Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-01-29


my opinion of The usefulness of the same
sex was not at all lessened. There were
three other ladies in the company of the
one who so gallantly---if the word can
thus apply-came to my help. For some
time treated her as the maternal ances-
ter OF the three, but was sfterwards In
formed that they were all sisters. One of
them was pretty, pleasant, smart, and en-
titled to as many other adjectlves as
would satisfy the vanity of any beauty.
They were travelling alone as is
often the case in Europe among
the English, Irish, and Scotch.
There was good chance for q nice
time, and the chance was not lost. While
it would generally seem that ladies travel
| ing thus should be quite reserved and shy,
they often manage everything quite cor
rectly and yet prove their good sense by
being agreeable. Nothing IS more pleas
ant to gentleman travelling alone than
to have an opportunity to exercise his
gaIlantry upon people who appreciate it,
and will not receive kindness without
so much as saying 81 thank you, or as
the English say, Thanks" The ladies in
question were just what they should have
been, sufficiently reserved, quite Jolly
when the occasion demanded, and fully
sppreciative, especially the pretty enc.
No little pleasure and relief is afforded by
meeting such people. Some of the most
pleasant acquaintance ever made were
railroad or diligence travellers, for there
is sort of freemssonry about travellers,
especially those In q stage coach. The
coaches on this occasion were all crowded.
During pleasant days it is much better
to get an outside seat as the coun-
try can be seen and much that is in
teresting, which otherwise would be lost.
The Italian coach drivers don't care for
horse flesh but dash over the road in a
rush. One of the coaches or diligences
would be quite a show in Tennessee
They are the most lubberly, awkward
looking institutions imaginable. Almost
ten acre field is required for one of them
to turn around in. My Anglo-Irish lady
friends being DESTROYS to see the country,
piled myself upon the baggage in order
to give farther demonstration of a W ish
to do any thing in their favor. The
smiles and thanks of the one with whom
nature had been most careful, made me
forget the hot sunshine and danger of
pitching off. Smiles and winning ways
undoubtedly are valuable commodities
when the heart has anything to do with
them. The country along the stage route
is quite rough, but in many parts, beauti-
full. Many of the vsllies are fruitful and
well cultivated. The inhabitants present
q more lively, energetic and well-to- do
appearance than hitherto. Beauty is less
common in the country districts than in
Southern Italy, but it is compensated by
other good qualities which cannot
be charged with being only skin deep.
A few miles from Genoa the railroad
was taken again. Away off in this coun-
try, not at all overburdened with green
backs, found better railway station,
with more accommodations than are found
in most of large towns in America In
the way of depot elegance and comforts,
our railway men would be ashamed of
themselves when compared with many
European companies 1t is no uncommon
thing to see the station houses really ele-
CANT buildings, with sitting rooms quite
equal to good parlors. Then so much
taste it displayed in the architecture of
the depot houses. No where is the trav-
eler compelled to stand in the rain while
waiting for the train, as is often the case
in the United States Great pains are
taken to keep people off of the track,
and thus many accidents are prevented.
l started one day TO cross the track, when
one of the railway men seized and gave
me such hugging in trying to hold me,
as caused me to think upon the propriety
of prosecuting him for unlawful and
malicious squeezing. When once inside
of the cars, ours are far more comfort
able.
After a short ride, Genoa was reached.
There may be little in name, as a rule,
but not always; for if this city did not
have the name of being the birthplace of
Columbus, it would offer little of interest
at present. 1t is regular up and down
hill place, with the narrow streets pecu-
liar to towns of the age in which it was
built. In many places the houses are SO
high and the streets so narrow that it is
quite dark at all times. There is a
qusintness about the entire appearance of
Genoa that makes it very curious. One
feels that he had gone back several hun-
drcd years and was in an age and among
q people entirely odd from the present.
Many of the magnificent residences built
by the merchant kings during the power
of the Genoese Republic still stand, and
are wonderfully rich in their materials.
Their walls are often of common marble,
while the interiors are made of the cost
Hest material. One or two of the streets
are entirely made up of these buildings,
and are said to be the finest in Europe.
The quietness of these streets is dis
treesing; no sounds are heard save hu-
man voices and human feet, which leaves
great vacuum in the estimation of an
American. A city without noise is per
version. The old Parliament houses of
the Republic still stand and suggest to
the visitor curious proofs of the rise and
fall of nations. The finest and prettiest
church anywhere seen, except st. Psul's,
outside of the walls of Rome, is that of
the Annunciation here il Genoa. There
is beauty and skilful use of decoration
that is perfectly exquisite. 1t was built
by private family, a thing quite usual
| in Genoa.
The oldest banking house in the world,
and the first, is still standing here. 1t is
quite common when compared with some
of its offspring. The rudeness of its sp-
pearance and conveniences show that the
banking business was not Minervs-like.
AS l wandered around and gazed upon
the rusty, cob-webbed walls of this veneer.
able building, ! could but think over the
great revolution it has produced in the mon
etary world, and then the distress so often
resulting from the rascslity 1t gave rise
to. FIligree work is 10 Genoa what ala
! baster is to Pisa. This work is carried to
great degree of perfection, and is a:
beautiful for ornamenting those who cam
trust to their own good looks or who
have none, as it is perfect. The show
cases present the appearance of bed Of
yellow insects in a state of rest. The
temptation to please my lady friends q
home could not be resisted. The com
merce of Genoa is quite considerable
An artificial harbor has been made BY
building stone walls out in the Gulf. Ii
spite of the large bodies and healthy
looks of the natives povertyis quite com
mon, but begging is small compared with
Naples and the Southern towns generally
The ladies when on the streets wear {