Middletown transcript., 1871-07-29
Srlrtt storn.
PETER CRISP.
A Comic Episode Of Italian Travel,

Colonel NJ aud myself descended from
the cahriolet of a vehicle, wherein we had
been cnsconccd since daylight. at miscr-
able little inn on the road to Naples, when,
to our CONSERVATION. at the same moment
the Jet, nojr of cur Roman soiourn emcrg-
ed from the iricyicar. took out his phrase
book, aud, repeating to l:aselfthc needed
sentence approached fai ross-ooking
woman, his fellow passenger, and Offering
his arm and n ,ame..rops prom.naic,
Mtiunsi began to stride with her up aud
down the road before the door, while the
horses were drinking There have been
many piquant chapters written on bores,
but The travelling bore has never been ndc-
pnatcly described lie has singular adj
vantage over his cnuifcrcs who stay ut
home, inGsmuch ~ The claim Of a common
nationality specially before the tide OF
American continental travel had grown 50
full and pcrya>iyc--i- onc not easily re-
puliatcd: and Oh the strength OF it if the
victim be gooi-natured man, an unlimi-
ted amount of intrusion and cXtor,ion may
be praeticcd with impunity It was on
these grounds that Vernon. than whom II
more thorough gentleman and agreeable
companion cannot be imagined. had suf-
fcrcd himself taritly TO accept in the dOu.
lie capacity of dnarhe and I,toicJc. a little
prctcn,iaus aud ignorant fellow country
man. sign cngraver BY trade who. hav-
ing prospcrcd in his calling. became am-
bilious 10 see the world aud make what he
called the grand iorcr 1t was moptcl
question whether the pleasure Of Vernon
society. priced as it justly was compcn-
stated for the yeaa,iuus incident 10 that Of
his companion; aud whether the latter
we're not on the whole, countcrhalanccd
by the amusement his absuriiiics oo n
stoned but practically the matter was set.
tied by the laws Of good fellowship. which
made us patient under an inlic,ion that
wuuil otherwise be unmitigatcd to cur a
miab.c aad accomplished couutrymnn
To leave him To the tcndcr mcrcics of
Crisp would be anything but fair play
yet had We conceived the idea that h.
would follow Vernon to naples, aud Sc
cre,ly obtain scat in the same carriage,
We should long ago, in sclf-dcfcnse. have
had recourse 10 the cut direct However,
We consolcd ourselves with the resolve to
quietly give him the slip on our arrival
aud meantime hceuiled the way by recall
ing Peters ridiculous mauruyres at Rome,
which, VIC agreed, woall furnish n play
wright with abundant materials for farce,
il not comedy.
The first time We ever saw him was one
morning when he appeared at our lodgings
in search Of Vernon. who could not hide
his modification at being thus discovered
as an involuntary bear-leadcr. Peter Crisp
was dappcr little man, with u face curl
ously made up Of material shrcwdacss aud
comp'accncy, with fussy manner and af-
fcc,ation of style in dress which only scrv-
ed to emphasize his ,ulgarity. Vernon
was iil when he encountered him at Lyons,
and became indebted for services then and
there rendered. which made it seem un-
grateful not to accept his proposition to
become his compagnoa de royage and act
as his interpreter of foreign lingos. By
the time the poor fellow reached Italy hc
repcntcd Of his ncquiescencc; and n, Eame
appealed half comica!ly and half in earnest
to our forbcnrance SO that when Crisp
came jaun,iy in and claimed acquaintance
with us all, first as fellow -countrymen and
then as friends Of Vernon. We resigned
ourselves to the pcnnnce with good grace
"Some of you gentlemen" ,e;d he, with
a patronizing glance around, "arc invalids,
I believe. No doubt you have found it
hard to take exercise in these dirty streets.
I have discovered fine walk, and will
show you the way whenever you like.
You will go to square near here, and up
a flight Of steps. aud there are clean paths
in plenty This offer Of the freedom Of
the Pincian. and tho novelty Of the infor-
ration. At once enlightened US Us to the
verdancy Of our unlimited guest. Car
riagcs were now announced for the days