Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-09
BIRTHDAY OF ROME
MADE A FESTIVAL
Merrymakers Have Little Con-
ception of Significance of
Anniversary.
ROMULUS FOUNDED CITY
ABOUT 1853 YEARS AGO
Gambling More Than History
Though. Claims Interest of the
Romans of Today.

STAT Correspondence Of The star.
ROME, Apri 22-Yesterday Rome Gel
ebrated another birthday anniversary 1t
las been doing this for a good many
years-indeed for so many wears that
there is some confusion in the count
according TO one authority. Romuius,
who with his twin brother. Remus. took
nourishment from a kindly disposed VOL
at a time of urgent need. founded the
Eternal city ia years BIC. Another
puts II at 1853 years. But a year more
or less makes not the slightest dinerence
with the Romans of today, who proudly
don their orange and maroon ribbons
every o1st Of April and take holiday
from all save the actual necessities OF
existence
So YESTERDAY morning the city olazed
with the urban colors. The trolley poies
Of ALI the electric tram cars carrieo
strings of alternating Roman ana itdiistll
pars The business houses and many
dwellings displayed the emblems, ana
throughout the city the industrious posi-
card vendors drove hVeiy 'Fhue ~
orange and maroon rosettes- banos
rIaved in the parks and socletes heiu
patriotic meetings
Not Taken Very Seriously.
:
ausly as an actual anniversary, as
,natter of fact, but any occasion to
,,ake a fiesta" is dearly cherished by
,Uss. hannv. sociable people. Probably
,.v of them take any thought OF the
-. s,oriecance of natal celebration
,bat has a background of some -,Uon
ars more or less any more ulan tne
Romans Of today as rule give heeu ~
the real meaning of the gaunt ruins thas
y, IN
asked several people yesterday noM oia
pome was and was usually ahsMerSu
,yi,b a uuick. characteristic Italian smile
and a shrug with rattle OF iioislih
.-uishable numerals. AZ
Rome.s age has nothing. however, 70 40
With the making of a fiesta. snow
few extra flags start up a band. perhaPs
parade regiment OF soldiers. ana ispills
celebrates. The crowds az the .ae'
of M. outdoor cafes along the Corso yes
,erdar were larger than usual me
pincio held more than the usual nuHoer
Of carriages and pedestrians and 'Re
cinernas were more dersely packed
Opened by Queen Mother.
We celebrated in the afternoon by go
ing To a charity bazaar held IN the
Piazza Colonna. It had been opened the
day before ny the queen mother-o,
whom all italians speak with the utmost
affection and reSpect--dlfu an soi - arr
conditions of Romans were paying thelr
- centessimi q cents) apiece 10 gam
admission. II is being held IN the long
Jobby of one of the largest cinema inca,
tcrs Of the city. opening upon fenced
terrace There was absolutely nothing
inside the barriers TO warrant the charge
OF even the 'tuppenny entrance Zee put
swarms of people. ranging from society
ladies' to street gamins. seized the op-
portunity TO do little gambling FOR
The sole induStry-save the sale OF very
weak tea on the terrace-was the diStrl-
button at the uniform rate of cents
40 centessimD of tightly rolled squares
of paper held by tiny tin paper fasten-
ers like napkin rings. some OF which. a
very few were vouchers for prizes.
We of our party OF five bought prob
ably in all fully 40 of these chances in
the grand lottery. and at the end we had
accumulated four slips bearing numbers.
the others being blank. Our four lucky
slips entitled US in all to straw bottle
carrier-very much in evidence in Italian
trains-a black hat band bearing IN gold
'etters the name of a battleshp. little
mosaic pin an da packet of toothpicks.
But arranged against the wall were
many booths with the most fascinating
array OF possible prizes. many many
Notifies Of wine. gorgeous vases, aprons.
lewelry. hams, everything that the good
ladies' III charge had MANAGED TO accum-
Gldte IN ruthless descent upon the
Roman merchants. The vendors of the
neat little hillets Of fortune. moreover
we're most charming, and who could re-
slst them especially when they supple
r1ented their Italian phrases of advertise
rnent with a few words OF delightfully."-
accented English"