The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-09-07
From Letters from Sicily.
A DAY IN PALERMO.

| DAY IN PALERMO.
Early in the morning, before sunrise, you
step out on the balcony, and look down the
street of Toledo. All is still, except here
and there porter or labourer who is getting
ready for days work; and occasionally
door opens on some balcony, and female
steps out in the greatest nfgHge to breathe
lttle ofthe cool morning air.
1t is now broad daylight. The goatherds
come with their 1ocks into the town. Latte
frisca! Chi vuol bun latte di Craha (capra?)
A maid in her shift and petticoat comes out
of the street door with vessel; the goatherd
sets it under one of the goats, and milks her
into it, taking care to raise sufficient froth
OIL the milk, to make the quantity appear
greater. Those who live on the fourth and
fifth floors, to save themselves the trouble Of
coming down into the street, let down the
milk vessel with the money in it, in little
basket by cord from the balcony, and when
it is filled draw it up carefully in the same
way.
Country people, both men and women,
now drive in asses, each laden with two
large panniers full of vegetables. CGrote,
| Carote! oh che buiie cGrote! Lattucd.. BEL
la, leila Lattuca! Then comes gardener,
with his loaded ass, CRYING, Waluni di Ia
4
some time up and down the street, and then
take their post IN the little root-market, or
in the street itself, and endcavour, by inces-
SAINT bawlng, to attract customers.
The coffee honses are now all open, seats
are placed before the doors for those who
wish to drink their coffee i'll the open air,
and water is sprinkled on the street to Gre
ate a GOODNESS, agreeable even in the morning.
| Without any distinction, the 1iarchese, the
| Cokoneilo, the .A5bate, andtthe Facchino, sit
down side by side, and takes his cup OF coffee,
for which he pays 4 or GRAM. The rest OF
the shops now gradually open, and the street
fills.
You now come down to take a walk, but
instantly the driver of .tfQcre, who is on his
stand near the Toledo, and lying i'll ambush
for a fare, like spider for fly, espying a
well dressed person on foot, whips his hors-
cs and is by your side in an instant; ragged
boy, or the driver himself, opens the door,
and asks Sigaore, &gnore, dove uito an
dure2 Meantime another is at your other
side with similar invitation. You protest
against all coaching, and beg to be let pro-
cced quietly on foot, when another drives
up and gets right in front of you. You now
get vexed, and endeavor to play the fellow
IA trick, SO you step into the carriage, intend
ing to step out at the other side, when the
J boy claps to the door, the coachman whip:
his horses, and away you are whirled ant
driven up and down the Toledo; the driver
all the while, proud of having caught prize
shouting Justify, Luge! Laogo. Harding
hure.
their wares, and the beggars appear ant
besiege the coffee house. The water sell
: ers set up their snowy booths, provided
t with glasses, bottles of Geneva and citrol
iuice, citrons and water melons, and the &C
guojuolo bawls without oeasing; AcQua Sig
: nori? .Acgua friscut Chi 6eve acqua CO..
: Amuni2
: The sun is now on the the street. In
$ awnings are let down before the coffee hous
u es and ware houses, merchants, brokers AM
II shin CAPTAINS sit under them and transac
i business. People collect at the Lottery OF
: fees to buy or inquire the fate OF their mum
n bers. Others haunt the offices OF notarie:
u state their cases, get the notary's opinior
:, (almost always in their favour) Writer
* sit in the omen street and write letters an
C accounts for those who cannot do 1t tc
themselves tradesmen are at their work
: and as each trade gets together, you ma
I see the shoemakers ranged together on on
n side and the tailors opposite them. Coache
: laden mules, and asses, crowd the middle
) the streets; drivers, porters, seiiers'
l. shout and bawl most Justify. No imagine
!, ton Of the north can conceive the bawl
'e Neapolitan or Parlermotan orange selle
when he bends his knees and body, lays h
ID hands on each side of his head. and yel
N out his hortogaW? Oh! che 6ela tortoga
u Ii. !,
IN It is noon. Every one now thinks Of tn
e midday meal and of the siesta. All the shol
VI are shut; the streets are empty; only fe
e water sellers proceed silently along then
\ At four o'clock the noise again commence
sr as they rise and resume their business; s,.d
the evening all proceed along to the Ioled
le ia the Passeggiata or the sea-shore. 1t
= bells ring out the Ave Marin, and all retul
4 to the town, where the shops and cotfe,,
houses are lighted up most brilliantly.
z the fish market the bawling is still kept, U!
1 women sing; and madelins and mc'aacho
'gg voices occasionally break the silence OF tt
y night.