Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-06-30
EATING IN ITALY.
Everything Eaten and Every body
Seemingly Satisfied.

The Italian OF the lower order is not
very particular about his eating. What
he wants is something to eat, and he
cares very little about how it Is pre-
pared, or in what shape it comes to
him.
One street leading off from the Thea
tire San Carlo is for a mile sort of
market devoted to the sale of comesti-
bles, and there are long rows of booths
for the preparation and sale of ready
made meals.
The street itself and the alleys leading
from it are indescribably dirty, so dirty
that to make a description that will
convey any idea of it is as impossible as
1t would be to describe the hues of a
rainbow. Imagine every possible de-
scription of garbage, with every other
species of filth, thick on the streets,
reeking, fermenting and fostering
under tropical sun, and you may have
some ideas left.
There are kinds of filth mixed with
this mass which may not be described
In print, for the Italians of the lower
classes, male and female, have no sense
of the commonest decency.
In the midst of all this stencil there
are booths for the sale of macaroni and
everything else edible that can come
within the compass or cent portion.
There are the hideous cuttle1sh, boiled
and cut into portions.
The seller, with fist that is as black
and grImy as original sin, places por-
ton of the fish upon a slice of brown
bread, dashes some of the hot water in
which it was boiled over it, the consul
mer with hand equally as grimy seizes
1t, and in moment it is gone.
The macaronl eater takes the long
strings in his hand, throws back his
head that he may lose none of his penny
worth and swallows it.
There are fish fried in loud smelling
oil, fish boiled in filthy water in still
more filthy kettles, fish picked and fish
in every form, the only difference being
that some look more dirty than the
others. They are still on equality IN
this respect, however, being all as dirty
as they can be. But nevertheless,
everything else is eaten, and everybody
seems to be satisfied with it.
Vast quantities of fruit are eaten in
these markets, as 1t is very cheap and
good. Oranges are worth next to moth
ing-five for halfpenny, and sometimes
cheaper; and other tropical fruits are
Just as cheap. They ripen the year
round, and there never is lack of them.
One article Of food is plentiful in
Italy. and always good-namely, eggs.
The Italian takes naturally to hen cult
ure, it being pursuit suited to his na-
ture.
The hen is, unlike its owner, an en-
terprlsing being, and can skirmIsh for
her own living. The hen providing for
herself, the gathering Of the eggs is ex-
actly the Italians idea of labor.
He is equal to the picking of the eggs
if they are not too much out of the way,
and it is a labor that precisely suits
him, because the hen does all the work.
Therefore, he cherishes the hen and
looks upon her with great favor.
He would like the donkey better if
the donkey would only load himself, trot
on without guidance, and unload him
self. As the hen boards herself and
requires no attention whatever, the
Italian being put only to theinconvenl-
ence OF gathering the eggs. the italian
loves the hen above everything in ami
mated nature.
He can not only get the product of
her work without any exertiOn, but the
egg, when he has got it, can be consumed
without labor.
The Italian sells it when he Is not
hungry and when he needs the nOurish-
ment he can e;It it raw. The hen Is
the Italians best friend.
The fondness for hen culture fur
nishes the residents with fresh eggs al
ways, and their style of cooking them
is really appetizlng. They fry them N
oil, they torture them into omelettes
with oil, and as in respectable residences
hotels and families the oil is always
good the result is entirely satisfactory.
Fortunately, oil is very cheap. and
there is but little inducement to adul-
terate it. and the hen is always present.
So he who can live on eggs can get on
well in Italy.