Perhaps some of the young people would like to hear about the
Carnival of Rome. Mamma hired a window in the Corso twice, and also
a carriage, so that when we got tired of our balcony we could see
all the fun and frolic of the crowd. From the balcony we could see
how gay the whole Corso looked, with flags and banners flying, and
bright-colored strips of cloth hanging out of all the windows, and
over the balconies, which were full of people. The street was
filled with carriages going up and down, and a merry crowd on foot
darted in and out among them, dressed up in comical costumes.
Then commenced the throwing of the _coriandoli_, which were little
lumps of clay covered with chalk. People seemed to take great
pleasure in throwing these at each other. This they followed by
showering every one with small bouquets of flowers. I think the
flowers were better than the _coriandoli_, as they did not hurt so
much.
The fun every day closed with a horse-race. The horses had no
riders, but attached to their flanks were leaden balls with sharp
points, which urged them on like spurs. When the signal was given
they dashed through the crowd, which just opened a moment to let
them pass, and tore along until they were stopped at the other end
of the Corso, where the judge sat to proclaim the winner. But the
last night was very gay, for then every one had little candles, and
the fun was to keep one's own light burning and blow out one's
neighbor's. Some held a taper in one hand, and a fan made of
feathers in the other for blowing out the candles. When the tapers
were blown out all would cry "Senza moccolo," which means without
light. The Carnival finished with a grand procession; maskers
carried colored lanterns, which represented fruit, flowers,
animals, moon, and stars; finally, a huge car came, in which was
the King of the Carnival in a dying state, and a crowd of people
behind weeping over him. It was a grand sight, and I wish that some
of the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE could have seen it also.