Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-02-15
Our New York Letter.

NEW YoEK, Feb 3. 1877.
Tie rather mcagre list of hoIi-
DAYS trt down in the New York
calendar bids fair TO receive an
important addition this year.
! A number Of gentlemen who
have witnessed or participated
lin the Carnival celebrations Of
Europe, and Of New Orleans
lin this country, are making
decided effort, and with every
prospect Of success, to intro
Iduce the festival, as observed in
ith, latter city, into New York.
Everybody has heard more or
Hess Of the famous doIngs in
which many nations take their
farewell to the flesh" (Which is
( ,he meaning Of carmjUaD just
before the forty days OF Lent,
which are supposed at least to
be passed IN sack-cioth and
ashes. Especially in the Italian
cities is this the greatest holi-
day season OF the year, extend
ing through a whole week. 1t
has been my good fortune to
take part in the Roman Carni-
val, and I can assure you that
lit IS what we call in the Ameri-
can language "a high old time"
No business is done excepting
lin costumes, masks, candles,
! bon-bons and the other auXlIlar-
lies Of the season, and the streets
are crowded day and night with
!carriage loads Of masked beau
/ ties, and the pedestrian throng
of fools, knights, satyrs, skclo-
tons. and whatever other shapes
III p!eascs humanity to assume
Tor the time being. The win
Idows and balconies Of .he main
streets are gayly draPed, and
as denseIy packed with maskerS
as The roadway below, while
Those above and those beneath
belt and shout at each other
with tireless good humor.
Throwing confetti still contin-
iucs TO be the Iavorite amuse-
Iment OF the muItitudes as of
old. but in late years economy
has detractcd from the pleasure
of this recreation by substi-
Ituting for The sugar plums or
confetti proper, a base imitation
consisting Of little balls Of clay
about as large as peas, whitehead
Iby rolling in lime,
Among The most interesting
features Of the Roman carnival,
which, however, / should not
care to see introduced here, IS
the reckless horse race with
which it closes. Late in the
afternoon Of The last day, when
the excitement begins to flag
; through the sheer weariDess
of the participants, the centre
of CorSo, the broad street some
3 two miles long, which isthePrin-
cipal theatre Of carnival iestiy-
tiles, is cleared by the tremen-
dous exertions Of the police and
: military, and the motley mass
of jewellers are packed along
the sidewalks. Then when al
5 is in readiness, a signal is given
and half a dozen wild horses are
Ilcoscd at one end Of the street
and start like arrows down tho
open roadway. Along theii
TANKS are loosely fastened little
! steel barbs with points as keeI
j as a needles, which prick th'
startled animals at every leap
On they rush through the double
+ row Of spectators, who yell anC
+ gesticulate as they pass, anC
+ close in behind them like the
water in the wake Of swift
vessel. Faster and faster hy
the straining stceds, wilder anl
! wilder grow the cries OF tn
surging crowd, till at the ent
. the poor beasts, foaming, pant
, ing,trembling and utterly crazec
;, with fright, ran blindly agains
. an immense padded rug hung
. Ucross the street to recelY
them, and fall helpless to til
= pavement.
Il You can hardly conceive oil
d anything more exciting thai
u this race, but tits as cruel as bull
{ fighting; a horse which has ru'
that gauntlet if he does not dl
J. at once, is seldom good for any
D thing aftcrward, and | beliey
IS this feature of the carnival ha
q been omitted during the las
wear or so. The idea Of hay
ing one day of masquerade an
: burlesque in this city has bee
n received with much favor an
n s.ennrnl German. French and