Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-01-11
mumora orIlnII.n RergInr.

NOOnls
HumOra OF Italian Begging.
1t is fair to observe that the
Italian beggar usually renders trib-
ute to an abstract idea of manhood
by assuming that he has done you
some sort Of service. This service
is not generally visible to the I'M
aided eye, and | fancy that the
magnifying glass of sufficient power
to enable you always to detect it
has yet to be invented. But it is
to his everlasting praise that he
often does try to throw a vail of
decency over the naked injustice of
his demand, though he is too apt
to be content with the thinnest of
fabrics. | have paid a Neapolitan
ten sous Tor leaning against dead
wall in front Of hotel window.
The unexpectedness and the insin-
uating audacity Of the appeal fire.
quenlly take away your presence
Of mind and leave you limp. There
was an old son Of Naples who
lived on curb-stone near the
Caltell DELI 0yo. Stumbling on
his private pubic residence quite
unintentionally one forenoon, |
was Immediately assessed. Ever
after he claimed me, and finally
brought his son-in-law to me and
introduced him as Il person com
bining many Of the most desirable
qualities Of a pensioner. One Of
his strong points was that he had
been accidentally carried off to
America, having fallen asleep one
day in the hold of a fruit vessel.
'But, sir" | said, "why should
| give you anything? | don't know
YOU"
"That i, the reason, signo2."
At bottom it was an excellent
reason. III paid the father-m-law
for the pleasure of knowing him,
was it not logical and just that |
should pay the son-in-law for the
much greater pleasure | had had in
not knowing him? The slightest
thing will serve, in Italy, for a lien
upon your exchequer, An urchin
who turns himselfinto Catherine
wheel at your carriage side, OF
stands on his head under the very
hoofs Of your horses, approaches you
with the confidence Of prodigaI
son. A three-day old nosegay
thrown into your lap gives a small
Italian maiden in one garment the
right to cling to the foOtboard Of
your vettura until you reimburse
her. In driving from Pompeii to
Sorrento, no fewer than fifty of
these floral tributes will be ohowertd d
upon you. It little witches who
throw the flowers are very often
pretty enough to be caught and
sculptured. An inadyertent glance
toward a fellow sleeping by the
roadside places you at once in a
false position. | have know an
even loss compromising thing than
q turn of the eyelid to establish
financial relations between the
stranger and the native. | have
known a sneeze to do it. One
morning, on the Mole at Venice, an
unassuming effort of my own in
this line was attended by a most
unexpected result. Eight or ten
young ragamqiiips, Whp had been
summing themselves at q gondola-
landing, instantly started up from
q reegmhent posture and advanced
upon me in 9 Eami-eircle, with
"Salute, signor, salute!" One of
these youths disturbed q preoon-
ceiyed idea of mine by suddenly
exclaiming, with an oath;
81 am a boy, Americana
As | had not come so far from
home to relieve the necessities Of
my own countrymen, and as ! re-
aeoted that possibly this Fogue'S
companions were also profane
Americanos, gave them nothing
but genial smile, which they
divided among them with the resig-
nation that seems to be q national
trait.--MOnaS Bailey Aldrich, IN
AtldRtjc for JanuarB