Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-02-16

animals back, and running a rae
through the streets OF Naples
! Among the various conveyances, W
find a perambulating show, movin!
tinker's shop, a cartfull of vegetables
drawn by an old blind horse harnessec
with an OK that had no horns. Mex
would come a horse drawing a gie
that had seat for two, but in and on i
would be capuchin friar and sixteer
others, principally boys and girls, having
a jolly time generally. Sometimes
would appear family moving, The
man going afoot, two females on don.
key, panniers on each side, with babie:
and children's heads sticking out of the
pockets, and gazing at the sights. Peo
pie on foot were in every imaginable
costume, and some with very little cos
tune at ALL The men that carried fish
had no dress whatever, except piece Of
cotton wrapper around the loins Ia
savage. They brought fish from the
seaside in baskets on their heads, with
the water running all over their tawny
skins.
In the market-p]ace, a very wide
street, there's everything to sell, and
everything going on, Either in this or
the streets leading out of it, most every
trade is carried on, and all out of doors.
At stalls, benches, and forges, were
men mending shoes, blacksmithing,
tinkering, making twine, women making
kid gloves, tailors, hatters, and milli-
ners. In the market-place were large
kettles, with fires under them, and cook
ing going on. At least every other
shop was a restaurant; and there, on
oak benches and greasy tables, were
soldiers, beggars, women, travellers and
cosmopolites, going through the very
necessary and pleasant ceremony of
dining. And jolly place it is to dine,
you may as well believe. There's more
fun dining in the market-place in Naples
than anywhere l know.
An exquisite, fop-ee, had better not
come here. He might get his delicacy
some shocked; he might see poor
beggar, or yet poorer soldier, come
between the wind and his nobility
This is the only place in Europe where L
saw two dishes that are peculiarly Yam
kee-boiled Indian corn and pumpkin
pies. The first corn l saw was boiled
in kettle in the street. Ipaid my re-
spects to it-invested two coppers in an
ear, and ate it as L walked along. l
wonder if mans pride need always
stand in the way of his comfort, espe-
pecially in a strange city, like the
Scotchman in London, ''where naebody
kens him." At least every other day
l used to dine there; and like the COM
mercial traveller in England, had my
pint of wine; but unlike the commercial
traveller, paid six coppers instead of half
a crown for it. Their standing dishes
were beef and mutton, boiled, and mac
caroni. They had various vegetables
and fruits-pumpkins more than any
other.
As soon as man is through with his
dinner, there's a beggar at his elbow to
get what he has left. Bread, meat,
maccaroni, all's fish that come to his
net; he's not particular, but have the
fragments he's bound to. They are
free commoners, and very comfortable
time they have of it. One day 1 had a
large plate of maccaroni left, and gave
it to a beggar. Though it was very
coarse and long, he never touched a
knife, but took up the plate in both
hands, held it up tohis mouth as if he
was drinking, and shaking it gently,
and masticating and swallowing. it all
disappeared as if going into the hopper
of mill. Their wine is light palata-
bic red wine, set on the table in green
glass bottles, body round like a cannon
ball, and very long necks. Another
recommendation these banquets had;
they were very reasonable in price
For twelve or fifteen cents man could
dine like prince-an Italian prince, |
mean; such one as goes begging on
horseback. Wonder when I'll eat
pumpkin pies and corn in the ear in the
Naples market-place againi Some time
l hope. .'t7