St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-06-08
THE SOUTHERN CARNIVAL


Customs ImportsA ffo0 Europe aAa So.
tained with Increased Splsndor.
The Latin significance Of the word
carnival-''farewell to hesh"-as .
matter Of fancy is one that has readily
taken hold OF the imagination OF those
foster-children of La Belle France. the
creoles Of louisiana Their fashions.
amusements and literature all ema-
mated from Paris, where. too. their
sons were often sent to complete their
education. A taste for the frivolities
Of the gay capital was thus quite nat.
urally engendered in these youthful
emigres, whose chief aim on their re-
turn seemed the desire to engraft on
society at homo the fancies and amuse-
ments Of the city on the Seine.
As early as 1927 the first carnival
masquerade procession was introduced
into New Orleans. followed in 1887 and
1889 BY even more ambitious and brill.
liant displays As . natural sequence
mask balls became.a feature Of these
celebrations, and Mardi Gras hence
forth. and. doubtless. for all time. be-
came Synonymous with scenes Of in
creased splendor and revelry. 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 pleasure-loving
community Of the inconsistency
Of ushering In the solemnities Of
the Lenton season with the glare
and blare OF the carnival; its ex-
cesses treading on the heels Of the
gray-cowled friar of renunciation SYM
bolized by Ash Wednesday. The Gus.
tom is q time-honored one, however.
dating as far back and even doubtless
originating in the heather spring time
festivals, and. since many Of the relig-
ious holidays still held In respectful
commemoration were derived from
similar source, why is not the merry
carnival equally justifiable
From 1910 until l845 several day
celebrations took place in New Or.
leans under the auspices Of some Of
the city's representative men. con.
Quoted on the lavish scale and with the
equally artistic distinction Of the festi-
walls OF to-day.
Until 1852 the observance Of Mardi
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 like prevailed IN
New Orleans as we'll. although the
rougher element Of the populace sub
stituted -four and even the more dan
gerous pleasantly Of lime-tArowing
for the daintier confetti OF the Roman
usage. With abuse came disuse. Is
early as 1884 the ''cow bellions" 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 '.Mystick Krew
Of Komus." which. swith occasional
intermission of disaster, war and pesti-
lential epidemic. has hourished and
still survives in mystic form. but IN.
der more varied names.
1t has been claimed with reason that
this celebration in New Orleans sur
passed the carnivals Of the Roman
C0rs0 and Venetian canals in Its ex-
guisite 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
!ospitable gates to stranger guests. q
warm welcome shining in her blue,
sunny skies. . fragrant charm about
her aowery eirdle, fascination in her
quaint originality that lends the added
charm OF distinction to this crescent
shaped metropolis Of the Soutn.-Cor.
Chicago Tribune.