, 1874-02-15

stem, and hankcrchiefs descend on it from +he
balconies you uplift it in the bslconies and
they blow it out from the windows above and
ss the flame Is oxtinsuished, the ladies in their
sacy So tae1io: the soldiers in their e1ntant bass
tones, With delicious laughter bubbliny th1ourh
them,-voices gifted with that rare. Wonderful
melody OF tho bocca Romana,"-c7y. HSonza
WITHOUT TAPER !"
''Sen1a moccolo!" So the last Npht IN blown
out, and tho Corso is deserted, and the bred
children fall asleep. Not children oniv. but ali
tue world, arc tired Of play.' A .yrest stiffness
broods over the city, when .uddenly YOU wako
a. midnight. and hear tho organ swelling from
ti nIar !o", sweet, and solemn the music sounds
tue chanting Of the midnight-nlass steals in up.
on Four drowSy oars. The Ash Wednesday scr
y1ce IS begun. Tue Carnival is over. So ends
Mard1-Gras in Rome.
The end of
THE CARNIVAL IN VENICE
mas UNIQUE features. The Grand Cannl is all
gorgeous Chiacse lanterns. Great blossoms
OF ulany-colorcd flame rise nm like
gigantic umnes from tue lamp-posts in front Of
the palaces. Tho Gondolicrs are arrayod in the
1nost IN fantastic guise; Eo are the occupants OF
tue noats; great proportion OF tho latter arc
masked "a privilege denied to Romans during
the latter days Of Papal sway. From these gon~
dolas, which move ensily along tho stream, come
Wild bursts Of laughter, shouts, and Infinite
]ests: AZ length the great fleet stands still un-
ucr Tue 1nalto. Suddenly, from hundred boats,
near and far. arises full, clenr, eyen swell OF
conceEted melody,-a perfect chorus, with occa-
slonal md admirably managed pauecs, when a
line, faint echo floats back from the lasuncs,
where rocks with the tide dark gondoia con-
cealed in tho shadows.
and the other fashionable resorts OF the Mediter-
1aueau. there is the procession Of the BRuf
Gras, with Italian cavaliers aud Dutch hurSo-
masters, Sailors, harlequins, Turks Arabs, aud
mlnGliny in tho motley throng,-gay mnsquerad-
ers all. Also there are steep1e-chasos, and
masked balls At tho Casino and the famous '' CIR
cles;" and so the season ends in = blaze Of glory,
and tho tired dancers so off to Sutherland aud
the Isrol, to recruit, or, moro likely, to Romo
and Naples. to await the gayetes OF Easter
But, in these seaside resorts the celebration is
more or less feeble imitation OF that
AT PARIS,
which has character all its owu,-as marked as
beautiful in its way.
Under tho Empire, on this day only, OF all the
year, could masks bo worn in the public streets.
Dr. MONDAY and early afternoon, the Bois de
DouloEne, the Champs Elyseea, all the fashiona-
BILE drives and promepades Of Paris, arc lined
with carriages, whose disguised occupants make
the most OF their temporary incoGnito. Tho
FarbourG ST. Germaln-if, indeed, any
thing is left Of that once famous 3D.
ciety-frowns severely upon these escapades;
and it must be confessed that gay, young
men Of Parisiau clubs and drawing rooms and
high-spirited English and American girls, Us in-
experienced and thoughtless, divide the doubtful
pleasures Of the observance with women of less
scrupulous and less rotined associations. To cast
coquettish glances from behind mash, to throw
h1unuA}H RI
Avenue de r1mpe1atrice, TO exchange compG-
uents and witty repa1tees in feigned voices,
secure from detectioD,-tbese ars surely poor
pleasures compared with the gay badiuage Of
remains to high society OF the joys of Nardi-
Gras. For the common folks there is seme-
thing better. This Is the procession Of
THE BGUF dnAs-
Tho large, portly animal, carefully 5atteued for
weeks before, and recalling the Prize Ok OF our
hue, aud led forth to tho admiration Of the null
titude. As he passes throug III the suburbs, he
pauses At every house, and it is etiquette to be-
STOW some small coin on the attendants OF His
ceremony continued, with necessary
through the man streets Of tho
city. Thls however, Is emlnently q buco1ic fes
tival. The trades-people contribute their quota
of the gaping crowd; but the chief pleasure il
evidently that OF the rustic, who, walking bT the
side OF this dumb partner OF his LONELY life.
Of these marvellous shops and streets, and in
these terrible parsians with their
drcadful smile and sneer.
But tho great celebration OF the Mardi- Gras in
Paris belongs to
THE LATIN QUARTER.
Here, whatever Lis rank, or wealth, or ante
is the chosen home OF that dauutless
and preteEnaturally witty creature the Paris
student. The Institute, the College de Trance,
the Sorbonne, .and tho Polytechnique, with the
-&~.lS = t-t1
and all the gloomy purlious OF the
Island and the Palais dc Justice nro alive and
gay with the reckless hosts and their saucy COM
Fitines and Fanchettes OF the neigh
Dorhood; the laborious sud skillful little fabri-
cants OF artificial flowers. of buttons and trim
OF great, dressmakers, the
details of whose elaborate conceptions they help
to execute. These two elements form the more
part Of the throng; they furnish to
and youthful mirth with which i: Could i'll dis
pense. From these come also the classic ima-
gerry and outline. and the gorgeous costumes of
the pageant. The prottiest Or most popular girl
s chosen Queen OF the Festival; the wittiest or
most remarkable student. the King, When these
are elevated on . throne raised to q ridiculous
height upon some common vehicle, and the rest
of the wagon covered with beings in every species
If fantastic gulae,
THE INDUSTRIOUS PROCESSION
lro swelIed by recruits OF no doubtful character.
Every ''Cour de- Miracles" such as Victor Hugo
aas imuortalfzed, every cellar, and ga11et, and
sine-shop, gives up its swarming denizens; by
he tlmo it has reached the Rue de Klvoii and
passed under the paVilions OF the Louvre and
he Tuileries the shudde1ing monarch OF states-
nan may see The Commune out on holiday:
It is by no means mute procession. Tho
,reat multitude through which it passes asenil 1t
IN every side, and whoever has auy idea that tho
irish Celt has monopolizcd the wit Of his rnce
hould hear these questions and answers Of his |
iallic brethren. Tie rainbow has been painted |
md sunbeams imprisoned; so Eugene Sue taa
:aught reiections OF this raillery; but let no
me, not Parisian born, attempt, eTen had he the
leart and will, to reproduce
IS KEESHEss IT'S onorEsQUENEss. ITS AUDAc1Tx
So the procession, having Haunted its impu- |
ence, it's gayety, its rags, and its misery in the
ace Of the gltterig arcades, the stately palaces.
nd the quiet. aristocratic Fanbourgs, goes back |
tnder the shadow Of Notre Dame, whose grin /
ing gargoylos and carven monstEoslties look
own on soma faces az weira and forbiddlng as
heir own. The day euds with tho great masked
,alls of zhe theatres, when the broad pit of the