The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-30
rHE CARNIVAL AT ST. PIERRE.
Jollity in the Shadows OF Death-Fan-
tastic Street Scenes.

Jollity In the Shadows OF Death-Fan-
tastic Street Scenes.
safchdio Hearn In Harpcrs for October
Extraordinary things are happening in
the streets through which the procession
passes. Pest-smtten women rise from
their beds 10 costume themselves-to mask
faces already made unacceptable by tho
hideous malady-and stagger out TO join
the dancers. They do this in the Rue
Longchamps, in the St. Jean-deDieu, in
the Rue Peysette, in the Rue de Petit YER
sailles. And in the Rue Ste.-Marthe there
are three young girls sick with the disease.
who hear the blowing Of the horns and
the pattering Of the feet and clapping Of
hands in chorus; they get up 10 look
through the stats Of their windows on the
masquerade, and the creole passion OF the
dance comes upon them. "Ahl" cries
one, ''nou Ike ben ameuse noul c'est zafTai
81 nou mol" I'VE will have our I'LL OF fun:
what matter II we die aiterl) And all
mask and join the rout, and dance down
10 the Savane, and over the river bridge
into the high streets Of the Fort, carrying
contagion with them. No extraordinary
example this; the ranks of the dancers held
many and many vercttier.
Every year, on the last day OF the carni-
val, a droll ceremony used 10 take place
called the Burial OF the Bois-bois" the
Bois-bcis being a dummy, guy, carica-
turing the most unpopular thing In city
life or In politics. This Bois.bois, after
being psraded with mock solemnity
through all the ways OF ST Pierre, was
either inferred or drowned" into
the sea. And yesterday the dancing soci-
cites had announced their intention 10
bury bois-bois layerctte-a manikin that
was TO represent the plague. But this
bois-bois does not make It's appearance.
la Verette Is too terrible visitor 10 be
made fun Of, my friends; you will not
laugh ut her, because you dare not
No: there Is one who has the cournge-
a yellow goblin crying from behind his
wire mask, In imitation Of the machannes
Ca guile quatoze graines layerctte pou
yon souG" (who wants to buy fourteen
verette spots for a sou7)
Not a single laugh follows that TEST.
And just one week from today, poor mock
ing goblin, you will have a great many
more than quatorzc graincs, which will
not cost you even a sou, and which will
disguise you infinitely better than tho
mask you now wear; and they will pour
quicklime over you ere ever they let YOU
pass through this street again-in T.
franc coffin.
And the multi-colorcd, multi-sonaut
stream rushcs by, swerycs of at last
through the Rue DIES Umulincs TO the Saw.
annah, rolls over the new bridge Of tho
lioxelane TO the ancient quarter Of tho
fort
All Of n sudden there Il a hush. a halt;
the drums stop beating, the songs cease.
Then see a sudden scattering OF COLLINS
aud demons and dcyilesscs In ali direc-
tons they run into houses, up alleys. hide
behind doorways. And the crowd parts;
aud straight through Il walking very
quickly, comes priest In his vcsiments,
proceeded by an acolytc who rings little
bell. Ccst Bon-Die ka passe-llt IL the
good God who goes byij The father 10
bearing the viaiicum 10 some victim Of tho
pestilcncc: one must no, appear masked no
2 devil or dcyilcss In the presence Of tho
llon.Dic.
lie goes by. The food Of maskers re-
closes behind the ominous passage: the
drums boom again; the dance pcom.
mences; and all the fantastic mummery
sbbs swiftly out Of sight.