Evening star., 1936-06-21

A. A. A., Wnlcn mas nelpeo the pant
ers.
However, as you go down the social
scale. IT am going to vote for the
President, even if don't know what
he wants, Madame Housewife inva-
riably replies. II always listen to
him on the radio. All my friends do.
He has such lovely voice, so sympa-
thetic." And invariably she winds up
by expressing regret that Huey and the
President didn't get along. They are all
very anxious for their State to get its
share Of the relief, the old-age pension
and the mothers aid.
The women of New Orleans are
reared on the carnival tradition and
Mardi Gras remains their most vital
interest.
To you carnival probably means
that New Orleans is celebrating. A Sc
ries of private balls from Twelfth
Night" to Ash Wednesday, with a
number of highly spectacular parades.
And on Mardi Gras day. which is
Shove Tuesday, the whole city turns
out to mask. revel and parade from
morn to midnight in the streets.
RUT it's more than that It's the
high point in the year of living
for the women. And they begin pre-
pairing for the next years carnival
the day after Mardi Gras.
Women await eagerly for that day
when they will attend the royal court
and ride the floats masked, carefree
and riotous. to throw gifts to the peo-
pie. These very women who will
haggle the year round with the BUTCH
er, the baker. will spend thousands to
make Mardi Gras beautiful. 1t colors
their world.
MY sister was Queen of Proteus
few years ago and we hope several of
our young people will be maids of
honor next year." proudly added a
fiery Creole matron, who had been
showing me how far back she could
trace her French ancestry. She went
on to say that in New Orleans it's who
you are. not what you have that
NOOAAeS. ouI at Vic SdIIiC SllC
confessed that she was worrying how
her daughter could make her debut
during the next carnival
Why look so amazed. the depres-
sion has affected every one" she said.
| Last year my aunt took boarders
! for she was afraid she wouldn't have
the means to get Marie ready for the
| carnival"
A mother from the day her daugh-
ter is born aspires that when the girl
reaches young womanhood she may
reign as queen at canival ball. If
those heights are too great, at least
as a lady-in-waiting. She urges her
husband to join carnival society so
as to make this possible. Since these
organizations have high fees, it may
means years of sacrifice.
The little milliner, on the corner
told me, IF you can't make the grade
or present your daughter to society,
you will probably spend months
cadging Invitations for the balls. It's
funny thing. but in New Orleans a
year or lifetime of happiness may
| rest in the invitation to a ball"
The proud Creole is bent on queen
ing it. But mothers throughout the
city are just as eXcitingly preparing
their many little ones for the carnival.
Each child must have a new "Mardi
Gras." For every school in the city
will have carnival with its own
royalty. The people revel In this feel
ing for kings and queens and their
| beautiful courts. Yes. even If their
part is to play the rabble
THE New Orleanian is a most gva-
cious hostess She still keeps the
lovely tradition of welcoming the
stranger. Come and have cafe brulot
young woman telephoned me- 1T is
one of our most popular Creole Gus
toms" famous old lady was mis-
treSS OF ceremonies. She regally stirred
the brulot as it poured into the ex-
quisite silver bowl. While by her side
twinkling wisp of a woman chanted.
Coffee as black as bayou.
Fruit that is golden for soul,
Brandy and spices and fire.
And magic is done in a bowl,
Gift OF the gods, never wasting
A moment in cheering you up
Smelling like heaven and tasting
Like paradise poured in cup"
A match was struck to the brandy.
Lights were dimmed.. Brightly rose
the colored flames and licked the urn
And we all waited eagerly to drink
a toast to our hostess. We knew it
would keep us awake, but we we're
planning to make merry until the
morrow.
Madam New Orleans expresses much
of her gaiety and hospitality in both
food and drink. She believes pro-
foundly in her right to drink the
famous sazarac, the ohen, the gin fizz
and New Orleans other famous con-
coctions. AS for food, they proudly
rejoice that nowhere in the country
will you taste such pompano en- papil-
lotte, oysters a la Rockefeller, cray
fish bisque. frogs legs and the mar
velous Creole gumboes.
They stll go a-shopping in the old
French market of Napoleon's time.
Here the women, whether out of the
shotgun cottages in the poorer dis
tricts or from the fine shuttered homes.
come with their market baskets on
their arms to buy the ingredients
for the world famous dishes. Oh, the
great vats of shrimp and oysters! The
heaps of wonderful green asparagus
and the luscious Strawberries
The place is alive with chatter
in French and Spanish, even if some
of the women have come in hmou-
sines," said to my companion, while
enjoying a Negro woman, trailing be-
hind her mistress, carrying a heavy
basket on her head.
learned Of an old custom to which
Madam Housewife adheres. She will
never purchase broom in the month
of August. It sweeps bad luck into the
house. So that late in July its a
- L