Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-02-10
VOL. mo. 1853.
DAILY VIRGINIAN.
The Bells and Beggars of Italy.

NO one of our own poets IS brought oftener to
mind IN Italy than poor Edgar A. Poe, whose
requiem seems ever tolling through 1.-The Jells,n
which haunt necessarily our ears. 1.-The sound
OF tho church going bell" welcome in Amcri-
en-, ringing through the clear air of a Sabbath
morning, or Ginning with the pensive twilight
ieeing ot worship on n Sabbath eve, here becomes
nmonotono-annoyanoo that makes one less de-
Notlonal' than nervous Not only are .'day i'm
anu day out sounded from n score of towers;
but the live-ong day, one or the other of them
Is proclaming some hourly ceremony of some
ono oil the three hundred and sixty five saints
days Woo to whosoever takes lodging "under
the dropplngs of the sanctuary" herc The un-
fortunate individual who does this, during the fif-
teen minutes when porchance the belfry above
him hold its tongo, will thoreupon see in that
sp're but the ever present spectre of his lost
peace, and have his folly spoken to sorry con-
sclonsncss, not only every hour of the day, but
OF tho night too, till the iron enters his soul.
oh tho bells bells bclse
"Whnt world of solemn thought their monody compels
In the stiffness OF The night
How we shNur with alright,
Al the melancholy menace of their tond
For every sound thnt fonts
From the rust within their throats
Is n g1oan.'
Albeit rast plays n small part in this orchestra
oi bells always IN use. Garrulous tongues never
grow rusty. Verify, bell ringing must be rs iu-
eratire nm employment as playing is, in these
countries.
But there is ono boil, which makes darkness ter
rible IN America, that here startles the ear
of Nlght-the fire belll
aRrnzen ellis
Mhnt tac their tuthnonry eln
This these valleys aud hills never heard"
Why notl Ifthc palaces are rock built and IRON
bound, NIL the houses not: and these. instead
OF being occupied by one family each are filled
with divers families; and il the floors and walls
be OF brick or plaster, there is wood work enough
III all OF them 10 burn if brought in contact with
fire. Besides, every bed and window has curtains
usually oimuslin: for an undrnped bedstead would
shock Italian taste much as undraped statue
does American taste; and uncurtained windows
look more bare faced here, than unbonneted wo-
mon would there, yet never is the cry of fire which
has become night shrek in the United States,
heard in Italy. l. il because they have no fur
nnoes hero' The pipes leading from these mum
moth stoves through the wall Of many of their
modern houses, expose them even more, wood
Is never 80 safe as coal. Lighted candles too,
nrc much more used here than with us, therd be-
ing none, save olive oil. for burning; no gas in
dwellings-no lard lamps lllumnations also a
bonnd IN this land of fetes and when was there
ever one III America unnccompaniod by destruc-
tive fire :
What prevents fires here, then, save the in
born caretulness of the nativesl Hurry nn Ita.
han If you can! Hurry is not in him-rashness
and he are strangers! Thus accidents of any
kind are rare here. Animals too are tanner than
with us. Horses never run away; colts never
kick and the horned sultan of the oow-pastaro
-wlo in American fury would leap fences to
toss people in the ar--grazes demurey among
hls female associnte cattle,as the farmer eats his
pottago among the women OF his household.
Fowls do not get in nutter; cock fights arc un-
heard of;and turkes-too used to scarlet perhaps.
TO be excited byit-leaye rnnning after red coats
TO scr women though possible for want Of this
n ia. ftttla
tables. All there is left of Italian fire and pow
der, exPlodes III pop-guns and goes off in smoke.
Neither the 20, the Ano. nor the Tber will ever
be set on fire, if the North River isl These
cnssic strenms have been red, but the sangune
day are past-ihe last spark of ancient fire
long ago extngushed. After all, no wonder that
here even houses do not burn
instances are not unfrequent of mendcants
becoming rich through their beggarly savings.
singular relation Of this il reported TO have
CURED here few days since. young man Of
respectable family being cheated in some way
out OF his heritage, went to n certain church dai
ly to pray the Virgin TO take his cause into her
hands as he went. he in the habit of throw
ing an aims into the hands of beggnr found al
ways on the church steps, who pretended to be
blind, wearing bandnge over his eyes. After n
month SO, the beggar addressed him, changing
his lmporing air to one of patronage, and asking
him II he did not himself need pecuniary aid J.
"Much,' he answered, ''becausP love you"
and then enqured if he would like to make an
eligible marriage. a. said the gentleman show
can marry n rich wife when have nothing to
bring her in return J" well, enough,if you let
me make the match for you !' said the beggar.--
"Come tomorrow at such an hour, to--street,
No.-,& promise you good fortune" Agreed
said the other, beginning to believe that his pa
tron Mary had wrought miracle in his behalf.
The next day found him true to his appointment
at the house. The door being opened by SER
want he was about to retire. thinking all hoax,
when the domestic insisted on his going in, say
ing that his master expected him. lie according.
Iy entered and found gentleman, who met him
with kindly welcome.-"Sir, have not the hon
of your acquaintance said the young
man. II know goa very well though" replied
the gentleman, land permit me to present you
to my daughter" leading the astonished youth
to beautiful young lady seated on the Sofa
After some general conversation, the father sig
nified his wish to be alone with the stranger
the daughter modestly withdrew, and he reveal
ed himself as the blind beggar of the church stone
said he had. during twenty years, accumula-
ted fortune through begging, and would now
present him with his daughter and her dot, be-
cause he was sure that he was an honest man.
1t need not be added that Italian pety did not
prevent theyoung mans accepting the price OF low
treachery; that it led him again to the church
to thank the Virgin for this wonderful answer to
his prayers and to hang silver heart. in ac-
acknowledgement, before her image Florence
Cor. Neic Ark Advertiser.
IsOCEKY and co Nj M 5 SION
.I.Iy ~ al.