The mirror., 1923-02-22

white organization is as famous as Paul
Whiteman's.
There is popping of corks despite exist
ing laws; snowy white napery and glitter
ing silver indicate "class." Slim-waisted
professional dancers glide over the polished
floor between numbers; a dark-skinned
Lallad singer entertains in low, throaty
contralto unbeievably sweet in tone. The
pail of LAKELAND descends upon the scene.
After nightfal myriad incandescents
throw wavering fingers of lights upon the
gay throngs blocking the streets. Colorful
streamers are thrown from doorways,
laughing girls start hirtations through the
medium of hurling confetti at the young
gallant who finds favor in their eyes-or
more often, indiscriminately
From the babel of many voices comes the
vibrant tones of the ballyhoo inviting
passersby to see Elma the Fat Lady or the
Oriental Dancing Beauties. Parties of
young men or girls swing down the street,
four or more abreast, arms interlocking,
compelling all others to step aside. Fleet
ing friendships are formed, lasting only
through brief span of momentary mad
ness. For the morrow there is no thou chit
for yesterday is gone, today is short, and
tomorrow may never come.
In the whirling vortex of humanity,
stranger banters stranger, man crushes
girl in a swift embrace and is, as a rule,
unpunished, for this is Mardi Gras, and
when the last day has passed in the never
hating march of Time there will be SOM
bre days, days of monotonous routine.
The carnival spirit extends to every cor
ner of the great city. Down on the levees
ebon-hued sons and daughters of the South
land celebrate in their own peculiar way.
Out on the waters are the Sydney and
other steamers, where gold is the password
and propriety unrecognized. From the
lower deck float the wicked, barber-shop
chords of colored quartette; on the upper,
the Aapper .snuggles into the warm embrace
of her Aipper escort, neither needing by
ISLANDERS for this is quite proper on the
Sydney, indeed a mild demonstration.
Deep-throated sirens call out over the
shadowy waters; in the distance the
Pickering lights of the city beckon to the
pleasure-seekers to return and join the
maddening crowd.
On land sibilant whispers and Kisses
come from secluded doorways, The old
"spectacles" are of by-gone day, but the
pleasures extended by the city are many.
To cap the period of relaxation, of
freedom from all conventional restraint
comes the Mardi Gras ball. The local
Four Hundred come in shining limousine
and taxi; only the select few may attend
for the ball is formal affair and not
open to the motley mob. Gallants arrive
in doublet and hose, in court attire of the
time of Louis XIV; the gray of the Con-
federate Army is popular; the Colonial
dame curtsies to the gentleman in the
peruke. The music strikes up and the
ball is on.
When the last waltz has been played the
merrymakers straggle homeward or to
spend the last moments of the carnival
time as they wish. Then the grey dawn
of the morning after. Faces disappear, to
be missing until the next season. There will
be reunions at other annual celebrations in
other cities-but there is but one Mardi
Gras, and one New Orleans.
Many reader will look back in retro
spect, perhaps, and look forward with
wstful expectancy to the time when he
will again join the holiday crowd in NJ
Owlins May the season of "a find many
familiar faces there, faces of those who
could not attend the present season for
reasons that need no explanation.
Domestic life and affectiOD are very