New-York tribune., 1902-02-18
CARNIVAL IN WESTERN NEW-YORK
ITALIAN QUARRYMEN CARRY THEIR Gus
TOMS FAR FROM NATIVE LAND.

Rochester Feb. le (speciaD.-The newspapers
contained many dispatches last week. which
described the gayeties of carnival days Southern
cities and IN European capitals, But mention
has been made Of festival which for sincerity
not equaed by the Hardi Gras glories OF
New-Orleans or Rome. and for pathos stands alone
among nre-Lenten social observances
Custom is hardy plant which thrIves in soil
strange to its roots The German Crusaders the
old chronicles say, In camp before Ephesus far
from their cold homes by the blue Rhine. Christ
mas Eve burned little tapers on tiny trees which
they stuck in the golden sands beside the River
Meander. and in this day. in n iittle quarry town
thousands of miles across the sea from Florence
and the sunny Campagna. Italians have held their
quaint miniature carnival for week ending In
revelry on Shrove Tuesday. The town is Holley,
and lies twenty miles from this city in the heart
Of the great sandstone quarry country. Hundreds
Of Italians find employment in the stoneyards
there. and have formed settlements. called Little
Italics" Most of them are southland men. dark.
thick haired and low of stature. They live hud-
died together I'm Gaunt frame houses. on the Iro-
quois community plan. Hard working. frugal
more less sober they break out in the gay
abandon of their sunny ancestral South once
year. and that in the coldest. period OF the
bitter Northern winter.
The carnival gayeties and pre-Ienten revelries
of tho Italian cities have been described until they
are familiar The deep blue OF the Mediterranean
skies the brilliant stars. the warmth of the
hTeezes and the yellow glare Of blazing torches
quently written about In contrast with Florence
Rome is this little Western New-York village
in the sandstone district There is a country
street piled high with suOwdrifts. a cold clear
MOON the shadows of bare tree limbs tossed bv
bitter wind. From the distance comes the pIaintfve
note of n lone concertina. Voices In song follow
IT, Soon a motley crew comes INTO sight carry
ing dozen blazing torches Quaint figures dance
leap. burst into snatcheS of song and play tricks
one another. The lone Concertina wheezes ont
fragments of ballads which sung in snatches in
Italian. The muMmers number fifty perha MS
Outlandishy garbed they are. some in red. yellow
green blue. Others in white All wear masks
One is thatChed with huge, ungainly cotton hat
ting wig, surmounted by tin helmet of original
design. Another wears metal curass with
pair of dilapidated wings All are bundled 10 the
in heavy muffiers. Under the torches they
caper laugh and out in gay revelry in the cold
snow, Just as they used to do in Sicily or NaDIes
A good natured crowd watches them with amused
tolerance. They pass along the wntry street into
the country, The music of the conCertina dies
away. and the torches get closer together nv
and by they disappear in a turn OF the road
who were they?' a stranger asks sF,vetaIian
quarrymen. DagoJ,' is the ar sVyer. 'aThev'rs
celebrating their carnival Been cutting IN the
same capers for two or three years past. They
don't do no harm. so we let EN- have their time
Guess IL must be something like what they're used
to in the old country. Guess they're goin TO TJuI-
herton that's another settlement up the canal
three miles1 where there's going to be dance or
some such doings tonight. This is the last night
before Lent, y know Goshl but Til bet they was
cold. Must a ben, with the tn MON ter above
Queer lot o critters. amt they?''