The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-11-29
CHAPTER III.


THE FAiREST SIGHT or ALI
1t is spring-the beautiful spring of
Northern italy. My friend Kenyon
and | are lounging about in the rect
angular city of Turin, as happy
and idle a pair of comrades as
may anywhere be met with. We
have been here week, long
enough 10 do all the sightseeing
demanded by duty. We have
seen San Giovanni and the churches.
We have toiled, or beasts of burden
have toiled with us, up La Superga,
whore we have gazed at the mausoleum
of Savoy's princely line. We have seen
enough of the cumbrous old Palazzo
Madame, which frowns at our hotel
across the Piazzi CASTILLO. We have
marveled at the plain, uninteresting-
looking Palazzo Reae. and our mirth
has been moved by the grotesque brick
work decoration of the Palazzo Carig-
nano. We have criticised the rather
poor picture gallery. In fact we have
done Turin thoroughly, and, like the
contempt bred by familiarity, arc ceas-
ing to feel like pitiful little atoms as
we stand in the enormous squares and
crane our necks looking at Marochctti's
immense bronze statues.
Our tasks are over. We are now sim
ply loahng about and enjoying our
selves; reveling in the delicious wealth
err, and trying to make up our languid
but contented minds rs to when we shall
leave the town and where our next rest
ing place shall be.
We wander down the broad Via di
Pc, lingering now and then 10 peer into
] ho ;oi, Nt-hi La, in,
shady arcades: we pass through the
spacious Piazza Vittorio Emanuele; we
! cross the bridge whose five granite arch
es span the classic Pc; we turn oppo-
site the domed church and soon are
! walking up the wide, shaded path which
leads to the Capuchin Monastery, the
| broad terrace in front of which is our
favorite haunt. Here we can lounge
and see the river at our feet, the great
town stretching from its further bank,
the open plain beyond the town, and,
far, far away in The background, the
glorious snow-capped Alps, with Monte
Rosa and Grand Paradis towering
above their brothers. No wonder we
en- oy the view from this terrace more
than churches, palaces or pictures.
We gaze our fill, then retrace our
steps and saunter back as lalily as we
came. After lingering few moments
at our hotel some hazy destination
prompts us to cross the great square,
past the frowning old castle. leads us
up the Via di Seminario. and we find
ourselves for the twentieth time in front
of San Giovanni. i stop with my head
in the air admiring what architectural
beauties its marble front can boast, and
as am trying to discover them am
surprised to hear Kenyon announce his
intention of entering the building.
"But we have vowed VOW" | said,
''that the interior of churches, picture
galleries, and other tourist traps shall
know us no more"
"What makes the best men break
their vows?'
.Lots of things, suppose"
''But one thing in particular. Whilst
you are staring up at pinnacles and
buttresses, and trying to look as if you
knew architecture us well rs Ruskin.
the fairest of all sights, beautiful
woman, passes right under your nose
IL understands absolve you."
THANK you. She went into the
church. feel devotional, and will &c
too"
But our cigarsp"
"Chuck them to the bepgars. Be
ware of misery habits, Gilbert; they
grow on one"
Knowing that Kenyon was not the
man to abandon choice Havana with.
out weighty reason, did as he sug.
gested and followed him into the dim
: cool shades of San Giovanni.
. No NUas noinp IN Tho ucua
little parties OF sightseers were walking
about and looking much impressed a;
beauties they could not comprehend
were being pointed out to them. Dottec
about here and there were silent wor
, ly in quest of 1.-The fairest of all sights, y
| and after while discovered her.
placed myself next to him, and saw
few seats from us an old italian
t woman kneeling and praying lervently
whilst in a chair at her side sat a CIR
} of about twenty-five.
' A girl who might have belonged Il
} almost any country. The eyebrows an,
4 cast-down lashes said that the eyes wer,
dark, but the pure pale complexion, thu
| delicate straight features, the thicl
| brown hair might, under circumstances
\ have been claimed by any Nation, al
t though had met her alone / shoul'
+, have said she was English. She wa
= we'll but plainly dressed, and her man
!, ner told me she was no stranger to th
: church She did not look from side t.
c side, and up and down, after the wa
t of sightseer. She sat without MOVING
n until her companion had finished he
prayers. So far us one could judg
o from her appearance she was in churc
1 for no particular object, neither devo
G tional nor critical. Probably she ma,
It have come to bear the old woman a