The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1899-02-23
Gbf .stlarletta Journal.
MARDI GRAs FESTIVITIES.

common In several American cities
such as New Orleans, Mobile, Birming.
nam, Galveston ETC., of having jollifi-
cations on Shroye Tuesday or the day
Immediately preceding the beginning
OF Lent, is a Roman Catholic custom
and had its origin in Rome and Paris.
The name of these occasions is derived
from two French words, Mardi signify
ing Tuesday, and Gras meaning fat
Fat Tuesday" being period of gen.
eral license to compensate for the aus
terities of Lent which all good church.
men are supposed to undergo.
In New Orleans, these gala days have
been eagerly anticipated every year
ever since that city belonged to France
and in all others they are only recent
and bad limitations and are destined to
be short lived. 1t requires the cosmo-
politan character possessed by the peo-
pie of that city, with its large French
element with their taste for such DEM
onstrations, and the overwhelming pre- /,
dominance there of Roman Catholics.
to make them complete and perma-
nent success.
We had twice before attended these
festivities in New Orleans and they
left such pleasant impression upon
our mind that we decided to inspect
them again this year. The weather,
however, Monday was so exceedingly
cold that it was necessary to postpone
the evening parade-that of Proteus-
scheduled for that day. On Tuesday,
Comus, having as his subject the Life
OF Moses" and Love" delighted the
assembled tens of thousands which
packed the streets along the line of
march.
Rex" always enters his dominions
here by water and in this instance he
had as his convoy the United States
war vessels Chicago" and Detroit"
1t was truly grand sight as the for
mer steamed slowly up the river, huge
volumes of black smoke rolling up from
her tunnels while the great Father of
Waters" foamed and splashed against
her white sides, and the whistles of all
the other steamers in the river roared
and screeched their welcome.
Quite as interesting it was to visit
the Chicago" one of the largest and
finest ships in the United States navy
to observe her horrible engines of de-
struction; her immense and commit
Gated machinery the completeness and
diversity OF her equipment. being a
large sized village within herself, and
to see the manner of life, habits and
disposition Of her crew. 1t inspires
one with higher veneration for old
Uncle SAM, to view one of his armed
monsters of the deep.
New Orleans itself is very unique
and attractive city. To give an idea of
the cosmopolitan character of its nom
uiation, the addressed old negro man
to whom we consigned our valise adj
dressed us in the politest Partisan
French: and we learned from him that
besides English and French, he also
spoke German and Spanish and we
think he said also, Italian as well. On
every hand we heard poverty stricken
negroes rafting away in foreign Ian
guages. Another popularity of the
city is the practice of announcing
deaths by notices in different languages
attached to electric light poles, lamp
posts and other objects similarly pub
nc. These notices frequently con-
ciude with request that the reader
pray Tor the repose of the soul of the
deceased.
The old cemetery of Saint Roch had a
peculiar interest to us. Reading names
ana inscriptions on the various tombs
and mousoleums it contains wa u.,o
reminded of the Last Great Dav whom
all kindred and all tribes and tonpnas
snaii DE gathered together at the sonnd
OF the trumpet, to give ali account of
tne ceeds done in the flesh. Wban
uaoriel does sound his trumpet. mncb
OF tne world will respond represents
AtohL tIlis ancient nQCronOl;S
Most OF the bodies are placed in n;ch ,s,
in mausoleums above ground on '. ae
count of the danger of striking w We tc-
at very shallow depth. The ce %el
terry contains very old chapel small
out OF the perfect medieval style Of sr
chitecture with long drawn yanlt . nd
iretted aisle" and almost comnlet au
hidden by ivy and other rt;na;nSy
vines For its size, it has the l oft;nsgt
ceiling we think we have eyer sizes, sues
Under the altar is representa 1iem'
under glass, of Christ as He Law in in 'i TN
tomp OF Joseph at Aramethea !: while at
one side are number of crntchas e en q,
artificial hands and feet, placed thar ena
we learned, by the faithful in rasnnn ,e,
to prayers for the healing Of ho',;Se
ailments. The chapel, it is alleged
has the power claimed for onr T ,adsy u;
Loudres. On nearby table ''a srs % =
large number of candlesticks. and hS
paying live cents each for n candle
any one may light it and place II in The
candiestick; after which a nraver 70,
anything, accompanied by q profound
genufiection at the altar, is sunnosaS
to oe efficacious. We saw a nnmha,
fnnT. Nof hnlioc AtuhAOCl