The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-17
NO. 1924.

nable costumes, drove up and down, throwing
bouquets, bonbons, and confetti a. merrily as
though the brightest Of skies was above. and
the driest Of grounds beneath them--their ar
dor seemingly not damped their spirits not
dashed-wth cooked hats pouring rivers Of
water from their wide brims with ruffs end
feathers iattened and Tapping. with riband4
and wells and white musliRs dripping and cling
ing, whitened with confetti. blackened with
mud, flooded with rama strange, peculiar
richly ridiculous sight
Our windows being too high for very salts
factory interchange of compliments with the
passers-by, we were reduced to the mOnOtc-
nous extremity of bandying bouquets with our
neighbors over the way. We were highly
amused by q certain red-haired lace erchant
opposite us-a countess, We hear-and think
very likely, for countesses are almost az plenty
as priests in Rome, We hire our balcony of
one-a sharp-eyed old dame, very dowdy ISL,
dwartsh, curt and curious. But to return
this particular countess who abandoned by
her husband, the ia,thless Count, has taken t.
tho lace business looks, in her pretty little
shop, quite rosy, jolly, and coquettish, IN
der the circumstances. Indeed, | am not
sure that this loye-lorn Aradne is not com
pletely consoled for the desertion of her The
seus IN O handsome young Roman, who loun-
ges in her shop, and smokes cigars Mt her win
dow, quite n passablc Bacchus Again. to re.
turn this fair dame, for fair she is, not being
very powerful or expert in the use of her arm,
yet anxious to manifest her friendly feeling
toward us, stood at her window, bowling and
smiling, and showered handfdlls of choice bon
bons and baskets of flowers into the midst Of
the street. with mad prodigality and a des-
perate energy really alarming At length the
aforesaid Bacchus came to her aid and from
his hand We received some very beautiful offer
lngS they having first been kissed, and held
against the heart Of Ariadne-a little ccremo-
ny so charmingly and gracefully gone through,
as quite to make us forget her equivocal posi-
ton in regard to the absent rheseus and the
present Bacchus with her vending Of point
lace III q small way, and to remember only
that she was pretty woman and a countess
was also much occupied by observing tho
grave folly of II sedate spectaclod whitc-cra-
waited elderly gentleman, next door, who for hour
after hour did nothing but throw confetti, not
upon the bold bravadoes in the open carriages,
but upon the pedestrians passing beneath his
balcony, nearly oil of whom were well pro-
tected by umbrellas.
did not believe it possible that in the Shiny
state of the street that afternoon, the race would
be allowed to come off, but at the usual hour
the Corso was cleared, the cavalry came dash
ing down from the R,presd di BARBER to tho
Piaesd del Popoio and in few minutes more
the horses leaped from their barrier, and tore
madly up the CorsO. Three poor creatures
went down before they had run half way roll
ing and sliding in most frightlul manner
All were more or less hurt, but gallantly strug-
gled up and ran on; but, of course their chance
was lost And 10 this day closed.
Tuesday and Wednesday were festas, which
suspended the Carnival The saints in whose
honor they were, sent charming weather, which
we enjoyed in walks and excursions into the
country-of which, more anon.
Thursday it rained again throughout the
morning but cleared upin the afternoon, though
not brightly or warmly-one of those chilling,
threatening, disheartening aggravating days,
thousand times more dIsagreeablc than n
regular, honest, pelting storm.
We noticed on this day an elegant carriage,
containing two ladies and two gentlemen, who,
amid the mad uproar aud stormy pelting, sat
each with copy of Gahgnani in hand, coolly
feignng to read All were without masks, and
the gentlemen were smoking cigars. Nothing
have seen in tho whole course OF the Carnival
has delighted me so much as this; it was de-
licously droll, the very refinement and soul Of
humOr
Friday was another fiesta, and of course sci
apart from all Carnival and carnal purposes
Saturday was nondescript sort of day
neither WARM nor cold, sunny nor stormy The
Corso was more than ever thronged, though
with very few of the better class of people.
There were exhibited many new aud astound-
ing varieties of costume. Scores Of women Of
or rather UNREASONABLE, charac-
ter, tramping throagh tho muddy streets in
1raggled fnery and hideous DISCUSSES hosts OF
'omical Potcmeih, making confusion worse
with trumpets, bells and tam
and striking right and left among tho
'rowd, with sort OF ilal composed OF II blown
bladder fastened 10 stick. There were men
iressed IA women, and women az men indeed
his fancy OF fair exchange of costume seem
ID greatly to prevail, and was more ludicrous
n effect on SO large scale than you can ina
,ne, There were children in quaint and an
iquated attire; small harlequns and testers
Without number; there were Cinnamon and
lack -a-moors. There was gigantic man in
woman's dress, arm in arm with dwsifish
woman in the uniform Of an officer the coat
ails touching the ground. There was Fal-
taft who literally carried all before him there
we're men and boys divided down the middle,
nto black and white red and yellow, blue and
,reen, and 80 on, dd minimum.
The lower classes evidently had it, il was
he great day for the rabble. We took a turn
IF two in the carriage, but were driven off the
curse in disgust, ON finding that the ra-calE
oung Romans in tho street flung nothing
leaner than bouquets picked from the mud
1t was nearly dark when the race began, and
was n singular and beautiful sight to watch
he swift course OF the horses, by the CLEAN
NJ Of the millions Of sparks, struck out from
he pavement. just by our balcony two slip
ed and fell. One was too badly hurt to pro
eed and the other, a handsome gray, ran
,ebly on, with the blood streaming from his
houlder--a pteous and revolving sight. Al
Dgether and mt all times, this race is painful
D me. ! can but believe it brutal and de-
iorazing exhibition, as the animals inyaria-
ly run from pain and terror, not from emula-
on.
1t 10 urged that the annual religious cere-
iony here observed, Of the solemn blessing of
casts, must inculcate feeling Of tenderness
nd consideration toward them, as creatures Is
nder the protection, and sanctifed by the
ened Lotion, OF Heaven and the church. Yet
rue it If, that have never witnessed such ex.
RENE and universal cruelty to animals ~
ave been shocked with here.
! am told by Italians, that even had the
leather been favorable, this Carnival would
ave been poor affair, compared with those of
ID. Few Of the Romans Of the better class
MI join in il, from indignation ut the restric-
ons put upon some OF it, innocent freedoms,
nd the curtailment of its immemorial amuse-
'ents--the iorbiddng Of close masks in the
reets, and the suppression Of masked balls at
no theatres. The festivities are now principal
, conducted by foreigners and the common
eople, and much more roughly and furiously,
is said, than formerly.
Monday yesterday was not rainy, but
amp and lowering yet tolerably Carnival
ay, notwithstanding, At about three o'clock
had just returned from a walk, by a back
rect, and, on passing through our drawing.