The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-19

IRnsstsn on American fFoarfass lii sffsay.
In the letter which aIr. Rnslsin has ad-
dressed to the working Glasses he sketches
some people whom he mel when going from
Venice to Verona by IN afternoon train. He
writes:
In the carriage with me were two Arneri-
can girls with their fither and mother.
people OF the class which has lately made SO
much money suddenly, and does not know
what ~ do with it; and these two girls of
about fifteen and eighteen bad evidently been
INDUCED in everything (sinee they had had
the means) which western civilization could
imagine. And here they were specimens Of
the utmost which the money and invention
OF the nineteenth century could produce in
Observation-Disclosures of its most pro-
Sresslve race-enj0ying the full advantages of
political Liberty, of enlightened philosophical
education, Of cheap pilIcrcd literature, and of
luxury at any cost. Whatever money, ma
chnery, or freedom Of thought could do for
these two ciiIdr,n had been done. No sli-
perstition had deceived, no restraint de-
graded thpm-typeS they could not but he
Of maidenly wisdom and felicity rs con-
celyed by the fOrwardest intelects of our
time. And they were travelling through Il
district which, if any in the world, should
touch the hearts and delight the eyes of
young glrls-betwcen Venice and Verona
Portals villa perhaps in sight upon the
Brenta; Jnlict's tomb TO be visited in the
evening; blue against the southern sky the
hills of Pctrarch'S home. Exquisite mid
summer sunshine, with low rays, glanced
through the vine leaves. All the Alps were
clear, from the Lake OF Garda to Cadore.
and to larthest TyroI. What n princess
chamber this if those are princeSsns,
and what dreams might they not dream
therein. But the two American girls were
neither princeSscs. nor seers, nor drcanierS
BY infinite scIt-indugencc they had reduced
themselves simply TO two pieces Of white
putty that could feel pain. The flies and the
dust stuck to them as to clay, and they per-
ceived, between Venice and Verona, nothing
but the flies and the dust. They pulled
down the blinds the moment they entered
the carriage, and then sprlwed, and
writlled, and tossing among the cushions Of
| it, i'll vain contest, during the whole fifty
| miles, with every miserable sensation OF
| bodily aillction that could make time intoi
cradle. They were dressed in thin white
| l'rockS, coming vaguely open at the backs rs
they stretched or wrggled; they had French
| novels, lemons, and Jumps Of sugar TO hc"uile
tilel Slilc VIII J.. lHc MOVIES iIdnpllS To-
gctlcr 10y the ends of Il string that had once
| stitched them. or adlrring ut the corners in
scly-lrllscd dogs cIr>, out OF which the
girls. wctting their finger, occasionally en-
treated Il gluey leaf. From time to time
| they cut lemon open, ground Il lump of ST.
gar backwards and forwards over it till every
fibre was in Il treachy pulp; then sucked the
pulp and gnawed the white skin into leathery
strings for the sake OF its bitter. Only one
sentence was exchanged in the fifty minutes
on the subject of things outside the carriage
the Al ps being once visible from station
where they had drawn up the blinds
"Don't those snow-caps make you cool r
"No; wish they did" And so they went
| their way, with sealed eyes and tormcntcd
limbs, their numbered miles of pain.