The Republican journal., 1903-07-09

br. R. V. Pierce, Buffalo, N Y.
them out Every shop is closed every
door locked and window barred, and
most Of the balconies are partially pro
tected by canvas curtains, behind
which the besieged may dodge when
too closely pressed. The lords of crea-
ton come on foot and on horseback, i'll
groups, in battalions and singly, to
lombard with eggs the casas of their
lady friends. who return the fire with
interest from their house tops and bal
comics. and the gentle senorlta cousld-
ers herself highly complimented when
the greatest number of eggs smashes
squarely into her face. The eminently
''SWell' thing is to 60 around on horse
back, closely followed by a servant, al
so on horse, carrying big basket of
eggs. \ comparatively recent innova-
ton in the way of WaterthroWlng is
squirt-guns, by which a considerable
stream may be sent some distance with
great force. The men endeayor by
every means, forcible and strategic, to
gain entrance to the houses. They
bring ladders and climb to the bal
comics. or ''shin up" convenient pillars,
or run like cats from roof to roof and
drop down into inner courtyards, or
failing in every other method, a number
will retreat d few yards, then, starting
together on run. as ii storming a bat
terry. will actually kick Oh push door
from its fasteningS. once inside, the
mischief that may be accomplished in a
few minutes is terrific, the highly eX-
citable people becoming perfectly reck-
less. Sometimes the besieged OF tie
| besiegers turn the hose loose, full head,
in the diningroum OF parlor, till the
whole premises look like the few houses
that remained standing after the Johns
town flood They fly, Shrieking to hide
themselves, closely pursued by the men;
and woe betide one who is caught, be
she the most dignitied sonora or the
belle of last nights bali. Her male
friends and admirers drag her to the
nearest water spout, tank or bathtub,
and nearly drown her: they pour dip
pers of water down her back, sprinkle
flour and pink powder III her hair, and
deluge her with perfumery. Sometimes
| the women combine to OYerpoWer some
unfortunate man. whom they carry
bodily and plump into the tank, duck
ing him repeatedly and often holding
him under water beyond the point of
safety.
On the eve of Ash Wednesday the car
nivaI is ended by the formal burial Of
''The Spirit of the Season" \ process
sion of hundreds of men on horseback,
with bands playing and banners flying,
proceed to the Campo, or open field be-
yond the city, carrying i'll the midst the
stiffened efiigy of a fat, jolly-faced
man in TIE uniform of a naval officer,
seated in miniature full-rigged ship.
A great grave has been previously dug,
and in it they place the figure, with ap-
propriate ceremonies and volleys OF
musketry. During all the week, while
the upper classes are thus diyerting
themselves. los pobres, the poor, par
tlcularly the Indians, celebrate the oc-
casion in their own peculiar fashion.
How many barrels of chlcha they con
sumo there is no disciple here of the w.
! c. T. L. to enumerate-but certainly
enough to keep that numerous portion
of the population considerably more
than half seas over" Every chicharea
is filled with music, dancing, and signs
of choto revelry: but the Indians, who
are a distinctive class by themselves,
seem to have much the best of it.
| Looking out at any time of the day or
night, one may see groups of them,
| dressed in their fiesta best, and gaily
| bedecked with feathers and garands of
hcwers-the men with reed flutes and
mandolns of home manufacture (the
bowls of the latter being the natural
shells of armadillos) all singing, chat
tering, dancing and shouting. Watch
ing a company of these, as far as the
eve can reach up and down the long,
narrow thoroughfares, one sees that
they keep it up untiringly, never falter-
| ing for a moment in their dancing,
keeping perfect time to the music and
singing as they go. One dusky belle,
then another, whirls into the middle of
the stony street, singing shrilly some
to us unintelligible) folk-song, while
the men spin like tops in circle around
her. About the only words we can
catch are the constantly repeated 'Hay
car-nee-val." The last word accented