The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-23
La MADONNA DEL ROSARIO.
a Lorr STONY or rnn ArrNN1vrs.



lcys which lie between the several range.
OF the Aponuines there is n little quaint
country town known to the inhabitants Of
the Gcnovcsaio by the name OF Busalla.
In Itself it is not remarkable for much
bcauty, and certainly not for much clean
Illness or comfort 1t stands on the old
highway IRON Genoa to Turin. exposed to
the full heat of the summer sun, and, IN
WINTER to the unbrOken r,ish of the cast
wind from the mountains. Indeed during
the four or five cold months none but the
natives would care to live i'm any part of
the valley; but IN summer, If only you are
away fron'thc iowu ITSELF n more delicious
spot could scarcely be found. Down in
the valley the river crceps YEARLY along
in the hcat-amere streak on its vast stony
bsd-now and again only gathering to-
gether its forces TO leap madly down some
narrow dcnle II rock. Follow the rough
path that winds along on the brink of the
water; in an hour, or thercabouts, you
will reach "A little village costly nestled i'm
the lap OF the mountains, and watered by
many streams from the heart of the Apen-
mines themselves. The church stands on
this side the torrent; ITS tall campanilc is
ia relief against the hill, and only the
priests house, with few wcl-to-do cot
tages, are near il. The rest OF the village
Is on the farther side Of the stream. lying
about, diSordorly and rambling, but all
girt round with chestnut woods ard trut
orchards and vineyards. TO which there Is
no end.
1t Is the fiesta Of the Madonna del Rosa
rio. The bells are iingllng out thor sing
song storv-thite ltltle triplcts aud then
one big. dull stroke. ugly enough when
the river or the woods. The peasants are
trOoping to vespers. Old women, cross
ana grabbed. and ugly with n perfection OF
ugiiness only attained 10y ltalAn old wo-
men; girls chati CrIng, Z ggliug, and rof. D.
lrg, or perhaps comparing notes on the
respective merits of new shoes and aprons
or men there are few; these spend their
deyOtlun-huu1s on the church piazza, but
rarely enter the building, unless ii he for
moment toward the close of the service
Arrived before the door the women COM
plete their toilet one for another. by drap-
ing around their persons the white muslin
ptz-OUo. or vel worn by the Genoese
around the head and figure. Then they push
their way INTO the church. There is to be
II procession, and that attracts many peo-
pie. Here II comes. All eyes are turned
10 see who IL the foremost girl, she who
bears the stupCudous cross IN the front OF
the procession: for this post OF honor l.
much coveted 10y the women, and Is too
Oiten the cause OF heart burning and evil
feeling; ana to-day the choice has been
kept secret TIL the last An nstonlshed
ejaculation run. through the O. ovid rs she
appears. "koslna Fiugouel Who would
have thought ~ She Is not of the village,
ana WIZ would have susp |. CtCdhC Of being
a Evulite w.tL the PItVOstoT" An angry
Whisper greet- her n -he passes down the
stone steps ON to the piazza. The village is
Il" content; but ltosinu, careless OF public
opinion holds her wuv screuelv. IL WAS
not her doug: >hc but obtycd the COM
inhndS OF ihe piiest; why should She be
uscDuposcu The glrl Is worthy of note.
Large and tail, with broad. massive shout
ucr, maenincently moulded throat, and
full bdst, she carries III every motion
graceful strength AMI self-reliance rare
among the peasant races of other cOun-
tines. Her strong, splendid arms bear,
without evident effort, the pOndeIous bur
den. spite OF the measured pace OF the
sacred pageant. she walks without uuiv-
er. Her dress J. not precisely that OF the
Genoese girls. OF whom ten or twelve bear
her close company, carrying lighted Ia
pers II tells rather OF Lombard taste A
petuCOut OF "a soft. heavy stuff, probably
hOmespun, striped with crimson ON white
and so short as 10 leave plainly visible her
unstOckluged feet ana clumsy shoes; an
apron Of dark blue cauvns, n white Kerr
cher folded ross her bosom. fun white
sleeves to tac elbow, and the usual y z-OttO
only trlilc more cal elessly arranged
such l. her costume. Another mark OF
Lombard extra, ZION she bears III the costly
CJTtls round Ter neck and the huge silver
earrings that W IN down her ears. The
face IS nor hc.Iti.Ul, scarcely cookbook
ing. The mouth Is too large, The lips too
fuil, ana uugentle besides; the complex
ION TOO sailpw amt sunDurnt. From her
broad, low forehead, the coal black, wdvy
lair l. swept ASIDE ana fastened, III loose,
heavy colI>, ON hrr head by means OF IA
siiN,r dagger ana from oui her sumbrc
nrows the h,y black eyes look with Il
hNti determined gaZe. There Is mo-
thing winning aioat Rosiua. Her fa,-
cluiuon lies n Tho s!lrudI strength
winch suc tArlils 50 .uOtly IN eN-
ei5 carve aui u.ns,le col her body
strength 5" perfect mat 81 ias pissed all
ages OF Eauh,lic-s ana u-llues., aud has
coine out 1T" tie tar region oil unDienI-
lshrd grace ANA httuty.
Ih' Procession moves on, the priests
cnunilH- muuotunuus dlrIe, the people
making au~Wei ia the iull-iOucd notes for
Whc! Ii-llans must ever DC conspicuous,
even ia "a Glcgoruu chant. At stated III
tcrYal- thr ulstiaCt!ug treble Of the belts
i broken by the crash of the mOfidrCttl,
or pop-suns. ana thus the pageant draws
90 a 81 '-e Inc banners and crosses, hav-
Ing matte ihrlr round, down by the village
well ana through the meadows, aud up
a-Hu past tht >luduoO's house. and along
nc hI-h road. are lowered beneath the
tnrrth porch and grouped around the
lugn uliai. tine l'uedlctlOu Is gwen, and
IN pr. lOlluautc T. al an cnd.
Ihc girls Low economically fold away
Then ttrsh Nciis. ana, utln-lI-ai IN, saunter
toward the wei, rendezvous of the ldle |
OutS. the ilulIV- of the fiesta are now 10
bc@in. ON the turf, hard by, some lads
are hot over game Of bowls, Etsticulat-
lng' yociicraun- ana eXpostulutng with
true iiuilau liDlur.
llo, tncrc. Maddaicna,' shouts youth,
~ tnr girls approach; "and II was You
VINO were hu anacrcd not to gel the
!, Il of honor ~ the poo ts,om to-day"
." You mink sn en- rctorts the little |
cOni0dWd, laughing. " If you speak about |
carr lng tht ialgc cross, | can promise |
You mad enough last year. grew so hot |
and r,d IA tic LACE" never looked pretty |
a-aiu all the rest Of the fiesta. No, no; |
better II pt--u M doHIu IA block Of a wo- |
mann like kos.na, tor thar. Besides farther |
away from the priests one comes in Tor |
more fun"
Al hi, roar of laughter.
The speaker h. plump, merry little CO. |
quoitc, with n haiT ana irecklcd face-as |
pert u, IA cricket ana a. iickle rs feather
IN Inc hiccIc-whO chattcrs by the minute, |
ana sculds, laughs, and cries all al once.
" | y, You Mcn. she iattles on; are we |
gong To Lose al! the precious time We have |
lcit Tor luuf II is sdort cuOu-h anyhow. |
There Is but one such icsta III the year. |
where Is the iaucihgf
"Only one itstd,' suceIs another rirl. |