New-York tribune., 1878-06-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS
AN AMERICAN CONSUL ABROAD

whatever may have been their services III 0oi.i
eial OF polticalpoint of view has not 1aleu u
leave pretty decided mark in the held Oh hvera-
ture. Mr.. G. f. Testers "My COnsulship" at
Conoo and tbe brilliant descriptions of their official
life at Vienna by Mr. Donald Mitchell and Mr.. VIII
liam HoU,ells are among the most widely read pro-
auctions of their respective authors, while the
present volume by Mr.. Luigi MOnti, late Consul at
Palermo although it takes the form OF romance
and relates series of amusing fictitious adventures
is no doubt founded in fact and will attract atten
tiOn by its lively sketches and pleasant humor Inc
veraciOus hero of the story was originally VIaeo
Bchoolmaster in Quahaugsville, down on the Nape,
the native place of his excellent ana deVo'eu
wife Sally who aided him in the instruction OF seC
of unrulY boys and girls, mostly the cnlioIeu VI
fishermen some of whom were boardeIsln the Iahlhy
in order to ee out the scanty profits OF the private
seminary. When the war of Secession ibroke out,
things began to look dark the boys were sent OH 10
fsb ON the banks the girls were put in the public
schools everybody felt poor; Mr. Samuel sample
TON was at his wits ends for living; but after
brooding over the alternative of enisting as high
private for the war, or procuring commission in
Massachusetts, regiment, he made up his mind, at
the suggestion of Mrs. SampletOn, to put IN his
claim for O Government post either IN the
Custom House OF the Post ONCE, OF
perhaps in the diplomatic line. Through
the influence of the Member for the Dis
trict.o he was offered a consulshp in the charming
city of VerdecuernO, in the Mediterranean hc
eagerly swallowed the bait of fifteen hundred dol
lars year with the expenses of living not over ye
hundred. so that in a few years he could save up
snug little sum for rainy day. Besides 1t would
give him chance to study foreign languages, ana
fit him for higher position than country precep-
tor calling which he was obliged to resort to, as ne
had not the means of going to college. The happy
couple departed with their family of little glrls'
high in hope and strong in resolve, and a1ter greay
enlarginQ their experience by the excitements OF
sea-sickness and a glimpse of the way IN which
money could be spent in Liverpool and Parls'
arrived safely in the harbor of Verdecuerno. The
CITY stands as we are informed by Mr. Sampeton,
q" at the head of a lovely semi-curcular bay that
washes the shores of green slope gradually ascend
ing TO the foot of a chain of lofty mountains, that
form. asit were a back ground to it, 1t is town
of about 20O, 900 inhabitants and contains some
very famous ancient churches and converts. 1t is
the residence of the Civil Governor who administers
the affairs of the province, and the general who
commands the troops of q military department"
The first impressions were not reassuring =
When our steamer dropped anchor in the middle Of the
fhe passengers-we were surrounded by an innumera-
BILE quantity fvery small boats with very excaoIe
set of bOatmen, all screaming and yelling to the pssen
gers anxious 10 be engaged 10 carry them on snore
and as soon as the gangWay was Lowered, LnefS was
cards into our hands, and recommending sEcn anu su
hotels where the best accommodation with he most ou
srate charges could be Obtained-a speaking sort OF
Spurious English incOmprehensible TO the unlnltlateu
When addressing us or our English fellowpasseDgers
end q wild shrekng Vbbersh accompanied by extra
ordinary gestculatOns, when addressing the travellers
While we were in a sort Of Quandary TO what to do
being beset by dozen OF said vagabonds, all scream
fiOte t dHneg g.t eterre! Hotel de Russe United
States Hote and every other country in the universe
displaying their soied cards before our eyes, very
elegant looking gentleman pushed his way through tbe
crowd. and coming up to me- said' MI sAinpie'On
"The new American consul at this pOrti"
am Mr. Raphael, clerk and clearing agent Of the
consulate and acting as yiceconsu snes the departure
What the consul gone 4" exclaimed in astonish-
ment. "Why did he not wait till bad arrived to take
The late consul the moment he heard Of his recall
gave up the lease OF his house, left the office in my
return to the United States"
was very much disappointed at this; for had eX,
pected TO meet Colonel Mason, and obtain from him all
proper information and guidance In regard TO my Office;
ioT aitnOugn D9us1n I'm te i"oIt & nj ahoni fbe
service ieouired and Regulations" only gave gen
efai Information counted much the assistance ofny
predecessor in getting initiated in my ncw field OF duy
However said nothing to Mr. Raphael. except ASKING
States consulate and wheh learned that he had
served nearly fifteen years as clerk eleang3gent
of the oce felt much relieved as he could assist
me- and give me valuable information
Upon inquiry in regard to lodgings for his family,
the Consul was informed by Mr.. Raphael that he had
already made every arrangement, and had retained
the furnished house which had been occupied for
several years by his predecessor. This Mr.. Raphael
appeared to be very important person in the place;
everybody knew him, and gave way the moment he
appeared At wave Of his hand, every hotel-run-
per, boatman, and other vOciferating individuals
who had crowded around, respectfully fell back
There were great number Of hacks Oh tbe landing
toward us whips in hand, TO secure us as passengers
much the same way as all hackmeu IN every city We
had been in had done but Mr.. Raphael waving his
hand made them all stand back and led US to superD
open carriage that there waiting for us must ac-
knowledge that had never seen anything IKE II IN
our country; though have heard that they have such
at Newport and Saratoga during the Summer season,
and also NewYOrk, but not SO grand III was very
large open carriage lined with bpe san ana drawn by
a fine span OF black horses pdrty driver dressed IN
gray coat with enormously large slvered buttons anu
tall black hat with wide silver band, SAT on box.
Another man, dressed exactly IKE nm hed the door
ppen and when got in, and were fixed all rlght, he
shut the door, aud jumped on the DOX beside tue dNe
From their seats hung dOWh t@O " eiS 6s %
with Of silver buttons down almost 10 tue cus0h5
OF the front seats OF tue carriage. BOth my we ana
tce the very white stiff collars and crayats that both
the driver andthe other man w0re enc WOneIeu VINO
The furnished house was scale of Italian mag
nifcence which fairly made the hair of the Cape
Cod schOolmaster stand on end:-
We drove through a number Of narrow, crowded
streets and almost everybody around OF the poor
pe Oatng about standing III front OF their h0rstOok
III their hats whether to Mr. Raphael. TO ourselves or
10 the carriage could not tell. Finally winding his
way through crooked street the driver turned al oI
uddeD into what seemed TO church-dOOr, on level
with the street. for 1t large, that our big car
fiage went ia through 10 With perfect case We found
ourselves ia large covered and aghtcd at the
foot OF a wide red-marble staircase with carved marble
bansters leading three flights OF steps TO wide land
ing in front OF mahogany door with a
large oval glass in each panel. There were
pOts OF beautiful flowers al every step, ana
large flower yases scattered all about giving 10 the iad-
ngs and stairs the appearance Of garden On either
side OF this stood ancient st OF arnOf Whlch
Cgpayed through the bars Of the helmets two very nat
uraly carved human faces within. Ine children were
terribly scared the sight OF them for they really
seemed old warrl0T such had seen IN picture