Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-18

IN Tho Skins 81 8nimaiA las Uoop "
| sasaees), and they carried spears and
| shields, and shouteda chorus OF war
| whoops az II they had been brought up
+! 10 il as profession. The led sacred
elephant bearing the image OF the great
god Of their country, monkey and .
snake, and seemed as II they had ccr-
tainly come from the heart OF Africa
to spy out what this wondroas
Rome might be whose fame had
reached their distant home. They
were adjudged one Of the princi-
pal prizes fer povelty.of idea and adj
mirablc execution. There were many
! moro cars. goose from Rome, colos-
sal statue from Turin, tower from
Bologna, &C., and among oil these pa
raded bands Of horsemen in costumes
Of different centuries, and masqueraders
on foot in endless variety Of character.
In the evening there was ball at court
TO which 1850 guests were invited, and
which is said to have been the most
brilliant Of the season.
THE AMERICAN CHURCH.
On Sunday morning we went to the
handsome American church in the va
INosionale. Ii is built in the Gothic
style in string-courses Of red brick and
white stucco; has stained-glass win
dows and very fine dado in shades of
green lighiened with pink. The organ,
which was very well played, is said to
be the finest in Rome. The Bishop Of
Minnesota preached to large and fash
ionable congregation. During his stay
here he is to. confirm several per-
sons who wish to enter the Episcopal
Church. In the afternoon we drove to the
church of San Paola, outside the walls.
Skirting the Ayentine, near the Tiber,
we passed under the old Porta 0sti-
enses, across the desolate Campagna,
and by the spot where tradition says
ST. Peter and st. Paul took leave of
each other on their last journey. st.
Paul's is a majestic baplica, 100 yards
long, and has four rows of columns Of
equal height disposed at regular inter-
val. and a wide transcept the same
length as the breadth of the aisles.
The chancel-arch is decorated with a
mosaic Of Christ OF the fifth century,
which was preserved from the fire which
destroyed most Of the old building
in 1923. This church ranks next to st.
Peters, and impresses one by the sim
pie grandeur of its design and its inn
posing size. From here we went one
and half miles farther to a church
erected over three springs, and the spot
where st. Paul is said to have been ex-
ecuted. On the floor is a beautiful
Mosaic representing the four seasons,
and discovered at Ostia, town close
to the mouth of the Tiber.
GRAND ILLUMINATION.
Between Thursday and Tuesday, the
last day Of the carnival, there was
throwing of flowers to a small extent,
and on Saturday few of the cars pa
raded the Corso. while every evening
there were masked balls at one or other
of the theatres. The eliminating point
was on Tuesday, when the grand pro-
cession was repeated, and at dusk the
whole was illuminated with Bengal
lights and the moccoletti began. In
the moccoletti every one has a lighted
taper and attempts to put out
every one clsc's taper, either by
throwing flowers or blowing at
il. and when the tapers arc eXtinguished
the relighting has to be accomplished
by stratagem. as no one is willing TO
assist fallen enemy. These myriads
of tiny lights glimmering close az lSnd
and in the distance, and diminishing in
size and clearness till they become a
confused mass, resemble the Inilkyway
in the heavens. The laughter and the
fun are Undesirable. King Carnival
is usually burned i'll the evening,
but this year he was only carried with
out the gates, and the public amuse-
ments ended with fireworks on the
Prucco, which perfect sea of people !
TO witness. But far into
the next morning the jewellers made
the streets resound with songs and
laughter, and seemed to grudge the day
light of Ash-Wcdncsday, which called
them to prosaic or penitential life.
Betimes in the churches the priests
were ready with ashes, and sprinkled !
first their own heads and then those of
the devotional members of their hocks,
and the conscientious sight-seers who
had come to explore Rome and cape at
her and understand her as hest they
might have returned to the rugged paths |
of their pilgrimage, looking back, how
ever, at times without the slightest con-
triton at the precious hours wasted in
the folly and mirth of the carnival.
NIInprp ptrSSIrI