The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-31
CHAPTER y-Cont,nued.

anu % ZICTuAO ptsoSCN G's>>s
LANES side he sang softly to himself the
refrain of 81 Amoureuser THE silgh1tJ
risky parody popular at that moment
VOLTA 1 'amo ureuse,
la demaroh voluptueuse,
Qui Sc pavan' soir ct matin,
Aveo des airs de pitt trottin;
VOLTA pamoureuse,
A la demarch' voluptueuse,
Ellie est jolt sacre matin
JOLT CONNIE petit trottin
Gradually they fought their way back to
the Place Massena, and found it a scene
of brilliant colour. but the tight had now
become so general that the very heavens
seemed obscured by the confetti, which
on striking crum hled into dense clouds Of
fine, white dust. The faniares of the
Chasseurs Alpins were sounding, the
great effigy of the King was slowly
moving across towards the leafy public
garden, and the colossal figure of an in
genue WAS sailing along with the crowd
with folded arms perfectly pleased with
herself and the Carnival world in general.
Everyone here wore the wire mask and
domino, even the vendors of confetti be-
ing compelled to assume grilles to protect
their sun tanned faces from their own
wares.
The Carnival contagion had now spread
to even the puppets and musicians them
selves for these left their lofty perches
on the cars where they had been observed
by all during the PROFESSIONS, and de-
scsnding to earth, whirled among that
molly crowd Of dancers and Of forms
gigantic, gay and grotesque.
Although conflict and retaliation were
the order OF the day, and disorder the
spirit supreme. to the credit of Nice and
her crowds be it said that on such day,
when so many liberties were possible,
were 50 few taken. The Mayor had
caused precautionary notice to be posted
up rohititing any confetti being thrown
but even the gendarmes, usually an awe
inspiring. spick and span body. when
threatened in fun. would reply, "Flre
away; your bullets don't hurt, and
laughing defiance, would receive volley
upon volley Of the dusty pellets upon their
dark uniforms without fnching, and
laugh back defantly.
Clowns, puncihnelli, pierrots, furies,
devils, and ladies in dominoes fought
with ons another till every street in the
of the Avenue de Ia Care
was swept from end to end by hail of
confetti, and Zsrtho and Lame trudged
on through the thick dust into which it
was everysmoment being trodden.s Long
serpentines'' of coloured paper flung
now and then wrapped themselves about
the tall eucalypti, while from some of the
houses the more enterprising showered
upon the crowd Thousand of small adver-
Using hand-bills Those who, growing
weary of the fight as the sun declined,
sought shelter In the cafes were quickly
disillusioned, for from time to time dis
concerting showers Of pellets would sweep
in at the open doors, often falling into
the books, maZagrans, and siropS, so that
those who had had previous experience OF
1, arrival ways sat with their wire vizors
still down, and their hands carefully Gov
ering their glasses.
On Confetti Day Carnival penetrates
everywhere. In the streets, in the shops,
N the churches, in the houses. the small
pellets seem to enter by unknown means.
They find their way down ones neck into
ones boots, while ladies get their hats
and hair filled with them and drop them
wherever they tread. Confetti Day, apart
from it's interest and amusement as a
brilliant spectacle, is the more remarkable
because so many hundreds of human
beings, prone to begin, continue. and end
the fun in such glorious good humour.
Everywhere the battle ragged fierce}y, yet
it was all in boisterous mirth, and laugh
ter loud and sincere rang out alike from
victor and from vanquiShed. Mirth ran
riot, and disorder was everywhere, but
spite was never shown.
Time after time a storm of confetti
swept about Liane and her escort, as
together they passed along the colonnade,
pelting and being pelted by every masker
they net, until the dust came into her
faos through the grille, and the hood and
of her domino was full of grey
pellets.
.sYou are tired and hot.' Zsrtho ex-
claimed at last. "This dust makes one
thirsty. Let us try and get to the Cafede
Ia Victoire.
TO accomplish this they were compelled
to cross the broad place through the very
thickest of the fray. Nevertheless, I'M
daunted. with scoops ever in the sacks
sIune at their sides, they pressed forward,
half-ohoked by the cross-fire of confetti
through which they were passing. Liane's
conical felt hat WAS dinteu and almost
white, and her domino as sadly soiled and
tn 10 bled, still with cheeks aglow by the
exciting conflict she went on, taking her
own part valiantly. The wire masks did
not completely disguise their wearers.
Mum bers of meu and women she met she
and where the recognition was
niIltnal the battle ragged long and furi-
1asly, accompanied by screams of uproar-
.ous laughter.
AZ last they managed to reach the op-
posita side of the Placs. The tables in
Lbs colonnade before the popular cafe
were crowded with Inaskers who were en-.
to get rid Of the dust from
ther Threats, notwithstanding the showers
of pellets which continually swept upon
them. The sun was sinking in q blaze of
gold behind Antilles, the clock over the
Casno marked a quarter to five; in fifteen
minutes the cannon of the Chateau would
boom forth the signal for hostilites to
cease, the musicians and puppets would
mount upon the cars and move away, the
maskers would remove their wire protec-
tors and order would reign once more.
Zertho and Liane had secured a table
upon the pavement near the door. the IN
terror of The cafe being suffocatingly
crowded and slipping their wine, were
laughing over the desperate tussle of the
afternoon, now and then retaliating
when any passerby directly assaulted
them. Suddenly woman, looking tall
in domino Of dark rose and wearing
half-mask of bIaok velvet which complete
ly disguised her feartures, flung, in pass
ing, large handful of confetti which
str uck Lame full upon the mask.
In an instant she raised her scoop. and
with a gleeful laugh, sent a heavy shower
into her unknown opponents face. Like
many other women, her assailant had ap-
parently become separated from her es-
cort in the fierce fighting, and the fact
that she preferred a velvet mask to one
of wire showed Der to be not little
RuE Tiane's WeU-ulreCt6d