THE CARNIVAL
FRANCISCO had been at home now for a week. He had returned to find Elena
rosy and well and the house in a turmoil of preparation, for Guillerma
was to be married. Her fiancé was a wealthy _estanciero_ from the
province of Mendoza, which lies almost at the foot of the Andes, and he
had made a fortune from raising grapes for wine. His _estancia_, also,
produced great quantities of figs, dates and sugar cane.
Guillerma was very happy, for although El Señor Conquero was older than
she by fifteen years, theirs was a genuine love match. He had seen her
at mass, one morning, and the following day, he had presented himself to
her mother and her Uncle Juan with irreproachable credentials, and their
engagement of six months was to culminate in the celebration of their
marriage during the early part of March.
It would be a very quiet wedding, for Señor Conquero was in mourning for
his father, who had died over a year before; and the custom of mourning
in Argentina demands two years of seclusion from all social events after
the loss of a parent.
Her Uncle Juan had been most generous in his allowance for her
trousseau, and she, with her mother, was busy all of each day visiting
the dressmakers and shops.
Francisco, at first, was very much distressed because Guillerma was to
live in Mendoza, as that fertile province is the seat of numerous
earthquake disturbances. Scarcely a month passes that the inhabitants
are not startled by one, and as a rule they sleep with open doors to
insure a quick exit in case one occurs during the night.
But Guillerma assured him she did not fear them, as there had been no
serious ones since 1861, and when she began telling him of the beautiful
home she would have, surrounded by wide vineyards and orchards of olives
and figs, where he could come to visit her, and with Elena play just as
they pleased, he became better reconciled to her marriage.
He was very busy, himself, for Carnival, the great festival, came early
this year, and never before had he had so much money to spend in its
celebration.
He and José and Manuel had divided the reward money they had received
for capturing the horsetail thieves, and Francisco felt very proud of
his share of it. He and Elena had counted it over and over, and planned
how each _peso_ should be spent. Each one of the family, including the
servant, should have a gift, and the balance would be their own to use
as they chose for the celebration of the greatest _fiesta_ of the whole
year.
As in many Roman Catholic countries, Carnival comes during the week
preceding Lent; and although it is really a church festival, it is the
least religious of any celebration, whether of church or state.
In Buenos Aires everything dates from it and everything stops for it;
even business is suspended. It is a festival of merriment and revelry,
and every house and every street is decorated before its arrival in
flags, banners, streamers and lanterns. There are processions and
continuous parades, with crowds of people in masks and dominoes, blowing
horns, dancing and singing.
This year, Francisco and Elena were to be allowed to enter the _corso_
or Carnival parade, and Uncle Juan had offered his motor car, which was
to be decorated with garlands of paper flowers; José was to be their
chaperon and Enrique would drive the car.
Elena and Francisco owned their little costumes, which they had used on
previous occasions, but as they had their own money this year, they had
decided to buy new ones to wear in the parade.
[Illustration: "ELENA AND FRANCISCO WERE DRESSED AND READY."]
Elena was to be dressed as a shepherdess, and Francisco as a Spanish
king. Their mother had neglected Guillerma and her trousseau one entire
day, in order to go with the children to help them select their costumes
and masks; for no one enters into the streets in costume without a mask
or domino.
The morning of the day on which the great parade was to take place the
children spent, dressed in their old costumes, playing with the
neighbours' children in the streets.
Although the law had forbidden the custom of throwing water at
pedestrians, the number of people who were drenched by unexpected pails
of water thrown from upper balconies was not lessened, and the children
broke dozens of _pomos_, or rubber balls filled with perfumed water, on
each other and strangers, as well, who chanced to pass.
After _siesta_ that afternoon, Elena and Francisco began their
preparations for the parade; and when the gayly decorated car drove up
about six o'clock with a fiery red representation of His Majesty, the
devil, on the front seat and a _pierrot_ or harlequin with one half of
his costume a vivid green and the other half yellow, Elena and Francisco
were dressed and ready.
The harlequin jumped out and bowed low to the ground, and Elena ran back
into the house, for she was sure this comical looking fellow could never
be José. But she was reassured when he lifted his mask, and soon the
huge car was puffing along the street with the red driver in front and a
dainty little shepherdess, a small king in velvet, gold lace and a
crown, and a harlequin in green and yellow, all sitting on the back
seat, throwing confetti and waving banners and shouting at the people
gathered on the corners or on the balconies of the houses.
Enrique took them up one street and down another, among the crowds of
the other carriages and automobiles, all full of gayly dressed maskers
bent on making as much noise as possible.
As it grew darker the streets began to blaze with arches of electric
lights, many of the bulbs being swung inside Chinese lanterns. The crowd
grew denser and many times they were caught in a mass of carriages, that
could move neither one way nor the other. Mounted police were
everywhere, trying to disperse the people where the crowds were too
thick, and even they were treated to the contents of hundreds of _pomos_
until their horsetail plumes and scarlet lined capes dripped perfume
like water.
At eight Enrique stopped the car in a side street opening on to the
great Plaza, where the procession was to form; his plan being to allow
the children a view of part of the parade from this vantage point, and
then to slip out the side street and enter the _corso_ from the rear.
It was nine o'clock when the bands of music took their places at the
head of the procession and they were followed by large fancifully
decorated wagons, filled with young ladies dressed to represent well
known allegories.
Then came floats with papier-mache figures caricaturing political events
in the history of the Republic. These were followed by companies of
horsemen dressed in every sort of fantastic costume; victorias filled
with merry maskers, floats with goddesses, and burlesqued well-known
public characters. King Carnival was seated on a high throne, very
handsomely draped, and drawn by sixteen pure white horses. When the
children grew tired of looking, Enrique joined the procession itself,
and the hearts of Elena and Francisco were beating high with excitement,
for their ambition was realized--to be a _part_ of the great Carnival
_corso_.
It was quite one o'clock before José could persuade them to leave it and
be taken home; and it was many days before they ceased to talk of their
wonderful experience.
But school would open immediately after Carnival and Francisco was
anxious to reenter, as he was fond of books and made good progress in
his studies.
His Aunt Sarita with her six daughters had returned from their summer
outing and Uncle Juan was preparing for a trip abroad immediately after
Guillerma's wedding should take place. Francisco saw him often, for they
had grown very fond of each other during their summer together, and even
Aunt Sarita began to love him more as she saw him oftener.
The first day of school had arrived, and Francisco, in his clean linen
duster, had proudly led Elena to the school, for this was to be her
first year. He was very proud of his pretty sister, who was shy, and
held on tightly to her protector's sunburned hand.
He introduced her to her teacher, kissed her, and then hurried out into
the large _patio_ to greet his old school friends.
They were all there, like a flock of tan coloured butterflies in their
linen coats, their hair brushed sleekly into place and their faces and
hands smelling of recent cleansing with perfumed soaps.
Francisco was a favourite. Soon he was in the middle of a group of
interested listeners, recounting to them his experiences on the
_estancia_.
He was only human, and you must forgive him if he told of his adventure
with the horsetail thieves. Even the little English boy grew excited and
plied him with questions that seriously retarded Francisco in his
account of their capture. The bell rang just as he finished, and they
all fell into line in the _patio_, where the beautiful Argentine
national hymn was sung, and the Argentine flag of blue and white was
saluted by each pupil as they passed it on their way into the
school-rooms.
THE END.
THE LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS
(Trade Mark)
_By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON_
_Each 1 vol., large 12mo, cloth, illustrated, per vol._ $1.50
=THE LITTLE COLONEL STORIES=
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Being three "Little Colonel" stories in the Cosy Corner Series, "The
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=THE LITTLE COLONEL'S HOUSE PARTY=
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=THE LITTLE COLONEL'S HOLIDAYS=
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=THE LITTLE COLONEL IN ARIZONA=
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=THE LITTLE COLONEL'S CHRISTMAS VACATION=
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=THE LITTLE COLONEL, MAID OF HONOUR=
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_These ten volumes, boxed at a ten-volume set_ $15.00
=THE LITTLE COLONEL=
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=TWO LITTLE KNIGHTS OF KENTUCKY=
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=IN THE DESERT OF WAITING=: THE LEGEND OF CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN.
=THE THREE WEAVERS=: A FAIRY TALE FOR FATHERS AND MOTHERS AS WELL AS FOR
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=KEEPING TRYST=
=THE LEGEND OF THE BLEEDING HEART=
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=THE JESTER'S SWORD=
Each one volume, tall 16mo, cloth decorative $0.50
Paper boards .35
There has been a constant demand for publication in separate form of
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=JOEL: A BOY OF GALILEE=: By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON. Illustrated by
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New illustrated edition, uniform with the Little Colonel Books,
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A story of the time of Christ, which is one of the author's best-known
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=THE LITTLE COLONEL GOOD TIMES BOOK=
Uniform in size with the Little Colonel Series. $1.50
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Cover design and decorations by Amy Carol Rand.
The publishers have had many inquiries from readers of the Little
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=ASA HOLMES=: OR, AT THE CROSS-ROADS. A sketch of Country Life and
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With a frontispiece by Ernest Fosbery.
Large 16mo, cloth, gilt top $1.00
"'Asa Holmes; or, At the Cross-Roads' is the most delightful, most
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=THE RIVAL CAMPERS=: OR, THE ADVENTURES OF HENRY BURNS. By RUEL PERLEY
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Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50
A story of a party of typical American lads, courageous, alert, and
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=THE RIVAL CAMPERS AFLOAT=: OR, THE PRIZE YACHT VIKING. By RUEL PERLEY
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=JACK HARVEY'S ADVENTURES=: OR, THE RIVAL CAMPERS AMONG THE OYSTER
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=PRISONERS OF FORTUNE=: A Tale of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. By RUEL
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=FAMOUS CAVALRY LEADERS.= By CHARLES H. L. JOHNSTON.
Large 12mo. With 24 illustrations $1.50
Biographical sketches, with interesting anecdotes and reminiscences of
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=FAMOUS INDIAN CHIEFS.= By CHARLES H. L. JOHNSTON.
Large 12mo, illustrated $1.50
In this book Mr. Johnston gives interesting sketches of the Indian
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'Tilda Jane is the same original, delightful girl, and as fond of her
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Here we have the haps and mishaps, the trials and triumphs, of a
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=BORN TO THE BLUE.= By FLORENCE KIMBALL RUSSEL.
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The atmosphere of army life on the plains breathes on every page of this
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West Point again forms the background of a new volume in this popular
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Mr. Hopkins's first essay at bedtime stories met with such approval that
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Each year adds to the popularity of this unique series of stories to be
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A STORY OF THE SAN GABRIEL MISSION. By FRANCES MARGARET FOX.
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=THE SEVEN CHRISTMAS CANDLES=
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Gabriel was a loving, patient, little French lad, who assisted the monks
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=THE ENCHANTED AUTOMOBILE=
Translated from the French by MARY J. SAFFORD.
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=O-HEART-SAN=
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=THE YOUNG SECTION-HAND=: OR, THE ADVENTURES OF ALLAN WEST. By BURTON E.
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Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50
Mr. Stevenson's hero is a manly lad of sixteen, who is given a chance as
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=THE YOUNG TRAIN DISPATCHER.= By BURTON E. STEVENSON.
Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50
"A better book for boys has never left an American press."--_Springfield
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=THE YOUNG TRAIN MASTER.= By BURTON E. STEVENSON.
Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated. $1.50
"Nothing better in the way of a book of adventure for boys in which the
actualities of life are set forth in a practical way could be devised or
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=CAPTAIN JACK LORIMER.= By WINN STANDISH.
Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50
Jack is a fine example of the all-around American high-school boy.
=JACK LORIMER'S CHAMPIONS=: OR, SPORTS ON LAND AND LAKE. By WINN
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Square 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50
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=JACK LORIMER'S HOLIDAYS=: OR, MILLVALE HIGH IN CAMP. By WINN STANDISH.
Illustrated $1.50
Full of just the kind of fun, sports and adventure to excite the healthy
minded youngster to emulation.
=JACK LORIMER'S SUBSTITUTE=: OR, THE ACTING CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM. By WINN
STANDISH.
Illustrated $1.50
On the sporting side, this book takes up football, wrestling,
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predecessors.
=CAPTAIN JINKS=: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SHETLAND PONY. By FRANCES HODGES
WHITE.
Cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50
The story of Captain Jinks and his faithful dog friend Billy, their
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=THE RED FEATHERS.= By THEODORE ROBERTS.
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"The Red Feathers" tells of the remarkable adventures of an Indian boy
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=FLYING PLOVER.= By THEODORE ROBERTS.
Cloth decorative. Illustrated by Charles Livingston Bull $1.00
Squat-By-The-Fire is a very old and wise Indian who lives alone with her
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=THE WRECK OF THE OCEAN QUEEN.= By JAMES OTIS, author of "Larry Hudson's
Ambition," etc.
Cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50
"A stirring story of wreck and mutiny, which boys will find especially
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=LITTLE WHITE INDIANS.= By FANNIE E. OSTRANDER.
Cloth decorative, illustrated $1.25
"A bright, interesting story which will appeal strongly to the
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=MARCHING WITH MORGAN.= HOW DONALD LOVELL BECAME A SOLDIER OF THE
REVOLUTION. By JOHN L. VEASY.
Cloth decorative, illustrated $1.50
This is a splendid boy's story of the expedition of Montgomery and
Arnold against Quebec.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Varied use of accents mate/máte, estancia/estáncia, and Martin/Martín
were retained.
Page xi, Table of Contents, "v" changed to "vii" to reflect actual
first page of Preface.