadilloes afforded
by the refnements Of civilization,
and the enlarged area for pomps and
vanities opened up by fashion and
aesthetics the burden of repentance
would be alarming and the chances
for absolution dubious. Besides, it
is known that the pomps and vanities
are the essentials of society life
Why should the votary be doomed to
spend q month or more in compunc-
tions and assumed regrets, when it
is her intention to fly to them again
at the very first opportunity with
more than redoubled vigora Why
should she be required to assume 9
penitential garb, or to perform the
Offices of lamentation, or to acknowl
edge herself miserable sinner wher
she believes nothing Of the kind, and
the community in which she Lives
and her friends are aware Of her be
left
II may be said with truth, thai
with the fashionable world Lent sig
mites little more than rest-a few
dkss Of SOLDERING off from the wild
revsary, q season Of physical anc
mental relaxation after the madden
ing monotony that is implied in go
ing into society. The votary may b.
ashade soberer in color, a trife toned
down from the high pitch, littl'
slower in gait, little RELAXED from
the infexible demands Of etiquette
that Is all!
To the good of earth Lent means
more than rest! It means q season
of pious meditation, Of prayerfu
devotion-a season when the heart
shall be touched and softened BY
repentance and bow at the footstoo
of . power no mortal may resist.
The retirement of Pierre Lorillari
from the turf threw some very valu
able horse flesh into the market. On,