New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-27
POOR GENTRY IN ITALY.
%n1n The OmnhM.


Instead of three servants, there Will be put one,
there is one at ALL and the dinner will consist OF
one dish instead of seven or eight. AT tins mldday
meal-the only substantial one OF the day-Ineh;
and women too, if blessed with good appetites and
not too much pinched for money, VIII eat enor,
mOusly. | have heard of a lady who demolished
daily a whole turkey and of count, VINO, living
alone, ate for dinner invariably Two fowls, one
roast and the other boiled. There seems SORT Oh
sameness about these menus. but Their severe SIM
plicity is only for strict privacy When guests are
expected the establishment will display wonderful
resources, and every opportunity Will be seized 10
show off was much puzzled on one occasion by
being offered wine in twelve different glasses, all pre-
sented together on tray. The twelve wine-gasses
were succeeded by twelve cOtfee-cups all full ~
first supposed that other visitors were expected,
but it soon become evident that SUCH was not tne
case The object was to display the whole store OF
glasses and cups.
Il is amazing how smart the very poorest lady
who has any pretentiOns to being such VIII turn
out on occasions however dilapldated her home
attire Two young ladies belonging TO An old out
utterly ruined family whose parents we're zoo zoo poor
evening walk In the most fashionable OF hats ana cos
tunes with their FANS sInellIng-bottes lace hand
kerchiefs and gloves all complete. In order to OBJ
tam these dresses the young ladies had to con-
descend 80 far as to work for the peasants, who
paid them for the manufacture OF the smart stays
and chemses they on feast days. The attempts
at being highly fashionable, combined with an en-
tire ignorance of the ways of the fashionable world
produce sometimes the strangest lncOngrqltes Inc
lace veil is almost confined to tine class called
"artisti that is shOpkeepers and skilled work
people but few of the old-fashloned ladies sui
keep TO it. Curious specimens OF decayed
nobility are TO be found In these remote
yllages-peOple bearing grand names, and retaining
c. nsIderabe pride III their ancient lineage
whom generations of idleness and untruthfulDess
have reduced TO extreme poverty. They are not
educatcd for any profession, and when starvation
sares them in tho face they have no resource but to
earn their bread by manual Labor One noble count
of nv acquaintance is a carpenter; another brick
LAYER | have seen the lTduu1augnterSO OF countess
working in the fields With their fortunes their
manners deteriorate, until nothing but a remnant
of pride remains to distinguish them from the
peasants between whose class and theirs 80 great
gulf was once fixed. | remember nothing more
melancholy than the aSSemblage or these poverty
stricken mobiles | once met at the house Of
the rich man of q village. we were az sup
per: and as one ragged and dirty old man
after another came shamDlhg IN, Sacn ID urn Urn
was, to my great surprise, introduced as the
descendant OF an ancient aud noble family,
but fallen" caduto added my host, with "a ges-
ture of compassion. The old man would then DOW
his head in melancholy acquiesence, and, casting .
rucful glance at ms shabby CLOAK with the faued
green lining, would SINK into chair ut the lar end
of the table One of these fallen mobiles, VINO had
taken to house painting We thought 1t only charl-
table TO employ Tor the decoration OF our celnnB.
/ was prepared 10 feel quite romantic interest IN
this unfortunate nObleman aud 10 DC enchanted
with his artistic genius, but he so uncOmmonly
dirty and his manners were 50 little removed trom
those OF peasant that my illusions were dlspelIed
at once Neither did his style OF decoration ex-
actly come up to my ideal, although 1t was amblt-
ious enough. A basket Of flowers soon adorned eacn
corner oil our ceiling, and in the centre from amidst
clouds and aths of roses arather shapeless Cupid
began To be dellneated In the middle OF the work,
the ar .ist whose temper snort. aud whose feel
ings were sensitive, took offence, as we sup
posed at some umntentiOnal slight on our
mart Without the slightest explanation he
departed one day, leaving the Cupid minus one leg
and one arm and returned no more. Poor cupid /!
being in such u sadly mutilated condition., We
Thought il best to do away with him altogether
and my husband, mounting ladder. swept coat
of wmtswash over Cupid, clouds, baskets Of noWers
and all This operation was repeated several times
but the Cupid would keep reappedrIng III CHASTITY
manner.
Whilst still stranger to the peculiar customs of
INV new country, | surprised AT receiving a
visit from lady who presented herself III the fol
lowing manners She arrived on horseback, or,
should say Oh donkey -back, and she rode astrlde.
She announced desire 10 speak with the slgnora
but first begged that she ana her donkey might
be refreshed with food, as they had come u long
Way The pair seated themselves Ut the kitchen
table ana were served. | was informed, meantime,
that a lady-a very great lady-was waiting III
the kitchen to speak 10 me. Understanding that
the great lady preferred the kitchen to any other
room descended, and found good looking woman,
well dressed III the Od-lashloned style, Win black
lace veil and "a IAN Her manner was courteous
aud dignliied, and felt, when SHE renoluted her
donkey and rode away that had been the object
of nucu cOuuesceIslun.