The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-20
1.-THE Countries Of History,
Ch1valry and Fable"
|STR0MB0L[, MOUNT ETNA AND MALTA.
Enthusiastic Reception OF the Ex-Presi-
dent in Malta.

ana OF tho honor which wo oil the wardroom, In our
modest way. paid TO our llussrious guests Tho next
morning there werc calls to make-ofacal calls on
eor-uls and generals and projects and great people.
This 10 one OF the dutiesI nearly writing penal
ties-ot our "Trip the ncognito Of General Grant is
ono thai no ono will respect. He declines all honors
and attentions, SO far no DO 30
without rudeness and especially indfer.
ont to tho parade and etiquette by which
/ his journey surrounded. II lie amusing, Knowing
General Grants feelings this subject, to read the
articles In English aud homo papers his craving
for precedence and bis fear lest he may have the
proper seat table and tho highest OF guns
General Grant has declined evory attention of On
Official character thus far, except those whose non
acceptance would have beon misconstrued. When be
arrives ~ port his habit is to 60 ashore with his
wife and son. what is to DO SEEN aud drift about
from palace to picture gallery like any other wander
Ing, studious American doing Europe. Sometimes
the officials are too prompt for him but generally,
unless they call by appointment they find the General
absent This matter Is almost too trivial to write
about; but there better business tor chronicler
than to correct wrong impressions before creating
now ones Hcrc for instance, Is an editorial article
( from an American spapcr which has driited into
wardroom those Mediterranean seas. Tho
journal is responsible newspaper, with wide circu-
laton. informs that Gen oral Grant travels with
because th> men who attencd on the corruptiops OF
his administration gave him share OF their
plumber He went to the Hotel Bristol In Paris. Ho
look tho Prince OF Wales apartments. He nevcr
asks the Of his rooms At hotels but throws money
sbout with lavish hand. These are the statements
which reads the columns Of an American
journal. The truth that General Grant travels not
ike prince. but as private citizen. He has ono
servant and courier He never was In The
Prince Of Wales apartments In the Hotel
Bristol in his life His courier arranges
Tor his hotel accommodations, as oouriers always
do, and the who docs this ONCE for tho General
takes pains mako good bargains for his master az
possible So far from General Grant being a rich
man, think am not breaking confidence whom say
that tho duration vi his trip will depend altosesher
upon bis income. and his income depends altogether
upon the proceeds Of his investment OF tho money
presented TO him at the close OF tho The Presi-
dency yielded him nothing in the way OF capital and
hs has not q dollar that came to HIM
o1aciaL BY this ! mean that tho
money paid General Grant soldier and
Rresident spent by him In supporting tho dig.
nifty Of his ofscc Everybody knows how much money
was given him at the close Of tho war. AZ this all
we'll invested and has grown. you may estimate the
fortune Of tho General and about how long that for.
tune would enable him TO travel like prince or
Tammany exile over Europe. There are many people
~ homo who do not like Generrl Grant. who quarrel
With his politics and think his administration
calamity. That Is matter Of opinion. But his fame
soldier Is dear every patriotic American, and
I'm glad OF tho opportunity OF brushing away one or
two OF tho cobwebs OF SANDER which SEQ growing
t. over II.
MEMORIES OF PALERMO.
But this 10 aggression. was thinking OF Palermo
In hor holiday nnery; Tor the Christmas bells arc in
the air, and, walk from street. we see
the South, the Catholic South, every group can
we'll imagine how this sunny, picturesque town might
grow on ono alter q timc Yct 10 prim, well
ordered northern Dyes Is hard to become accustomed
the dirt and squalor OF the town. This Sicily is tho
land OF many civilizations Hero Creek the Cartha
genian, tho Romsn and the Saracen have made their
mark. This Is the land OF the poetry Of Homer the
genius Of chimsdes the philosophy and pety OF Paul
These hills and bays and valleys have mighty
armies striving for the mastery OF the world. Cor.
sainly II example, or precept the opportunity Tor
great deeds could ennobe a nation Sicily should be
tho land Of heroes. But its heroism has fallen into
rags. and the descendants Of the who destroyed
tho Athenian fest In Syracuse, and who confronted
tho power OF Carthage At Agrigontum, now spend
their timo sleeping in the sun, swarming around
chapel doors 10 beg and hiding In the hills to
wsylay travellers and rob them or keen them
for . ransom. Brigandaee has for generations
been the dominant INDUSTRY in the SIcilea II were
TO repeat all the stories OF tho banditti might tax
your creduiy. There 10 nothing that takes romantic
dimensions rapidly stories OF crimo anu adven.
turs But ono OF tbs gentlemen who called on Gen.
Grad Grant yesterday is an English banker resident.
few mouths ago he went out of town with his
brother to visit some mining property In which 10
was Interested. Whom no reached tho station, ana
vas quietly walking through tho town, two horsc-
mon gaopcd ur, leading p riderlcss horse They
had carbines over their shoulders They stopped the
banker and bade him mount Ho objected, and
appealed TO some fellow passengers for protection
Trey shrugged their shoulders and told him that
Gods will had TO DO done. and no had better mount;
these armed men Lconi tho terrible brieano and
alieutenant, who would murder any who interlcrcd
with him. So the banker mounted and carried
into the hills. He vod In cavo and was arrayod in
brgand's costume. messenger was sont 10 his
family saving that unless 60 600 franco were paid
within certain time the banker would DO slam
Tho money paid, one-half by tho government tac
other By tho family, and the banker came homo after
shres weeks life In the hills. All this happened
within fow months, and tho victim Is well known
II Palermo az Mr. Belmont New York. Tho can.
iure was arranged careful business pr,uciples
The bandit bribod servant Of the banker to inform
him OF his masters and took his measures
accordingly.
WHAT THE NEW GOVERNMENT DOING.
4 allude to brigandage as q domnant industry But
s due to the Italian government say that the au-
Ihortes have done all IN their power 10 suppress IT,
This brings me to another point--the manifest and
gratifying advance that has been In Sicily since
Tho union Of tho Italian nation under Victor EN-
manuel have doubt that shere are many things
about such reign that Of the Bourbons to be 70.
sretted. especially by society like that Of Palermo
In tho Bourbon days kings came hero and
lived In the palaces Now the palaces are
deserted. Occasionally prince comes and there Is
ripple OF life, but general thing Palermo longer
royal. courtly town. ! visited ono or two OF the
houses OF the King--housss which untenantcd un
ess BY the roya servantA There the chatsau OF
La Favorita, for instance We reached It by q long
drive through the envrons Of the city under range OF
Monte PcIiogrno. Tnis range Is one OF
tho attractions OF the city. u Is grny