Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-07-09
VakNNAL
Customs Impaired, from Epropc and sus
~ t,luod WIN tnrre rsrd Sliendor. if'I

Customs Iipportpd, from EproSc and sus-
~ tainod wfth fncre rsrd Spicndor. 'f''
The Latin Significance OF the word
carnipdl-+- Pfarowell 10 ilesh"-as n
matter of fancy Is one that has readily
taken hold Of the imagin tlon Of those
foster-children OF la Belle Frames, the
cteoles or l!ouisianh Thoir fashions,
ainusements and literi'urs NIL ema!
mated rom P,mis, whore, 400! their
asonslworo often isont TO complete their
education A. tnstQ for the frivolities
Of the gay capital wafthpi ito nat
urqlly .engepdered ip these youthinl
emigres, whose chief aim on thcir re-
turn seemed tho desire 10 ongraft on
society at hohie tho fancli' dndamusc-
hnhents of the city On the Soine.
il4 AS curly ns 1927 the fltst carnival
masquerade ipnonession was introduced
into New Orleans. followed in 1897 and
1889 by oven more ambitious and brill
liant displays As natural sequence
mask balls became n feature OF these
celebrations, and Murdi Gras Hence
forth, and, doubtless. for all time. be-
came Synonymous with scenes OF in
creased splcndor aud rcvelry. EAT,
drink and be merry, for tomorrow we
fast" seems to have been the inventive
to the joyous abandon of the day.
Little rocked this pleasuro-loving
community OF the inconsistency
of usherlng in tho solcmnities OF
the Lcnton season with the glare
and bldrc of the carnival; its ex-
cesses trcading on the heels of the
gray-cowled friar OF ronunciation SYM
bolized by Ash Wednesday, The Gus
tom is time-honorcl one. however,
dating as far back and even doubtless
originating in the heather sprlng-time
festivals, and, since many OF the relig-
ious holidays still held in respectful
commemoration were derived from q
similar source, why is not the merry
carnival equally justiliablo ,
From 1910 until 1915 several day
celebrations took place in Now Or.
leans under the auspices OF some oil
the city's representative men, con.
Quoted on the lavish scale and with the
equally artistic distinction of tho festi-
walls of to-day.
Until 1852 the observance OF Mardl
Gras suffered temporary extinction. TO
rise again in that year into even more
brilliant Regeneration.
At that time the flavor OF ltaly's
carnival of promiscuous street mas.
querading and the ike prevailed in
New Orleans as well, although the
rougher element OF the populace sub
stituted flour and even the more dam
gerous pleasantly of lime-throwing
for the daintier confetti OF the Roman
usage. With abuse came disuse. As
early as 1881 the "cow bellionsn OF
Mobile had inaugurated the process
sion OF scenic moving floats, and in
1857 the carnival habit was revived in
New Orleans after the fashion OF her
sister city across the bay That year
dated the origin of the "MysticS Krew
of Komus.n which. with occasional
intcrmission Of disaster. war aud pesu-
lential epidemic has nOuIished and
still survives IN mystic form, but I'M
der more varied names.
1t has been claimed with reason that
this celebration in New Orleans sur
passed the carnivals OF the Roman
Corso and Venetian canals in ITS ex.
quisite order. system and design. JUS
tice can not be done save by the wit
ness of personal sight Newspaper
reports, magazine articles, are but in
different media after all. Once seen,
however. the temptation to return
again. and yet again, is annually re-
current. New Orleans opens wide her
hospitable gates 10 stranger guests, a
warm welcome shining in her blue,
sunny skies, fragrant charm about
her llowery girdle, a fascination in her
quaint originality that lends the added
charm OF distinction to this crescent.
shaped metropolis OF the South. Cor
Chicago Tribune.