Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-01-04
HumOrs of Italian Begging.

Iris fair to observe that the Italian beg
gar usually renders tribute to an abstract
idea of manhood by assuming that he
has homo 5rolI como Sort OF service. This
service is not generally visible to the I'M
aided eye, and fancy that the magnify
ing glass of sufficient power to enable
you always to detect it has yet to be in
vented. But it is to his everlasting praise
that he often does try to throw 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 gentleman ten sous for lean
ing against dead-wall in front of a ho-
tel window The unexpectedness and the
insinuating audacity of the appeals fire.
quently take away your presence Of mind
and leave you limp, There was an old
son of Naples who dWelt en- curb-stOne
near the Castell dell' Ovo Stumbling
on his private public residence quite I'M
Intentionally one forenoon, | was immedi-
ately ass essed. Ever after he claimed me,
and finally brought his SON. in-law to me and
introduced him as q 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 fruit vessel.
but, sir" said, why should give
you anything? / don't know you"
'sThat is the reason, signor."
AT bottom it was an excellent reason
If paid the father-in-law for the pleas
ure 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 lien upon your
eXchequer. An urchin who turns him
self into a Catherine-w wheel at your car
rage side, or stands on his head under
the very hoofs of your horses, approaches
you with the confidence of a prodigal.
son. A three-day old nosegay thrown
into your lap gives small Italian maiden
in one garment the right to cling to the
fOotbOard of ycur 0etturG until you REIN
burse her. In driving from Pompeii to
Sorrento, no fewer than fifty of these floral
tributes will be showered upon you. The
little witches who throw the flowers are
very often pretty enough to be caught
and sculptured. An inadvertent glance
toward a fellow sleeping by the
roadside places you at once in
false position. [ have known an
even less compromising thing than
turn of the eyelid to establish financial re-
latlOns between the stranger and the ma
tive. | 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 Almost unexpected result.
Eight or ten young ragamuffins, who had
been summing themselves at gondola-
landing, instantly started up from re-
cumbent posture and advanced upon me
in semi-circle, with "Salute, signor, sa-
lutep' One Of these youths disturbed
preconceived idea of mine by suddenly
exclaiming, with an oath:
6 am boy, Americana"
AS ! had not come so far from home to
relieve the necessities of my own country
men, and as [ reflected that possibly this
rogue's companions. were also profane
Americanos, | gave them nothing but a
genial smile, which they divided among
them with the resignation that seems to be
national trait.-T'b0mGS Bailey AIdrach,
IN atlantic for January.