, 1875-02-07
MARDl-CRAS.
The Carnival in Various
Countries.
England ---Collop-M Monday and Pan
F.. cake-Tuesday.
Sundry Otd-Time Customs.

/; The Carnival season, nov drawing to close
10 salu BY ancient calendars to begin with Twelft
: Night, OIL tho 9Th of January, and end with til
| beginning Of Lent. More properly, as under
stood now, it includes the week preceding Ash
Wednesday only. The observance Of this pre-
Len1en season has been very general in Cont
mental Europe from time which probably date
back quite to the foundation Of the early Chris
ttan Church, and also, though With much les
extravaganza, in England. In Europe the icens
OF the Middle Ages still exists, with but eligh
checks, but in England the season ia only mark
cd BY the occasional observance, here aud ther,
among the peasautEy, Of certain old-time customs
customs that have their birth in d long-forgot
ten era, when the sports and ceremonies of holy
days were part OF the very life OF the common
people, but which, in this utilitariau aud skepti
ago. have little OF interest audless Of meaning
ITO any save the Jealous antiquarian.
In this practical, matter -of-tact, Puritan coun
try,
! TIE FEAST OF CA1S1VArs
| as well as the fast Of Lent, were alike classei
with tile superstitions Of medmyal zealots, ani
alike ignored. Even after, in the cities, fashion.
ablo society ordered degree Of difference to the
! ~4AAAe4A Q 9oo8NA VI A0ok4A3S ss40 plb4oI U3 au'
shining from balls and suppersin Lent. The pub.
lie observance Of the previous Carnival was never
made until lately, md then only in the cities Of
the Southern States. whore . preponderance OF
Inhabitants OF the Latin races probably exist
The demonstrations at Memphis and New Or
leans last year we're described by eye-witnesses
| as very gorgeous, and as riyaling in extraya-
gance the Carnival Of Rome itsalf. THIS year
! ln9a oytaraivo &n1
for similar festivities, because the political aitua-
tion at:New Orleans has been such as to cast
chill over The merrimens Of tho season.
THE WORD CARNIVAL
| is from the Latin suale-farewc1l to flesh; 80
| named, OF COURSE because. at this time prepara-
| tion is made for the approaching fast Of Lent,
during whose duration the regulations OF the
Romish Church forbid the eating OF meat These
also forbid the indulgence in any sport or gay
cites in Lieut.. Hence the ides that the best
preparation for this season Of enforced seN-de-
nial is to giro rein to unbridiad appetite and de-
sire to the last moment previoas arises from the
natural impulse OF the uncultured mai, whose
actions and impulses, we notice. bear remark
able resemblance to those Of child. The order
OF exercises Is laid down in the Church's Car
nivat are very different. In accordance with
these the Jesuits and brethren OF other sacred
Orders slut themselves within the monasteries
for the ten Carnival days, where series Of de-
votional exercises are performed to prepare their
eouls for
THE APPROACHING FAST.
To these exercises, any deyout Christian may be-
admitted. 1a the Coliseum sacred music Ii per-
formed every afternoon. followed By sermon
and devotional exercises. Candor compels one
to state however, that these exercises are but
poorly attended save by the curious strangers in
the city, aud not only are there very few derout
Christians who desire to take refuge from Tho
world and its follios in the monasteries at this
time but tho Holy Fathers themselves are also
strangely drawn aside by these folIea. It is
from the
CARNIVAL SPORTS At BONE,
where the season has always been observed with
word has come to be Synonymous with all kinds
OF rotous feasting and sports. Here, 8 whole
week IS given up to gayPty, during which time all
ordinary busiDess is quite suspended. Tho shops,
save those that deal in confetti or sugar-plums,
are all closed. Ali the Inhabitants OF the city
are in the streets,--which are so crowded
that it is almost impossible for carriages
to make any progress through the surging waves
of human beings,-and in the balconies of the
houses. The majority wear masks, generally OF
most grotesdue appearance, aad the principal
part OF the sport consists IN peiting each other
aud strangers with sugar -pluma or with little
pellets made OF chalk and four,-these last arc
the true confetti. These are hurled in showers
from the balconies upon the waving sea OF hu-
man heads beneath. and returned with no less
eageruess aud zeal; and the air is 30 full Of
tlese little white missiles as to remind one Of |
Now England suow-storm. No storm Of hail on
record can compare with It.
ANOTHER NOTICEABLE FEATURE
OF the Roaon Carnival is the races. In these the
horses are without riders, but they have spurs, /
sheets OF tin, and hi1oi or rattles OF various !
kinds hung about them to urge them onward. |
Across tho launches the rattles arc hung, while |
from the sides Of tho leathern half-sadde laid |
over the horse depend 1eaden balls set with !
points, which strike INTO the flesh OF the poor |
beast with every motion. given them as no
Iushes madiy on. ,The, starting.point is
from tho END OF the Piazza del Populo, |
where in IN inclosed space arc stands erected
for royal and noble spectators, beneath which
are the horses, caparlsonea for the race and
held back by q ropo drawn taut ncross before |
stretches tho Corso now paved with movingl
mosaic of human heads But when all is ready, |
armed guards march two deep down through the |
crowd. clearing all before them, aud pushing the
mass OF people close back against the wall on
either hand, leaving channel Of about 12 feet
in average width the whole length of tile courso.
When this ia doue, o aisual il given, tho rope
FALLS aud nine horses rush, plunging and kicking,
down the. narrow. lane before them. Trained
horses often perform their parts very we'll in
|
thereby winning, large sums Of money for their
owners; but Ieas experienced and Hagacious
animals will rush wildly toward one side or the
other Of the narrow lane, whence they arc
lriven back into the course by the wild gestures
ind shouts Of the excited populace. 0f'course,
here is often serious loss OF life aud limb dnr-
ng these races but for that slight cause there ia
title probability that custom 80 dear to- the
hearts Of the guy and reckless Romans will over
be abolished.
THE CLOSING REVEI. l.
# the Carnival is the procession OF the n1oco1et
This OCCURS on the evening Of Tuesday before
lent. The 'nocoIeEi are small tapers. An i'm !
aense procession, filing the streets from side to
ido, forms shortly after dusk on this evening,
nd moves slowly down The Corso. each member l
f the crowd bearing one OF these lighted tapers.
,he sport consists in each trying to pnt out an
theirs Light. This he attempts to do with g | I
un Of breath, or waving handkerchief or {
owel. and as each person has two things to do,
Q preserve his own taper lighted and also give !
II his possible endeayors TO- the extinguishing
I another. the sport is rory likely to grow fast I
nd furious: The scene in the street, as viewed ,