Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-05-19
LIFE IN ITALY.
From the London Metropolitan.

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LIFEIN ITALY. In
From the London Metropolitan
The common people, especially those on the
generally keep two small cows and !
a heifer. which they feed on the scarlet clover
and lupine, ash leaves, and shrubs, and occa-
sionally turn them out to Craze on the patches !
of rich grass on the mountain. The milk is
rich and excellent, and the butter, though white
would be equally well tasted if properly MANA
ged; but they do not understand dairy here,
and never wash out the milk sufficiently from
the butter. which makes it sour; we tried 70
explain this, but we fiad them as conceited as
their sisters in Dorsetshire. Besides butter,
they make substance of curds and butter mix
ed together, called ricorra, resembling the
| Scotch crowdy, and which they bring 10
us, neatly put up lnhaskets made OF fern
| leaves.
The butter class are, in general, proprietors
of a certain quantityof land, cultivated either
as vineyards if on the sunny side OF the bill, or
IN grain if in the valley; beside which they rent
land on lease from the great proprletors or
sipnor. and a pezza, or part of a chestnut wood.
The share system is strictly followed, and half
. of every kind of produce is delivered to the
} landlords, from wine and fruits down to eggs
and butter. They 1--we well, generally having
soup and meat daily, especially in the winter,
cheese, and good homemade brown bread, from
} the -four of the grano crosse, with wine IN
abundance In short, sthey sayito lie, "We
have plenty of food, wine and fruit; what
we want Is money, but that we find It almost
impossible to get.
The poor classes, on the contrary, who in
1 habited the mountain villages, are very III off
e The men come down daily, sometimes foul
= miles, to labor on the roads, &c, for paul ;
v dav. They can rarely buy wheaton bread, stil
more rarely butcher meat; they chiefly subss
4 on chestnut meal made into porrldge, and the
=: cakes, called netci, unleavened, and baked llk
10 the Scotch barley scone; they have asweehs
IS taste. and eaten with fresh butter are not bat
but are so heavy and indistible, that one, wit
a a little wine, will support labourlng man /
Nv a day. These people are employed to gath'
Ir. the chestnut harvest of the slgnor, and 2
- two-iiths of the produce as payment for the
:" labor. On this they subsist TIL exhausted, al
Ia then they must buy the meal from the fatta
If the proprietor, who keeps 1t IN stores tnr
raw nourpose, and sells it enormously dear to
Inv poor creatures. One day we met poor
hit woman, who had come down from one OF
HIGHEST mountains for the purpose, and
-, carving home few pounds IN her bag,
III that. she said. was all they had to live upon
their little crop of grano was ripe Inc
/. men spin hemp on the distaff, for housef
linen; work hard at all kinds OF field labor,
n. I nv enormous loads of hay and straw, on II
ono heads, up the steep mountain paths. Man
them are also engaged as servants during
! "'- season, by families at the Baths. Every Il
stru. IS carried on the head here; the woman b
cans a padde cushion, or fold handkerchief
aber. that form. place it on the crown OF their 1
n be- and nut on it whatever the have to carry,
;star baskets of manure for the fields. We
-. sitting one evening by the fountain on la
O010 taGua, when two girls came down from
xiIag9,aiG,14te. Txy1Ien the pals were
each folded her handkerchief put II OF
head. lifted her pail, full to the brn, ana
without assistance, or spiiIng drop, pia'
on her head, and walked mildly up the
> and along the mountain path. nave
o, ecen women. when so laden, SPIN on the
taffs as they walked along. One would
ion to that this classical mode OF carrying then
bic at dens would insure an erect carnage
cula1 graceful siep,quite the contrary: the loWe
place Of peas9ntry are ane Constapf outdoor
IN lay makes their skin shrleveled ana Drown
as may ho l,l- and their features are not IN
Induced Good: their shoulders are high, and the
n thou Short The bust is entirely destroyeo,
" pre- wooden stays which, cogere u WIN tbev SEQ coz
,ipe out or some other gSuay T Tb;s truthful
will use wear from clli,arUa WHICH fasIen IN
S debts ~, aud are exactly the same behind ;
q ;but he f,re enclosing the form like sell-h
lerstood nrossino down and f1attening the Boso
! - -bort thick waist. the Iigu
he bluffs OF their dress, ana tae u,i i NAV he
who hold looks OF coal placA n ,1 eonle Nose
ting can cd Una. one 6 Seyond her piercing bla
. and if IWho ont IF doors. all, even the
linn does oo,,ord the head with handkerchief
Lorr;ng down on each side; on week
INN. Of coloured cotton; but on tsS'aS' OF !"
TON. or coarse tuIe.
Amongst rich peasants there are
:. handsome countenances, and not Da
llan ildlli- 11hey wear the proper French colse
ed by the d ha1G weIIfittirg gowns, with
,,-oll Mated down, and flounces as
os onr own. Their hair IS neau
tucked behind their ears, and tnf
q, their head: they wear an extremely
oo' nroidered tuIle veil, which has pr
f,} effect. Yesterday we walked o.
- of these young peasants; their " '
oNs.--Ihe as we'll laced in, their bustles as j
We been al sl,rts as fnll, and stifHy starcheo'
omnarrtiye onhroidered muslin canezons as u,
!, thev have oftbe ladies' around them; and u
-. ny oftbe siong. tanning themselves and con'
'tloh .! tno 4 dbog really made no desplsabe
d princi- 1ney d ast tbs rich people, oall ages,
mph' Inc regard to the fashions. The othe slIo
ever known isdy. was showing US her six we
): and deci- l and ramarking that she had bougf
lould regard Gle, more than required; sne apuy
on' L. rs+ Honnces were in fashion. and tne
such mus . nDJ hen founces again. and IN
with dimln- a,, orl ,, woman, who washes our
On this inn mu as ri 7arge family Of children, a.
glance at own bread, though her hlls PAM
ii actions Of tractor. and proprietor OF NICE
war of the valley and on moo allorni better
ord Howe's peasants are ~ III 1--we 1--we seen sever
1893, there the wonen wees mc ss. On ordinar
line engaged, ,,,s wear caps of round corduroy. OF
of the killed MeSt Init on festas there IS
O78. In Lord and black hats; the cigar y s..,t :
vhntv third Of Most Of them can read ana VIZ ts
10y ,s so;l ofthe - fe excellent industrious haO's
, = ILL.,; H. and considerable wealth.
ST. Vincents The poorer Pe 1r@r wear M
il of the me- sei oe and pair Of short linen
ID and wound ms Iso lie leos and feet are dark D
.-a,,'s action. nakeu = go They are e.