St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-03-19
VOLUME 3S---NUMBER 1864.

| Every one seemed to Shun us : even
the HberdH seemed to stand aloot, Will,
those who some months since had re-
ceived the word with JOY now thought
there was no hope of any success
Frosinoue is the capital of IL province
having Il population of 10000 souls
1t has Il railway three mile,
from the town, Il strong police force, Il
court of Justice. two or three hundred
soldiers, few friars, perhaps thirty
priests, and no bishop. The last bishop
resident ut Frosiaonc, i'll Il popular tn,
multi, was thrown through the window
of his palace. in consequence of which
his successors feel themselves more Sc
cure at Neroli. eight miles away. The
streets are so narrow or so steep that
carriages only bring you to the gate OF
the city.
Domestic architecture is scarcely
known. The generality of the houses
are something between the kennel and
| the stable. The one i'll which | write is
one of the best, as may he supposed
! from the fact that the secretary of the
SinddcO resides on the first floor. The
ground floor. dedicated to the live
! stock. consists of stables, sites. and
cellars. oponing into Il court. where the
brutcs assemble on the dunghill the
Ass, the pig. the goat, the sheep. the
cock. the rat. the lizard. and occasional
| " II snake. The first and second flats.
composed of four rooms and II kitchen.
| have common brick floors. while the
ceiling shows rattcr and beam. There
/ is no drainage.
The street was formerly the common
seweE where the pig and the child
played together now the ciOdcd ma
cScDd is the NaId above referred to. in
which. in July. II ftImcnting mass of
pollution di>tilS tcvcrs and smallpox.
and prepares the way for the cholera
in autumn. If such hc state of things
III this house. You can easily imagine
what it must he in the houses of the
poor.
Things are now changing. but slowly.
After all the efforts of the Government
and municipal authorities. not more
than five per cent. are able 1" read.
The poor wear no shoes. but Il simple
sole of hide bound To the foot. The
ancient tunic of the Roman slave. the
long. rough sack (sdrdyd.) is still i'll II>c {:
the belt round the waist. and the cone
NdI. t'lliI'ltl lHt 'l'lllllIE VI llIt ftb-
cidIO.
Al two nr three in the morning he
rises. and dc>ccmd> from the city. to
lahuur on the plain. where fever comes
with the dew at morn and eve. When
hunger i felt. Il large stone is heated
in the cracking wood. and flour of
Indian corn. mixed with salt and water.
l. conN crtcd into something which has
the appearance of oi-cakc. Water
from the brook, and unripc beans. make
mp at this season the cottcr~ meal
He MEASURES distances by the time il
takes to travel them. and the hour of
the day hN its ncIImc>> to dawn. noon.
or eve. 10y the morning MASSES. or 10y
the Ave Maria. The year has for its
landmarks the gItat ica>t> "t the
Church. Some do not know how old
they are. nr how long they have been
married and often. hen they think
they du. they answer the question 10y
Wing they have ''foun or five tens.
In fact. have been told 10y Il iailer
that many cannot count more than ten.
Those " ho are raised above the level
| refer Ia aIc the victims uf their ignur-
aucc in Il thousand WAYS. They sell
when they ought t" keep sell the com
often when III the ear borrow money
at fabulous rates of interest. and sign
contracts which reduce them To some
thing like slavery. The women are no
better OF. Brough mp in houses which
resemble kennels. in Il circle which
rcck> with superstition. I:d rings with
hla>phrnN. ot which You have little
idea. She i> accustomed To libuur. wash
ing up I" her knees in the valley brook.
t" carry the great cOHchd of water from
the stream. the com from the field. the.
sack Ia the mill. She i~ the dupc of
the priest. Al earliest dawn she is at
church. often III the confessional. She
brings the tl"N"r- inr the altar the oil
for the lamps. the silver offerings t"
the shrine. Without her. the lamps
would soon hc quruchrd. the altar
naked. lIIc shrine deserted. And what
has t'.c Church done for her Kept
her III harharir >cIvitudr. gil,led the
Chains of her slavery. and colISccl;lted
her social ruin. often in the winter
1 these p"uI women live on the roots of
"ra>>. nr the roots of trees. MANY
never see bread in their houses for
months together. Thousands have sold
| their children To the >laVc-ownrr OF
| London and New York. who live on the
| blood and bones of the little organ
! grinder.
One feels all the more interest III this
people because of their latent power
and dormant faculties. Instead of Il
! population which is the condemnation
of Vatican crime. this region. we'll rul-
tivatrd. this people. educated and civ
! IlII.I nIuht h.IN.. l,.nI, tl,, a,
of Italy. Physically. the type is tn,
finest. The men sit for painters il
Rome aS models. NOT only for all tn,
heroes of classical antiquity. but tol
the prophets and apostles. angels an,
archangels. of Papal churches Th,
women are worShiped in the Madonna,
of the greatest painters. and in thci
extraordinary strength. splendid forms
complexion alive with richest coloring
and eyes glowing with wild fire. ON,
recognizes the justice of their selection
Still. it is not i'll the adult. but IN tn,
child. that one sees the true nature %
the ciOcidrd. The boy of six. lcapin.
! and shouting from morn till eve. o
standing in that rag of IL shit on tn,
steps. against the darkness of the door
way. through which see the timid foa
of an ass. Is equal to any mothers sol
on the face OF the earth and vet. il
tive-and-twcnry years, when that ass i
old and decrepit. You will find in it
eyes il mcekneS> which will awakel
sympathy. and almost command tear
but that little boy will have becom,
the silent man, suspicious and suspected
repulSive and repelled-alone. with til,
Madonna round his neck. and social an,
moral perlition in his face. the brigan,
of the South
L