The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-23
THE Stirling Ems VOTE noon.
mnsducradpue In the New and in the old
World-Americnn Lceislntion with Refer
ence 60 MASKS Tho Faucy-Drcss halls nj nd
the MASKED BaIIs-How the Americans
Understand tho Word "Spree."

| A"' "'"'"' VI 'hiudiy anu Ttbiu dl
arc all over the Old World pre6mnently months
| OF mirth and pleasure. Shut out from the EN-
jovment OF nature, people try to do their best "a
render winter indoor life less dull. Among the
Latin race Ia added the desire TO improve the
opportunity TO lay In stock Of pleasurable Inn
prcssions In anticipation ~ tho seven weeks ~
Lent during which worldly rcrreations Of all
sorts are regarded as out OF season. The moro
strictly Lent is observed In country, the moro
extrnvagant and prolonged are the carnival ex-
cesses preceding 1t. At this time OF the year
there IL no city In Italy, France, Spain, or Aus
| tra,wbere fancy-dress and masked balls are not
| given several times week. These entertain
mente begin Immediately after New Years Day
and last TN the Mard Gras night is over and the
last stroke OF midnight has ushered In Ash
"wednesday.
In Russia whore Lent Ia still more rRdly OBJ
served, carnival entertainments begin still ear
er. MasqueradinR sets In there early in De-
cember, and IL one Of tho features Of the
Christmas festivities. The common people in
Russia disguise themselves in tho most fantas-
tic costumcs, and pay calls at each others
houses In parties which frequently Oh several
sleighe. The middle class h ave their regular
weekly or fortnightly mnskcd balls NJ their
clubs; while the more aristocratic have the
Grand Opera House and the Assemble
"a 10
Corps and the male members Of the Imperial
family are constantly present.
But in all those countries tho distinction no.
tween a fancy dress bail ami mars = cos,,,,oA
and a masked hal 0b,J ,no.o,,0 10 cIoor,y doonoa
The former are mostly priyate halls. NJ which
everybody, men "a well "a women, are In fancy
costume, but no masks are worn. The latter
are invariably public boIIs M which ,ho,o .ra
very few fancy costumes, but On immense
number OF dominica and all tho ,ror,or In,
none Of the men, are masked. Mosks are usod
by men In Europe only among the lovas, cIass
Of people At Grand nubl,c hall. mosu.d w.,
IL always supposed to be either a noI,co aeon,
or a man who comes to spy out .omebodv. and
he Is treated accordingly. Nobody will ever
speak to him, and no gentleman womb hermit
himself to hide his face beb,nd mail m, ,,oro
than he would Give n false nameor a ,,iso I'D
dress. Whatever may be the disputed origin Of
masquerading, II has In the course OF time as.
sumed In the Old World n certain coda from
which society never departs. though tho law of
the country does not bind IL IN any reo,,la,ion.
whatever in this respect. with the common
people, masqueradins stiil remains a trayestv of
both face md character but with the educated
classes. the mask-and not a full mask, but only
a haf mask leaving the mouth and the lower
part Of the face almost uncovercd-has been
IItncTNcu as lle privilege OF women only. IL
gives them the license to speak more freely and
frankly than they could In everyday life. The
moment lady has put her m SIX on, she IA no
longer Mrs' So-and-so' but she Ia an incoenito,
10 uu mosque VINO mas and hous every body.
n"u - ""'u "il uo"," - everybody Tue
~ 800, ~, " i"S "'a nean'ns
80 .re '''''', Fu--''V "nen "'pheu
-, a'' - "'"sNeu wilma" VII" al un-
r.'. "'1''
-, NM ~" ~" - H"'"po Knows
so'''e VI '"e great
.aa. =, .,.,,.,,.....''s ~. -, "' N%i'."'s "V' n
o,,t,,, g. aar1', ~ pV"", 'oi' y,
,Te,, 1,o, -, -, 49,, - ''''' At
an oyor ,or,,,, -, ,ho go ,'.. -y'"I
fession,i d,,ctrc r,,,, To-, a,,, 49, .,,,-
NAYS sc,rcc,, ,n,, s,,an,tnna,,u ."e , 'u'iIu
~ tho en,cr,a,nmont ,,hi,,, -, ~
duced f,r rho snec,al honao, ~, ,n. ,s, 80
ana country visitors. VINO are the spectators
nssembled around tho lIttIe sou,ra An ,.,.t,h a.,
Wv '''''' 'f""'e III ""ich tue
cnn-can Is danced by six or eight pairs OF male
and female wret chloe htrcd n, Nro ,ron,a IT.,
= "'''N ~ NV HnhSs tP'ecc
ta,ors ara an ,,roi,,,-.. ,,,t-,
II.