The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-01-30

tracks, which, after q rain, became rivalsts,
overfowipg the road. and rendering is nearly
paths indicated that others had found q way
by the zelda
Renzo assembled one of these paths to the high
ground, whence be beheid, as If rising from
desert and mo-, in the midst of city, the noble
structure of the cathedral, and he forgot All
his misfortunes in contemplating. even q .
distance, this eighth wonder OF the world, OF
which be had heard 90 much from his infancy.
Bot looking back, he saw in the horizon the
notched ridge of mountains, and distinctly
perceiving amorg them his own Resesone. he
gazed at it mournfully awhile, and then with
. beating heart went on his way. Steeples,
towers, CO polas aud roofs soon appeared. He
descended into the road, and whom he perceived
that he WAS very near the city, he accosted .
traveller, with the civility which was natural
to him, /" Will You be so good, sir"
What do you want. my good young man -
shortest way 70 the convent Of the Cspuehins,
where Father Bonaventura residesp
He replied, very afably, "My good lad, there
is more than one convent; you must tell me
Renzo then took from bis bosom the letter OF
Father Christopher, and presented it to the
gentleman. Who, after having read it, returned
nate, young man the convent You seek is bnt
q short distance from this Take this path to
the left-it is by.way, and in q little while
low building that is the lasaretto; keep along
the ditch that encircles it, and you will soon
be st the eastern gate. Enter, and few steps
further on yon will see before You an open N
there-you cannot mistake it. God be with
you!' And accompanying his last words with
kind wave of his hand, he proceeded on his
way.
Keno was astouished at the good manners
of the citizens TO countrymen, not knowing
that it was extraordinary day, day in
which cioaks hum bied themselves to doublets.
He followed the path which had been pointed
ont to him, and arri ged at the eastern entrance,
which consisted of two pilasters. with a roofing
above to secure the gates, and on one side was
a small house for the toll-gatherer. The open
ings of the rampant descended irregularly, and
their surface was filed with rubbish. The street
of the suburb which led from this gate was not
unlike the one which now opens from the ToSa
gate. A small ditch ran in the midst of it,
IN til within few steps of the gate, and divided
it into two small crooked streets, covered with
dust or mud, according to the season At the
place where is the collection of houses called
the Dorghetto, the ditch empties into q common
sewer, and thence into another ditch which
runs along the walls. At this point was a
Dioai9i; to the right and left were gardens
enclosed by hedges, and at intervals small
houses inhabited for the most part by washer.
women. Reno passed through the gate with
out being stopped by the tol-gatherer, which
appeared TO him very remarkable, as he had
heard those few of his townsmen who could
boast of having been at Milan, relate wonder
ful stories of the strict search and close in
quiries to which those were subjected who en-
tered its gates. The street was deserted, and
if he had not heard the humming of . crowd
ut distance, he might have thought he was
entering . city which had been abandoned by
its inhabitants. As he advanced, he saw on the
pavement something scattered here and there
| which was as white as snow, but snow at this
season it conld not be he touched it, and
found that it was -four. There must be q
great plenty in Milan," said he, 4" if they thus
throw away the 'giftS Of God. They give ont
| that famine is everywhere; this they do to
| keep poor people abroad quiet" Bot in few
| moments he arrived in front of the column
and saw on the steps Of the pedestal certain
stones, and which. if they had been on . bakers
counter, he would not have hesitated to cal
loaves of bread. But Reno dared not SO easily
trust his eyes, but truly this was not place
| for bread. "Let see what this is, said he
and approaching the column he took one il
his hand (; it was, Indeed, very white loaf o
bread, such as Reno was accustomed to ea
! only on festival days.
| at is really bread!" said he, in wonder
" Do they scatter it thus here, and in q veal
| like thisf And do they suffer il to lie here
and not take the trouble to gather iti Thi
must be fine place to live in !" After ter
miles of travel in the fresh air of the morning
the sight of the bread awakened his appetite
" Shall take it p said he again. "Poh! they
may take advantage of it; and if the owne
should come, can pay him at any rate" s.
saying, he put in one pocket that which b.
had in his hand, took a second and put it il
|
and resumed his way, full of wonder at th'
strangeuess of the incident. As he moved OF
he saw people approaching from the interio
of the city; and his attention yves drawn t.
those who appeared frst-a man, q woman Ant
a boy, each with load which seemed beyond
their strength, and exhibiting each grotesqu'
appearance. Their clothes, or rather thei
rags, powdered with meal, their faces the same
and excessively heated; they walked, not onl.
as if overcome by the weight, but as if thei
limbs had been beaten and bruised. The mai
supported with difficulty q great bag of -four
which, having holes here and there, scattered
its contents at every unequal movement. Blu
the figure of the woman was still more remark
able. She had her petticoat turned up, fille'
with as much -four as it could hold, and littl
more, SO that from time to time it flew over tn
pavement. She was, indeed, a grotesque pic
ture, with her arms stretched out to encompass
her burden, and staggering under its weight
her bare legs were eeen beneath it. The DO
held with both hands basket full of bread o
, his head, but he was detained behind hi
parents to pick up the loaves of bread whic
} were constantly falling from it.
If you let another fall, you ugly littl
81 don't let them fall, they fall of then
selves. How can help it I" replied he
I'll GEh itJa we'll for thee that m banda Al