The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-03-05
INTERESTING LETTER FROM ITALY
Correspondence of the Fayetteville Observer.
FLORENCE, (ITALY,) Jan'y II, 1861.

played Parties. social and private, and public
balls, occupy every evening, not emitting Sunday;
we have invitations as far ahead as the 3lst The
Italians are peaceful, love-ofpleasure people, and
the lower and middle classes uniformly civil and
obliging. You may walk the streets at any hour
of the night unharmed. realized the clvlllty OF
the peasantry, several times while in my summer
rambles lost nv way in the mountains; and it
was really pleasant to have their willing guidance
to nut me right. | have never seen a drunken
man or street fight or heard of coffee house
riot but once since | have been here, and that
was between two Americans. The people are so
infatuated with carnival festivals, that some Of
them pawn their jewels, their wardrobe, and even
their bedding, to equip themselves In costume for
a masquerade ball. These balls are In some large
Theatre, where the scenery and all the moveables
are put aside, and dancing floor is constructed
over the pit to level with the stage. 1t Is beau
tifully and tastefully arranged, with refreshment
rooms and every variety of temptations, except
strong drinks Excessive drinking at such place is
unknown 1t is open to all classes. at small tee
for admission Policemen armed, and in neat but
CONSPICUOUS uniform, distributed in every part
of the house. And though from to 5000 persons
are assembled, and though from the nature of the
case many are present in costume who could not
gain entrance if undisguised, yet never word is
heard or an act performed, which would offend
the most delicate or sensitive of either sex.
Loud or angry discussions are prohibited, and in
delicate or uncourteous behaviour from either
would find policeman on hand, and be escorted
to the street door, 1t is optional to 90 in costume,
but those who appear in citizens dress are liable
to all sorts of fun and tricks by the maskers
who recognize them. I went alone evening
in my usual dress, and was standing with an opera
glass surveying the house when l was suddenly
put on march of double quick time by two fe-
males who each took and crowded me
ward. talking first in Italian and then in French,
and pushing me up to flower table, helped them
selves to boquet, then gracefully kissing their
hands to me ran off and left to pay for the
flowers Not long after, they spied me again, and
then said in plain English, we will tell your wife
of your gaUantry. But | never discovered them
to this day Of course they were American girls
who knew me. Those who do not care to min
gle with the throng engage box, and remain in
it, where they can overlook the maskers, and then
have a table set out with refreshments. They have
also street maskers by DAY light, singing and dan
cling, and arrayed in the most tanciful and fantas-
teal costumes. But their greatest display is the
Carso. Certain streets are designated by the po-
lice, through which the carriages pass They must
all 90 on one side of these Streets and return on
the opposite side. Hence in the Of the drive
you continually meeting your friends face to
face and at each meeting, sugar plumbs and bo-
tual friends. Every description of vehicle is in
requisition, from cart with single donkey to
the most splendid coaches and hveried servants 1t
is beautiful exhibition, and the streets through
which the procession passes have the doors and
windows decorated with flags and banners, and or
nar1ented with beautiful women
Persuasion nor money can induce these people
to work on gala day. Come what will, they close
their shops on Festa and dance and frolic almost
in the face of want They shoot pleasure as it
flies, and leave tomorrow to take care of itself
Some of their social and sanctuary regulations
would be good models for America. For example,
as preventive to pauperism, settlement is re-
quired before marriage. In the Army this is
rgidy enforced A Captain caunot marry until
$1,000 by him, and like sum by the bride, are
contributed This sum is invested by Govern
ment, the interest paid to the parents during life,
and the principal distributed to the children. A
larger smaller settlement, according to grade
Then they have Government Pawn Bank, where
everything is conducted with fairness, and at the
lowest rate of interest-indeed, at charge only
sufficient to the the expenses of the nstitu-
ton. 1t was established several centuries ago, by
a wealthy and pious monk, to protect the people
from the extortion of the Jews.
They deem all fevers to be infectious, and when
death occurs from fever, it is required that the
room shall be fumgated and repanted and all the
furniture to be re-uphostered, and the bed and
bedding to be burnt. No funeral is allowed during
the day, except it be some Grandee, with music and
banners, for pageant. No burial is permitted or
even the coffin to be closed, until IS hours after
death; and no burial within the city walls. Those
who are unable to incur the cost of burial are pro-
vided for at public expense. After remaining the
time required by law, they carried to the
church of their parish, and remain until about 9
2. Nj =, and then all who die on that day
bled at the dead house, and at II at night they
are all taken to Potter's field, about mile from
the city. Here they entirely ro6ed, and all
put in one pit, and covered with quick lime, and
in year nothing remains of them So there
are 365 pits stopped in fine cement, and one of
these pits is opened every day. The same is done
in Paris, only without lime and opened every
years and whatever bones are found are deposited
in the catacombs.
will now describe another building. 1t is the
Founding Hospital. 1t has the appearance of
story building, but is really two stories. This
building would seem to form part of the cluster
of buildings on the famous square of the "Annun-
ziata, for the cloister opposite, and in fact the
front of the Church itself, is of like architecture
At end of the long corridor small semi
circular box case is to project, and beside
it is bell pull Here the founding is placed the
bell sounded, and in moment the box revolves,
and the lost child finds a home, while the mother,
lost to herself her child and the world, perchance
speedily finds her home in one of the 365 pauper
pits. These children are we'll cared for, and at
II years OF age distributed among those who
wish for them, farmers mechanics, or such
ike This Distribution Is at stated neriods and