Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-01-24
CARNIVALS.
ORIGIN AND POPULARITY OF
REVELs THE WORLDS OVER.
First Made Famous by the Italians
Now Established Events in
Many Lands Mardi Gras"
and Ice Carnivals.

IefUapS the most celeDTdltu CdTulNaio
of the world are those of Italy, that land
of blue skies and brilliant verdue being
especially suitable for outdoor sports,
in which the light, idle nature of the
Ital an finds great pleasure.
In Italy carnival time commences each
year on the day following feast of
Epiphany, on the eth of January, and
lasts until midnight of Shrove Tuesday.
These Roman carnivals in the olden
time, were not only occasions for rejo.c-
ings and festivals but also great sources
of revenue to the city, as thousands of
Foreigners annually iocked thither to
witness the festivities, thus materially
increasing trade in all directions. Even
the Government did not disdain such
advantages, and lent aid in assisting the
permanent and regular return of carnival
season. alloting to certain days certain
priv eyes; the people being one day re-
s%tricted to the wearing of grotesque
masks and costumes, another to the
throwing of candies and comtits, while
still another was devoted to races or line
feats Of horsemanship.
On shrove Tuesday, the last day OF
the carnival, the streets present a curious
dDlltdEdNtC, ChNh DtlsOH Ahll lhS u ho
hand a small lighted taDer, and each one
trying. by waving OF hands and tapping
of haudkerchiels. to extinguish the
light of his neighbor. In this sport all
CLASSES of society DIN, the grave and
the reverend seignior and 1.-THE daughter
of an hundred earls' battling in mimic
warfare with the simple peasant or the
basket maker. At midnight, amidst
great pomp and the shouts and tumult
OF a vast concourse OF people, the carnival
is ended by the burning of a colossal
figure. supposed to be the carnival itself,
and MS the / enten season is now come,
quiet soon reigns over the city.
In years gone by fierce rivalry existed
between Venice and Rome in reference
to these fetes, and the former city put
forth every inducement possible to
attract visitors, one great feature of the
Venetian entertainment being the beauti-
full and impressive ceremonies which
every year attended the wedding of the
Doge to the blue Adriatic, a solemnity
typical Of close union and the control
of the land over the sea; from this for
mality did Venice become known as the
'.Bride of Sea-. Turin, Milan, Florence
and Naples also held carnivals and Wed
with each other in presenting attractive
programmes, all with the same object
ii. e., the greed of gain. However, the
glory has departed from many of these
places and ''carnivalsn have in nearly all
instances degenerated into mere money
making speculations.
Among modern carnivals, probably
non is more famous than the New Or
leans ",iardi Gras,n which, like the
Roman festival, also takes place on the
day precs ing Lent, which is Shrove
Tuesday. This day has long been a legal
holiday there, and the city wears the
most splendid appearance of festivity,
large sums of money being spent annually
in operations for this great event.
"MaIdi Gas" was inaugurated by the
French in 1927, and its celebration was
originally confined to them, but now all
Join in the ceremonies.
There are two principal pageants.
The first of these is the triumphant
march of ''Rex" through the streets.
His approach is heralded by trumpets
and bands of music, aud as his magniti-
cent rctinue draws near, the people
kneel in cigned humility to their king,
who, accompanied by outriders in bril-
liant uniforms and flashing arms, is &C.
coutered in all the habiliments of royalty.
The second pageant, which occurs at
night, is called THE Mystic Krewe of
Comus, F" and is a striklngly beautiful and
wonderful affair, consisting of tableaus
drawn on large, brilliantly illuminated
floats representing scenes from well
known classic poems or interesting
events in the worlds ancient or modern
history, such as ''The Iliad," paradise
Lost" Audubon and His Binds"
''Scenes from Ancient Scripture, F" etc.
These tableaux display great taste and
ingenuity, and a deep understanding of
the works of literature and science, COM
bined with wonderful skill in arrange.
ment. An additional interest is lent this
pageant from the fact that the ''whence
and whether" of the participants, and
also the originator, is wrapped in mys-
terry; the bewildering scene appears
regularly on carnival day, and at the
close of the festivities mysteriously van
ishes, leaving not a rack behind, and
successfully battles all attempts to dis
cover its authorship or whereabouts.
The fete ends with a grand ball, where
for the beauties that surround his throne,
EtEex" chooses a queen, who shares for
the evening the greatness of her royal
consort.
A series of entertainments that attract
wide spread attention are those held at
Montreal in January or February, and
form what is known as the lice Car
nivsl.n Naturally the sports and gayeties
of this region Of ice and snow would
differ materially from those in the semi
tropic climates of Italy and Louisiana,
but are perhaps one the less enjoyable
for the difference. Skating parties.
t~obogganing and sleigning are some of
the amusements of the Canadian carnival,
the principal feature of which is the
storming of the Ice Palace, a beautiful
example of ingenious architecture, built
entirely Of blocks of ice. About two
miles from the city is a huge hill called
Mount l,eal-from which the town de-
rived its name-and on this mountain
assembled the different snow-shoe clubs,
~hirh at a uiven SIGNAL march dowp 20 +