The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-31
GENOA.
IBnl Nye, in New York Mercury.I

Christmas Day we sighted land oM Genoa, lat. A deg. 2I min. IS sec. north, long. 8 deg. s4 min. 24 seS. east A strong southeriy breeze on our hind quar- ter luffed us up little on the quarter deck and hauled us taut amidships. On the lee bow light sea was breaking as a young iandlubber from Corsica leaned athwart the taffrail and fed the hungry sea with little fragments of his breakfast Of to the left lay Genoa, looking as 1t did four hundred years ago when Colum- bus was reluctantly born there. How times have changed in Genoa since Chris used to live therel Any one would hardly remember the place except by its general appearance and the pictures for tunately preserved in the geographies. A railway connects Genoa with Turin. l tried to get a pass over this road, but met with only indifferent success. The road is run almost exclusively by foreign CTS. Wherever l go in Europe meet this great drawback and stumbling block to enjoyment. So l did not make the railway authorities understand about the pass, and after both arms had been talked loose, l said it was no matter, would sooner walk anyhow. Still shall leave Italy with an unfriendly feeling toward this road and shall do all can to turn travel over some other thoroughfare. Genoa was founded two hundred years before Christ, and yet is not very big town after alL- If could have two thousand years in which to build a town and couldn't get up bigger, better and cleaner town would cease to be town ct and Aa2m sva&s, AAH HA~ Assms~Nn~ h.. which to obtain livelihood.
 Genoa is mainly celebrated in history for being the birthplace of the man who discovered America, and yet he was not, strictly speaking, born in Genoa, and he did not discover America. Such is life Our heroes, our gods and our goddesses melt away under the terrible alchemy of years, and history, that at first crowns the obscure with a wreath of laurel, at last tears down the name she has worked for years to carve and fills the hungry maw of oblivion with the inanimate dust. One after another heroes, discoverers, poets and artists fade away. William Tell, Columbus, Shakespeare and many others have suffered again and again at the hands of the historical vampire, and it would seem that none of us are abso- lutely safe. The youngest of us may yet live to learn that Lydia E. P.nkham was not the author of her own vegetable compound. Thus we live and labor for half century to perfect balm that will knock the blind staggers higher than Gilderoy's kite, and at last vandal his. torian robs us of our hard won fame. often wonder that we have as much cour. age and lofty ambition as we have.
 History says that the early years of Genoa up to I27o were stormy and tenn pestuous in the extreme, the government being democratic in form. Then the democrats got out of "soap," and judge from general appearances that Genoa mas never fully recovered the loss. A soap" campaign through Italy at the present time would be productive of much good. It would muss up the Mediterranean pretty bad, however, for a few weeks, and change the rich olive complexion of the people.
 The first Doge was elected in B 90. II do not know what the duties of a Dog were nor what salary he received, but am led to believe that the pay was good
 Genoa is a great place for the building of ships. Elegant household furniture is made here also, such as chairs, tables, cabinets and other articles of virtue. " Be virtuous and you will be happy" is the motto of the Genoese. They believe in having motto whether they use it or not.
 Ten years ago Genoa had population of about I62 900, but 1 think there are more here now. thought 1 counted more beggars than that, and there must have been at least two hundred people there who were not identified with that industry. have always done what could in America to relieve want, but where want seems to be the normal con- dition allow nature to take her course. The beggars of Italy glory in their shame. They are glad that they thought of it in- stead of yielding to a weak and foolish temptation to ritter away their young lives in manual labor.
 Thus they live long and do well, espec- tally if nature has blessed them with crooked leg or a double hump on the back. To the Italian beggar a large voluptuous tumor on a face that would stop clock is bonanza, and America is the most liberal in it's contributions.