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through the town by a troop of mummers in the course of the afternoon。 When evening comes on； four of the mummers hold out a quilt or sheet by the corners； and the figure of the Carnival is made to tumble into it。 The procession is then resumed； the performers weeping crocodile tears and emphasising the poignancy of their grief by the help of saucepans and dinner bells。 Sometimes； again； in the Abruzzi the dead Carnival is personified by a living man who lies in a coffin； attended by another who acts the priest and dispenses holy water in great profusion from a bathing tub。
At Lerida； in Catalonia； the funeral of the Carnival was witnessed by an English traveller in 1877。 On the last Sunday of the Carnival a grand procession of infantry； cavalry； and maskers of many sorts； some on horseback and some in carriages； escorted the grand car of His Grace Pau Pi； as the effigy was called； in triumph through the principal streets。 For three days the revelry ran high； and then at midnight on the last day of the Carnival the same procession again wound through the streets； but under a different aspect and for a different end。 The triumphal car was exchanged for a hearse； in which reposed the effigy of his dead Grace： a troop of maskers； who in the first procession had played the part of Students of Folly with many a merry quip and jest； now； robed as priests and bishops； paced slowly along holding aloft huge lighted tapers and singing a dirge。 All the mummers wore crape； and all the horsemen carried blazing flambeaux。 Down the high street； between the lofty； many…storeyed and balconied houses； where every window； every balcony； every housetop was crammed with a dense mass of spectators； all dressed and masked in fantastic gorgeousness； the procession took its melancholy way。 Over the scene flashed and played the shifting cross…lights and shadows from the moving torches： red and blue Bengal lights flared up and died out again； and above the trampling of the horses and the measured tread of the marching multitude rose the voices of the priests chanting the requiem； while the military bands struck in with the solemn roll of the muffled drums。 On reaching the principal square the procession halted； a burlesque funeral oration was pronounced over the defunct Pau Pi； and the lights were extinguished。 Immediately the devil and his angels darted from the crowd； seized the body and fled away with it； hotly pursued by the whole multitude； yelling； screaming； and cheering。 Naturally the fiends were overtaken and dispersed； and the sham corpse； rescued from their clutches； was laid in a grave that had been made ready for its reception。 Thus the Carnival of 1877 at Lerida died and was buried。
A ceremony of the same sort is observed in Provence on Ash Wednesday。 An effigy called Caramantran； whimsically attired； is drawn in a chariot or borne on a litter； accompanied by the populace in grotesque costumes； who carry gourds full of wine and drain them with all the marks； real or affected； of intoxication。 At the head of the procession are some men disguised as judges and barristers； and a tall gaunt personage who masquerades as Lent； behind them follow young people mounted on miserable hacks and attired as mourners who pretend to bewail the fate that is in store for Caramantran。 In the principal square the procession halts； the tribunal is constituted； and Caramantran placed at the bar。 After a formal trial he is sentenced to death amid the groans of the mob： the barrister who defended him embraces his client for the last time： the officers of justice do their duty： the condemned is set with his back to a wall and hurried into eternity under a shower of stones。 The sea or a river receives his mangled remains。 Throughout nearly the whole of the Ardennes it was and still is customary on Ash Wednesday to burn an effigy which is supposed to represent the Carnival； while appropriate verses are sung round about the blazing figure。 Very often an attempt is made to fashion the effigy in the likeness of the husband who is reputed to be least faithful to his wife of any in the village。 As might perhaps have been anticipated； the distinction of being selected for portraiture under these painful circumstances has a slight tendency to breed domestic jars； especially when the portrait is burnt in front of the house of the gay deceiver whom it represents； while a powerful chorus of caterwauls； groans； and other melodious sounds bears public testimony to the opinion which his friends and neighbours entertain of his private virtues。 In some villages of the Ardennes a young man of flesh and blood； dressed up in hay and straw； used to act the part of Shrove Tuesday （Mardi Gras）； as the personification of the Carnival is often called in France after the last day of the period which he personates。 He was brought before a mock tribunal； and being condemned to death was placed with his back to a wall； like a soldier at a military execution； and fired at with blank cartridges。 At Vrigne…aux…Bois one of these harmless buffoons； named Thierry； was accidentally killed by a wad that had been left in a musket of the firing…party。 When poor Shrove Tuesday dropped under the fire； the applause was loud and long； he did it so naturally； but when he did not get up again； they ran to him and found him a corpse。 Since then there have been no more of these mock executions in the Ardennes。
In Normandy on the evening of Ash Wednesday it used to be the custom to hold a celebration called the Burial of Shrove Tuesday。 A squalid effigy scantily clothed in rags； a battered old hat crushed down on his dirty face； his great round paunch stuffed with straw； represented the disreputable old rake who； after a long course of dissipation； was now about to suffer for his sins。 Hoisted on the shoulders of a sturdy fellow； who pretended to stagger under the burden； this popular personification of the Carnival promenaded the streets for the last time in a manner the reverse of triumphal。 Preceded by a drummer and accompanied by a jeering rabble； among whom the urchins and all the tag…rag and bobtail of the town mustered in great force； the figure was carried about by the flickering light of torches to the discordant din of shovels and tongs； pots and pans； horns and kettles； mingled with hootings； groans； and hisses。 From time to time the procession halted； and a champion of morality accused the broken…down old sinner of all the excesses he had committed and for which he was now about to be burned alive。 The culprit； having nothing to urge in his own defence； was thrown on a heap of straw； a torch was put to it； and a great blaze shot up； to the delight of the children who frisked round it screaming out some old popular verses about the death of the Carnival。 Sometimes the effigy was rolled down the slope of a hill before being burnt。 At Saint…L？ the ragged effigy of Shrove Tuesday was followed by his widow； a big burly lout dressed as a woman with a crape veil； who emitted sounds of lamentation and woe in a stentorian voice。 After being carried about the streets on a litter attended by a crowd of maskers； the figure was thrown into the River Vire。 The final scene has been graphically described by Madame Octave Feuillet as she witnessed it in her childhood some sixty years ago。 My parents invited friends to see； from the top of the tower of Jeanne Couillard； the funeral procession passing。 It was there that； quaffing lemonadethe only refreshment allowed because of the fastwe witnessed at nightfall a spectacle of which I shall always preserve a lively recollection。 At our feet flowed the Vire under its old stone bridge。 On the middle of the bridge lay the figure of Shrove Tuesday on a litter of leaves； surrounded by scores of maskers dancing； singing； and carrying torches。 Some of them in their motley costumes ran along the parapet like fiends。 The rest； worn out with their revels； sat on the posts and dozed。 Soon the dancing stopped； and some of the troop； seizing a torch； set fire to the effigy； after which they flung it into the river with redoubled shouts and clamour。 The man of straw； soaked with resin； floated away burning down the stream of the Vire； lighting up with its funeral fires the woods on the bank and the battlements of the old castle in which Louis XI。 and Francis I。 had slept。 When the last glimmer of the blazing phantom had vanished； like a falling star； at the end of the valley； every one withdrew； crowd and maskers alike； and we quitted the ramparts with our guests。
In the neighbourhood of Tübingen on Shrove Tuesday a straw…man； called the Shrovetide Bear； is made up； he is dressed in a pair of old trousers； and a fresh black…pudding or two squirts filled with blood are inserted in his neck。 After a formal condemnation he is beheaded； laid in a coffin； and on Ash Wednesday is buried in the churchyard。 This is called Burying the Carnival。 Amongst some of the Saxons of Transylvania the Carnival is hanged。 Thus at Braller on Ash Wednesday or Shrove Tuesday two white and two chestnut horses draw a sledge on which is placed a straw…man swathed in a white cloth； beside him is a cart…wheel which is kept turning round。 Two lads disguised as old men follow the sledge lamenting。 The rest of the