East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-09-23
NEAPOLITAN BANDITTI.
by EMMrRsoN DENNErr.

Toward the close Of the last century,
Sir Arthur Arlington, of Arlington
Manor, an English Baronet, went to
Naples for brief sojourn, at the invi-
tation of an Italian nobleman, whose
splendid palace commanded beauti-
full view Of the lovely bay, the Island
of Cadri and Mount Vesuvius, and
whose picturesque villa, in neighbor-
ing wood, was one of the most delight
full retreats on the face Of the globe
Like everybody who visits Naples for
for the first time, the Englishman was
in raptures with the surrounding beau
ties. All he had ever dreamed of a
fairy land was a living reality before
him. and for the first few days he
wondered how any human being, un-
less forced by dire necessity, could
ever summon sufficient resolution to
quit that enchanting spot. His views
of things changed, however, before his
limited visit expired; and when he
finally did quit Naples, it was with a
fixed determination never again to set
foot in that ungodly place.
The cause of this revulsion of feel
ing were the crimes and vices of its
enervated inhabitants, and which, if
not actually sanctioned by law, were
so much connived at by the authori-
ties as TO receive in a marked degree
the official and public sanction. Not
to mention general vices, too loath-
some and abhorrent to be named, he
soon discovered that human life had
no adequate protection-that it was,
in many instences, a mere matter of
bargain and sale--and that open mur-
ders and assassinations were as COM
mon as ordinary accidents, and were
as lightly regarded and spoken of by
the community in general.
His first days were spent in viewing
the scenes and sights most attractive
to stranger, In the splendid car
riage of his ducal friend, with its SIX
1ranciirs stee,ls, aOIs~l4t g'i's';s'sssl lisserA-
and pompous foot-lunners, he was
whirled over enchanting drives, past
gorgeous palaces and Luxurious villas !;
and through vistas and bowers, and
statues, fountains and flowers, he be-
held everything coaleW de rose He
visited themagnificentch churches, whose
affairs were heavy with gold and sill
yer and precious gems, and in one of
these he witnessed the strange cere-
mony of the liquefaction of the blood
of st. Januarius; he went to the grand
opera of ST. Cairo, and was enchanted
with such music Us only Italy can
produce; he sauntered through the
vast library hall of Prince Tarsia, and
felt more dazzled than edited with the
surrounding splendor.
All these were, so to speak, the gilt
tering extei nails Of a city rotten at the
core, of which he had everything yet
to learn--a city which contained forty
thousand lazy, filthy lazzaroni, one
fourth as many professional banditti
or assassins, and more than three
| hundred thousann other citizens OF
different classes, among whom it might
have been as difficult to find one truly
righteous and virtuous person, as whi-
lom in the leaven-doomed cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah.
One evening, at the palace of his
noble friend one Captain Spezzi was
presented to Sir Arthur by his host,
who took occasion to remark, that,
should he ever need trusty friend TO
rid him of troublesome foe, he would
be certain to find him in the person of
this redoubtable chief.
The latter was a tall, handsome
man, rather gaily dressed, with black
hair and eyes, and countenance
somewhat pleasing and intellectual
Not properly cornprehending the allu-
sion of his noble entertainer, the bar
onet supposed the captain military
officer of some note, perhaps OF the
royal guards, and at once entered into
conversation with him, which was car
ried on for half an hour in manner
that gave the Englishman great pleas
ure.
"A very intelligent gentleman, in
deed, is your friend, Captain Spez1 !"
remarked Sir Arthur TO the duke, af-
ter the other had taken his leave.
"And carries the surest stiletto in
Naples !" replied the duke, with pc
culiar smile.
Some officer of the royal house
hold, l suppose?"
"No, he is quite an independent
chief"
"0f what, your Highness ?"
Banditti."
"Good heavens Your IIighness
does not mean to assure me that Cap
tain Spezl is a bandit chief?"
Nothing less, Sir Arthur"
"And l met him here, in your pal
ace ?"
"Why not ? he is clever fellow in
his way, and has done me more than
one good turn, for which have paid
him.
"Will your Highness he a little
more explicit, and tell me what is his
real profession ? ] fancy, from your
manner of speaking, that am labor
ing under mistake"
"1n plain words, then, Signor, ho
is a professional assassin"
"Your Higness amazes me J" cried
the Englishman. 81 can scarcely
credit that / hear and understand
oriohfv