Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-03-28
mo. 30l
What IA Merchant Saw in Europe.
NAPLES, ITALY,
SATURDAY.. ADril 22d.


What "a Merchant Saw in Europe.
NAPLES, ITALY,
Saturday, April 22d.j
Neoy Oaos at Home My last letter
left us seated about the supper table of
an inn at POrtici We were determined
to spare neither time nor money to sat
isfy the cravings of the inner man, for
YOU will remember our appetites had
been whetted by day of wandering
amidst, and wOnderment over Pompeii
The ordeal before us required both
strength and courage, fGI we lad prom
Used our insatiate curiosity peep at that
mountain whose mission has been de
stuction and seems not yet accomplish
ed.
Join us now as with our guide brought
from Naples, we 90 to the stables where
walt mules ana fresh guides inf the
Nrsuyian pilgrimage. If your pocket
book has been Invested of the ''qcbere-
1ojthaL" You may as we'll turn toward
the bank at Naples. We are to ascend
Nesuvius, and a night ascent costs
money, well spent though it be. It's
the edge Of evening, if it may be said
evening has an edge in Italy, and around
the horseshoe bay we see beauteOus gas
lit Naples. Darkness falls from the
wings of night as q feather is waited
downward from an eagle in his flight 5"
On impCtuOus mules we are following
our leader guide, turning sharp house
corners, and vending serpentine alleys
of POrtici. Twist and turn, hither,
thither, amidst foul damp of sunless re-
treats, and now past villas whose gar
dens send us upon the freighted evening
air, delicate and rich perfume. To the
main bride path, over smooth blocks of
lava, slipping and sliding, we switch and
kick our beasts onward and upward to
the carriage road. See that impertinent
fellow holding my horses tail being
dragged up the rugged hill. 1t is we'll
to have compassion, but fellow cling
ing from sheer laZiness to the labOring
animal, for whose exclusive service |
have paid dearly, is too much tor human
nature to bear, nor can dignity with
stand such righteousness, now that we
are on the much freQuented carriage
road. Hold on, now, that's enough of
this Although he couldn't understand
English, he obeycd my injunction and
continued to hold on. suddenly | am
possessed Of an eXpedient You see
these long hickory staffs given Us at
P0rtici. to assist in climbing? | grumble
at my horse. kick him, grow furious,
and Whaok goes my staff backward,
wrapping the knucklcs Of the Obdurate
hanger-on. Ugh arrah," the Italian
cries, as he runs alongside holding pair
Of clumsy pine torches. Such is my in
PRODUCTION to our torch bearer, and hay-
ing fully satisfied him of deep regrets
for the mishap, he returns to the horses
tail and we 60 peacefully plOdding up
ward. As we wandered amidst the
ruins of Pompeii, this morning. my eyes
involuntarily turned toward the smoking
mountain. There has been a singular
fascination which has drcamily riyctcd
my gaze upon it. Under sunlight it
smoked Enthusiastically, but now under
starlight il blaZcs a a monster watch
fire in the heavens How peaceful it
looks, although we have been frequent
iy assured that the eruption lust now is
mCommonly fine. Looking at the great
bonfire above us, it is hard to realize It's
not thing Of human kindling. We can
scarcely credit the eloquent words of
Arnold, 1t dWclls apart in mrulcuting
savagcry, only at times, with many a
throc. its womb disgOrgcs the monsters
that kennel there to rayage at will DER
all the scene around And there it shall
remain, the symbol and the source of
desolating ruin, till the dav when the
world shall be unpeopled, and it shall
-toop from its throne to ally itself with
a havoc more fearful than its own. We
keep on the winding road for J time,
passing carriages going up and carriages
coming down; cQuestrians and pgdCslri-
ans. We tarry at the wine station for a
bottle of the famous Lachryma Christi
blood of Christi sold here at two francs
(about 80 cents per bottle. Now off
the road and through the detile up the
Crags. So uncertain is the footing for
our beasts that one might think twas
our horses and mules, not ourselves, who /
partoolI of the wine. Curling bend, |
we suddenly haul up at a stone house /
whose ground floor seems one vast stable. !
Dark and uninviting as the witches cave /
where Glaucus and lone were sheltered /
from the storm, we are surprised to hear |
our guide say, ''Zis be de Hermitage. -
We dismount and are led by a sharp |
Witted boy who can batter English amaz- /
ingly, up creaky stairs, with devious |
turns, our only light the sickly rays of /
an expiring candle, which did good ser
vice at its best moment if it fully pcne-
trated such blackness of darkness. This,
the third, is the parlor floor, used as hab-
table apartments. What a picture of
Do they call this Hermit
age? God pity the Hermits. How do
they live? We strain our eyes at the
dark corners, through each side door,
looking in vain for the Hermits We
they are all dead, when comes
the antipode of a Hermit, accompanied
by his wife,-lord and lady of the Vesu-
gius manor Were they not so young. |
and Judy. ''Du Chambre, we say, and
ment, with ragged brick floor, a pine
table in the center and misused sofa in
the corner, which article, at first glance.
we thought to be a relic of old Pompeii.
There are three crippled chairs, and one
window and candle doing its level best
10 penetrate the gloom. Wearied almost
to distraction, and this is all the comfort
to be had at the Hermitage. Not a bed
3avagely at old Punch and scowl at Judy,
and then eye each other with long-faced
w must dCCepI tnlS udkeu room not
even with the consolation that we are do
ng penance. Down go three of our par
" on the sofa. Wait! Wait but a mo-
nent. Write me false prophet if the
sofa proves a lasting comfort. Do you
observe the growing restlestless already
apparent? They scratch gently. Now
arm, now leg. See Sheldon turn over
and Smaller rubs furiously, and
Wilson up with the cry g F7eas Z"
I Boys that sofa is oljUe." Sheldon
-ushes forward declaring he is on fire,