The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-23

Ten under the arm, and are exactly the same be-
nind and before, enclosing the form like she'll
nsh, and pressing down and fiaitening the bosom
Add TO this the short thick waist, the tight sleeve
OF their dress, and the unkempt and staring
locks oil their coal-black hair, and il may be con-
cesed thai oneof these poor people possesses
lew attractions beyond her piercing black eyes.
When out Of DOORS all, even the children, cover
the head with handkerchief, the end hanging
down on each side on week days il is OF colored
COLON, but on fesias, Of white cotton, or coarse
tulle.
Among rich peasants there are some very hand
some countenances, and not bad figures. They
wear the proper French corset, and exceedingly
wel-htiing gowns, with sleeves as well plated
uown, ana LOUNGES as numerous as our own. i heir
halr Is neatly plated, tucked behind their ears,
and thrown over their head they wear an ex-
tremely hne embroidered tulle veil, which has
pretty graceful effect. Yesterday we walked
Denihd three OF these young PEASANTS their
waists were as well laced in, their bustles as
large, their skirts as full and sttiiy siarched
and their embroidered muslin canezons as fine
ms those Of the ladies around them; and, as they
walked along, tanning themselves and convers-
| ing gaiIy, thsy really made no despicabe APP
pearance. Indeed the rich people, of all ages,
| pay great regard TO the fashions The other
day, our landlady, Carlorla, was showing US her
silk wedding dress, and remarking that she had
| bought some 5raccie, more than required; she
added, that II was very convenient, for when
! was married, iiounces were in fashion, and
! then bias tucks, and then fiounces again. aud
this is a hard working woman, who washes our
| clothes, manages large family Of children, and
bakes her own bread, though her husband is a
road contractor, and proprietor Of nice Bit Of
land in valley and on mountain. The upper
| class Of peasants are in general better looking
| than\ the women; we have seen several remark
| ably Nne countenances. On ordinary DAYS they
wear caps of round corduroy, or velveteen jack
| cts, but on festas there is a great turnout Of
broad-cbth and black hats the cigar is always
in use. Most OF them can read and write; they
are men Of excellent industrious habits, and
possess considerable wealth
| The poorer peasants, who live by baily labor,
| seldom, when al work, wear more than chemise
and PAIR OF short linen drawers; their naked
legs and feet are dark brown, and their features
coarse. They are extremely INDUSTRIOUS making
their boys work as soon as they can carry bur
den, and cultivate every little nook or corner
near their cottage. All classes are kind-hearted
and charitable patiently supporting their own po-
| verify and maintaining their destitute relations,
without murmur, even adopting, and rearing
amongst their own children, friendless orphans,
without any prospect of compensation. Theho-
| nesty and morality of the Lucchese peasantry
| are wei known, and even the bad example of the
pronigate couriers, and bad characters that year
ly swami to the Baths, have not yet materially
injured their good qualities. Either alone, or at
tended by country boy, lady can at all times
take the most distant rambles, on horseback and
on foo. without fear Of receiving even an uncivil
word. When thefts are committed, the culpri
| is always found TO be person from distance,
attracted here by the confluence Of rich strangers.
| The work which they perform, considering
| their very inefficient means, is surprising. A
new road, with high embankment and retain
| ing walls, is now making along the Lima, on the
| Modena road, and bridge building across the
| Camaloni TO connect it. All the earth which
| forms the embankment, and the smaller stones,
are brought up from the bed of the river, in little
round baskets, on the shoulders of boys from
eleven to fourteen years old. The large stones
are carried one by one on the shoulders OF the
men. We tried 10 explain TO the Dirretiore,
who superntends the work, the advantages OF
wheel barrow and hand-barrow, but he shook
his head, and said that their own WHY was The
best" The work IS really making considerable
progress, but hundred and fifty men are EN-
ployed, for FIVE or six months, in doing what fifty
English laborers, with their appliances, would
accomplish in two.
They begin TO work before FIVE in the morning
and rest an hour at nine, at noon, and four O'Clock,
then continue to work till past seven In place
Of resting during the hour of relaxation, most of
Them dance and sing In chorus during The whole
time, huzzaing, and making an incredible noise.
The other day they procured violin, and not
only danced and sang during the day; but it be-
ing Saturday, when they had left off work in the
evening, party Of them who belonged 10 Monab-
bia, village on the top of mountain about four
miles Off made the violin accompany them, and
danced along the road, through the Ponte and
up the mountain with as much laughter, sing
| ing, and shouting as if they had been on party
of pleasure. And vet these men had been work
ing all day in the sun, when the thermometer
stood in the shade at rs deg. of Fahrenheit
| Their dinner consists of black bread, raw onions
and most commonly they drink water, though
few have wine. Somt times kind English lady
gives them present of bread and wine, and then
the vivas rend the air
II is somewhat difficult 10 Judge the state Of
their religious feeling. The priests force them to
keep all the festas, and attend mass regularly;
but. as far as can Judge, they have no great
reverence for either. One day (the eve of fes-
ta) we heard them, laughing, and saying they
must go to mass the next day, they did not know
why And being in the church one fiesta, while
the procession was passing out, an old woman
turned round, and gave us a smile of very equi-
vocal character, just as the cross was passing
her They fast, regularly, however, every Fri
day and Saturday, and on the eve ofmany saints
days beside.
Tuproreu spfs In 81 T.onfs--The St Louis papers