Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-10-26
ROMAN FOLK LORE.

hoNAN n oLh LUXE.
PADRE FTLIPPO, we are told went
one evening to the house where GER
tain Cardinal Gastaldi, who was very
fond of society, was enjoying himself.
Going into an empty room, he asked
that the Cardinal might be sent to him,
and when he entered, addressed him
thus: I our Eminence, come to this
window. | have something to show
you"
The Cardinal came to the window
as he was desired, and looked out, but
instead of the houses he saw pandemo-
MUM opened and all the souls in the
flames. A great serpent was wriggling
III and out among them, biting them,
and IN the midst was a gilt Cardinals
chair.
Who is that for?" quoth His Emf
nence, who for once felt no ambition
for the chief seat in the synagogue.
For your" responded Father
Filippo.
:" What must do to escape p ex-
claimed the conScience-Stricken man.
Upon which Padre Filippo read him a
lecture upon penitence and amend
ment of life, by which it is comforting
to read that he profted, and turning
over new leaf became as devout as
he had been heretofore profane.
One day the same Padre Filippo,
who is a very favorite saint with the
Roman people, was walking through
the streets when he saw a crowd much
excited standing round the door of a
house, and, inquiring the reason, was
told that a man was beating his wife
because she was SO ugly. After a
time the husband became tired of this
exercise and went off, and then Father
Philip went TO the poor woman house
and knocked at the door, which she
Immediately opened to him; but, pre-
pared as he was for total absence of
all attractiveness in her appearance,
she was SO very ugly that when he saw
her he could not help starting. He,
however, said nothing, but made the
sign of the cross over her and prayed
feryently, and presently she became so
extremely beautiful that no one could
see her without remarking her.
Your husband will beat you no
more,' said Father Philip, as he took
his leave, overwhelmed with her
thanks.
Now this woman had neighbor,
who was as beautiful as she was ugly,
and as bad as she was good, and it oc-
Cured to her that, as Padre Filippo
had apparently acquired the art of
making beautiful, perhaps forever,
she had better go at once and take adj
vantage of his skill. So she presented
herself before the door of his cell and
asked him to make her handsomer
than she was. But Padre Filippo,
like a good and discerning saint, knew
almost without looking at her that she
was woman of quite a different
stamp from the other. SO he prayed
and made the sign of the cross over
her also, but with very different re-
suit. From being handsome she be-
came ugly, even uglier than the other
woman had been. Of course, she was
furious when she consulted mirror
she had brought with her and saw the
fatal change the short prayer had
made in her appearance.
"Why have you treated me differ
emily from the other woman?" she
exclaimed Indignantly.
Because, answered the saint,
s'Deauty was of use to her; but you
have used the beauty God gave you
only as an occasion of sin; therefore,
/ have removed a stumbling block out
of your way.
The next category includes ghost
stories and local and family traditions
The ghost stories are not numerous,
and are held in such general contempt
and scorn that it is almost an insult
to ask for one. With local and family
traditions it is quite different. The
Roman peasantry treasure up every
thing that relates to their great fami-
lies, and recount the legends connect
ed with them with all the gusto of a
Scottish Highlander. The sad story
of Beatrice Cenci is often told, with
MANY variations, as are also stories of