New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-18

and pretty boxes worthy oi r4rsisn christmas
are constantly exchanged. Many window biInds
are filed with bouquets OF when they serve as
bolderr, and the prett.est women before them
receive and return the most:
An hour before the Ave Maria eannons sound
II il 10 announce that only another half-hOur re-
mains for the carriages in the Corso. Now the
dredei, of dust 10 brisker than ever Each is dis
,o.e6 to mart with his stores to bis nearest neigh
bor. Again the cannons sound, every carriage Is
turned az the hxst street out OF the Corso. Ere,
seutly Horse Guards charge down the street, and
files Of infantry follow and station themselves along
10 keep the middle clear But in spite of bsyo-
rets there are constant lodgings out aod in, aud
anxious ewes are turned towards the Piazza del
Popoo. The grand excitement of the day is on
tip,toe. Another charge of Horse Guards is made
hack through the COrso; il is fine sight, the Ro-
man soldiers ride well arrived at the Piazza del
Popolo the Guards halt and retire. Then eight
horses capsrisoned with plumes and spurs and
clatteripg pieces OF metal. are led into an enclo-
sure at the foot of the Obelisk. Shouts, hurrans
ard roars rise from the crowd and roll and swell
along the lines. The jockeys cannot restrain their
clarcers even TO arrange them along the barrier.
TLey bound, they leap, the rope falls, they dssh
riderless the mile along the Corso. Spurs ny,
metal crackles pumes and ribbons Fit, the horses
cut the air, another tumultuous roar follows; TIE
crowd cloFes behind them, and again the cannon
sound TO announce the number OF the winner, i0r
al the racers wear their numbers on their sides.
Pets settle themseves and for this day the Carnl.
vaIis ended. The Ave Maria sounds, the spiritual
90 to mass the caTnal TO dine.
We went one day on the Pincio to see the horses
start: it is a fine sight-ihe beasts so mettesOme
The crowd so eaPer-the roar OF voices so IN
unison. The Nernets have painted three times
tbs moment of the horses starting; Horace
twice, think, and Carl once. On another day
we stood high in the amphtheater, close 10 the
racers 1t was fearful-their fire, and the frenzy
with which they bounded over the fallen rope
sId On. unpuided through the living streets. Ac-
cidents do often happen, and people are crushed
by the tOrses, but the wonder is there are so few
of them. Every day we saw children dodge the
lefs of horses and the wheels of carriages, till We
despaired of their lives, or decided they were
never born TO be kicked or crushed.
Thursday AID the last Tuesday of the Carnival
are it's Gay est days. Beneath this unusual hurry
burly of the tumult therep out constantly little
episodes Of sentiment which to repose the spirit
tired of rOmps and races. Opposite our balcony,
across the way, / watched for a long time, before
tie Lordes ran last little girl eight or ten years
old, wild with eagerness to win Bes eyes. She
CLAIMED and hissed and waved her hands, and
then began fire Of great round sugar-plums. The
poor, ragged barefoOted child all beamng with
fun, and cOaxiDg and cOquetting for replies to her
long teazinQs- we beckOnod her across the way TO
beneath our balcony She was nimble as sprite,
Bnd in spite of soldiers, dashed across the street.
Then sEe threw again and again, one by oae, her
sugar. .plums, and though every one missed US, sne
continued II was only lavish play she desired. NO
thought Of sweets sat on her rosy lips, or hid itself
in her frolickng heart. She caught our posies
and candies and held up her hands again and
Jumped, and begged, and laughed and exulted
when we promised or dropped her other presents:
Finally her stock was exhausted, and ours too. L
rad sent my last bcutuet, she had nothing to return
for il; she held up box of bonbons; / shook my
head to refuse it; men she dropped hers, raised
her hands and let them fall again in despair, singing
so pantiyey so gloriOusly, so gracefully "Nlente,
nieIte" The glte was gone; there was no moro
time to recall it; the horses were coming. She
melted back into the crowd and we lost her.
The last day g sport is prolonged an hour after
the Ave Maiia-then the last brilliant appendage
of the Carnival is added. 1t is the Mocoteai.
You have already noticed bundles OF small taPers
hawked about the streets. AS night draws on
they are lighted: the COrsO infames; from pave
nent to bousetop it is all glitteriDg. Everybody
holds burning taper. The carriages return-the
crowd play their last pranks-meTiment mounts
IFS piunacie-tLe hum and babblc is again a roar
The game is TO put each others lights out The
long canes used in the day for the passing OF pres
ents are now employed rs flying hagstaiis, with
ilutterng rags and rugs, 10 sweep out the 'apers'
Breaths are exhausted, handkerchiels tired OF
wayng-but the lights burn on for an hour till the
solemn bell Of the Capitol, rung only on solemn
occasions, sounds again to close the tetes. Rome
inclines, in obedience to the summons, to Lent.
The early mask balls of the etening are the only
reserve of the carnal-loying, and they must end
at II. The Government is paternal. The Sover-
eign PontiT times bis peoples plays aud prayers.
AshW ednesday and repentance are at hand-are
here. AU REvOR.
ROME, Thursday, Feb IA, 1e56