Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-05-23

tldI tuC dlolhdhtiCo
shop, climbed up into the balcony, and,
coco il Carnivale! As far as the eye
could see each way it was mass of
changing colors, from the crimson. blue
and gold hangings in the windows of
balconies, to the moving mass of mas
quers in the street below. And as noisy
as it was bright. Besides the hum of
laughing conversation between the crowd
in the street and the occupants of the
palcos, there were the cries OF the yend-
ers of confetti and bouquets. Men
walked about with perfect trees of bou-
Duets done up in stiff, white, embroid-
cred paper. Confetti was flying right
and left in white showers, and at times
bouquets quite darkened the air. 1t was
impossible to resist the cOntagiOn. No
sooner did one receive a shower singing
all about ones face, than the instant de-
sire for revenge took complete posses
sion of him. You snatch your tin cor
nucopia full and send out the confetti
with right good will, and the war once
begun, RACES hOtly.
Soon after a fierce contest, hand is
thrown up for n truce, and handsome
bouquet or a pretty little bonbOniere is
exchanged. In our palcO were two pref
tv Italians and a bright haired German
girl, and soon our boxes rcscmbled a
fOurishing tiower-garden, and the left
hands of the ladies We're filled with the
long-tailed paper bon bOns which came
whizzing through the air, looking like
comets. The fun goes on; the carriages
come into the COrs0 decorated with
green and gorgeous hangings, gaily
painted, and with bright ribbons flying.
Now comes a great ship with sailors
lining the sides, firing confetti and bou-
DUETS right and left, and themselves
grand mark for fire from the balconies.
At five o'clock the guns begin firing to
prepare for the cOrSO, the horse race,
The carriages leave the COrsO, the gay
regiment of the National Guard ride
down the long street, the police, in hol-
iday uniforms of scarlet and silver trap
pings are stationed in line on each side
of the street in front of the crowd who
take to the sidewalks. The horses are
brought into the stand in the Piazza del
PopolO, and everyone is on the gu gj0e
with eyes turned toward the Piazza, A
barrier is stretched across the entrance
to the COrsO, and the horses all deCOrat-
ed with gay trappings, and much jung
ling tin, with spurs to flap up and down
and urge them on, are held till the gun
is fired, the barrier dropped, and down
they rush madly, the crowd falling back
before them and closing up behind,
cheering wildly. The horses dash down
the Corso until they are brought IN at
the coal in the Piazza Venezia. This
year the COrsO began with nine horses,
but one was famed every day. 1t seem
ed to me almost a miracle that no one
was killed. but only one accident occur
red. At the start one day, one horse
yecred about and ran back to the goal,
and the crowd which had closed up did
not break soon enough one man was
knocked down and quite seriously injur-
ed After the horses are brought In at
the end the cannon announces the close
Of the days sport, and the COrsO is soon
deserted. The side streets are filled
with the crowds going home, some car
rying their dominOcs over their arms,
and some with their hands full Of spells
of the day. bouquets. bOnbOnS. confetti
boxes. Towards the close of the day
there is life enough off the CorsO. The
afternoon sun streams warm and bright
over the Piazza de Spagna with its new
pr CCasiug hustle of people and carriages.
and ON the Spanish Steps are the bright
eyed COutadini, and COntadino in their
gay dresses. dancing the saltarella. The
WOracn wear the blue skirt short, and
the bright green apron, the white chem
iSptte and laced bodice, the pretty white
hoad-lress with the long earring and
silver arrow The men have dark.
heavy boards. high conical hats with a
BRIGHT ribbon around the crown. velvet
cen Jackets open to show the red waist
coat. short trousers and low shoes. The
men take turns in jingling the tamhou-
rinc and three dance in the ring ut q
time. On all the broad 'landing-n1ac-
cs" are these rings. each surrounded by
q crown. and each ring has its prima
halIcrua. It is very fascinating to watch
the progress of the dance. At first a
man and a woman bogin, dancing
I around alone, then they fling their arms
over their heads first on this side and
then on that. and the Girl brgips COQuct-
ting with her apron. now showing bal
ancing as if inviting him to approach.
and as he approaches, She dances away,
then he ''plays shy" and she ChaSes
/ him: finally he catches her suddenly
and they dart about so rapidly that it
makes one dizzy. A second woman
dances into the ring. and cutices the
contadino away from his ladv-Iovc. and
there is quite little scene of jealousy
| and dcscrton and making mp again.
/ Then they stop and wipe their hrOWs.
and peasant carries about an old hat
/ for pennies.
In the evenings there are often pro
/ r"Ssi0ns of maSqueraders with torch
/ :, hut
| plaaeant-thcsc horrible heads wlarinn
at one on every side. Every night of
/ Carnival there was at least one ball.
| The Americans and English gave one
| for the benefit of the Creche. a refuge
| for poor babies the Romans rave a
great many very brilliant ones, whcreat
figured the PrincessMargneritc and titles
without number. The German Society
gave a masked ball in the Sala Dante,
and though never having seen anv other
[ cannot compare yet | am willing tC
believe it was very brilliant Our party
consisted of little old defOrmed Ger
man Countess, her pretty Russian niece
in the costume of Roman peasant, q
Young Italian lady in a harIeQuin's dress
of gorgeous scarlet and yellow stripes
and cute little cap with bells. two
| gcnJitnlfn Ill dliQu t bIoCducu PINK dut
yellow dOminOes. [ remember vividly
my sensation on finding myself in the
antc-room of the Sala Dante, surround
ed by n crowd of these absurd beings il
every imaginable dress, and amidst the
bewildering confusion of hum o
voices from a hundred German threats
and the darting to and fro of the heaC
devil and his assistant demons in the
most fearful and vivid red, and most un
doubted horns. We were detained il
the ante-room until the ball should b.
properly opened, and soon were ushere(
into the Society Room. AT the furth2
end stood a bower of beautiful green
and ivy and garlands of flowers, anc
under the arch slept the Sleeping Prin
cess of the fairy tale, surrounded by he
statue-like knights and ladies. TIL
Fairy Prince steps in gives her the kiss
Il Y u