The German Carnival

THE GERMAN CARNIVAL. BY C. ELMER BARRETT. About forty days before Easter, in most Catholic and many protestant cities of Europe, is held what is generally known as the "Carnival," and in Germany as "Fastnacht." This festival, instituted about the beginning of the 15th cen- tury by the Catholic church, was, perhaps, originally observed in commemoration of the forty days fast of our Lord and Savior, and was a holy day, a day of fasting and prayer. Beginning at this time and lasting until Easter, was the time of fasting; this fast- ing, however, consisted only in abstaining from animal foods. Any other food might be eaten, for the fast at this time was the abstinence from meat alone. This holy day was observed in prayer and in the confessing of sins. Some outward sign of penance, such as a black cloak or heavy veil, usually accompanied their ceremonies at this time. At present, however, the day has been adopted by the gen- eral populace; not as a day of fasting and prayer, but as one of drinking and merry-making. The cloaks and veils have been changed to hideous costumes and ugly masks. The spirit of sacredness and humility of the former holy day is now contrasted by one of worldliness and sacrilegiousness of the present holiday. A large portion of the population mask themselves and parade the streets, attend mask balls, and spend their time in public houses. So masked, and thus feeling themselves secure as to the detection of their identity, they overstep all bounds of propriety and common sense, and give their passions full sway. One sees, to one's surprise, more masked women and girls on the streets and in the public houses and cafes than men. Thus masked,

— . 616 IMPROVEMENT ERA. they parade the streets and visit the saloons and wine rooms until late in the night, when daylight drives them home.. of Germany, such as Cologne, In the larger Catholic cities Mayence and Munich, much time and money are spent in prepara- tion for this time, and often many go hungry and cold afterward in order to take part in the Carnival. The Carnival proper begins on the Sunday immediately pre- ceding Ash Wednesday, and lasts three days. The desecration of the first day, Sunday, is frightful; nearly all business houses are open, and places where beer and whisky can be obtained are decorated and are open at all times. At night the whole town resembles the underworld in the blaze of color and low life. On Monday, the big procession takes place, which is very costly, and in which many thousands of people take part. This is followed again by drinking and carousing. On Tuesday, the last day, things reach the point of culmina- tion, and many are the men and women who don't recover from its effects for weeks, and the whole ends up with brilliant mask balls and concerts. At these mask balls it is usual to admit no one who is not masked. These dances often prove to be very immoral, and usu- ally lasts from 10 o'clock in the evening until five and six in the morning. One will always find wine rooms on the sides, where the dancers repair to satify their perverted appetites It is a recognized fact here that thousands of illegitimate children are called into the world as a direct cause of the Carnival. It is really surprising that such festivals are found in a civilized country and indulged in by a Christian people. Darmstadt, Germany. METAPHOR. Harper'' s Monthly gives the following, by Campbell, as the most perfect and unmixed metaphor in the English language : 'Tis the sunset of life gives me mystical lore, And coming events cast their shadows before.