Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-08-11
The Valleys Of Northern Italy.

Where the winding chain of the APP
PENNIES stretches upward from the sea,
crossing and recrossing the land with so
many and such strange devices that
from off the height of one Of the noun
tains themselves there seems scarce room
for a space of level plain, here, wedged
in between the ridges or sunk in the
clefts of the hills, are the fair valleys of
North Italy. Away from the blue sea
and its binding beauty and the mightier
heat of the shores, they hold a fresh
and free life of their own Heavy night
dews there feed Tho wild flowers that
sicken in the nerveless pallor of the
Summer sea-air, and fresh water runs
swiftly from mountain springs. Some
times they are narrow and hidden val
leys, in whose depths even villages could
scarce find home did they not climb
the hill-sides on either hand and camp
out, as it were, upon the meadows
or among the vineyards. Or, again,
they are wider, 80 that little towns have
been built within them-quaint towns
with tall houses and tall campanile, at
whose side there flows, perhaps, shall
low river, brown upon its shingly bed.
Where, north of Genoa and the sea some
twenty miles, the low back of the Glove
Mountain lies across the country, there
is one of these more open valleys that
creeps upward toward the higher peak
of Antola, and along Its way many a
picturesque little village has grown for
years, wearing out the thatched roofs of
Is chimneyless houses In clustering
mountain winds, or beneath hot suns,
y,t cheerily holding its own against
against them all, with storms and inun-
dations to boot. For the river flows
hard by, and is a cruel foe when the
great rains have been at work. The
little hamlets cling to the mountain
sides, and rarely have a common thor
oughfare beside them; but sometimes
they stand upon the roadside, and then
they can often boast a finer house in
their midst, for the torestieri come in
Summer, and the people whose houses
lie conveniently can let rooms. By
these villagers stone bridge is even
built over the stream, so that the tor
rent may be safely crossed when it is
swollen by the rain. And the people
are warm-hearted and simple in these
little Appennine homes, for there Is no
convention, and each one for himself
enjoys life to the full. / call them to
mind, and the summer days when bree-
zes move silently amid the leaves, when
the air is white with heat, yet clear,
above the green of the chestnuts; and
as l dream I remember one out of the
rest, whose life is the strongest in my
recollection. 1t stands below the crest
Of mountain, with shady woods and
orchards that girdle it around. / seem
to see the hills graceful form as write
soft shapes, vet varied outlines that
lie against the sky; subtle little waves
and indcntations of the earth, with which
play the lights and shades of the day
light. 1t is called the village Of San
Fedele, because there il a little oratory
near by, where the memory of that saint
Is held sacred in numerous shrines and
glories. Aprocession comes here once in
every ak months from the parish church
that stands as q centre to many hamlets
In the main valley below. Then the
chapel il aired and incensed; for the
] people Of San Fedels 60 to mass in the