The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-03-10
LETTER FROM EUROPE.

EE El Y nCN ELnOFEs
Through the kindness of Mr.. A. B..
Kelly We are permitted to publish the
following interesting letter from Ben.
w. May, nov travelling in Europe,
which will be read with interest by
Ben's many friends on this side the
great pond:
NAPLES, ITALY, Feb. 10, SO.
This is 3 miserable day. Cold and
chilly atmosphere, and a nasty rain
falling steadily, ana has been falling
since last evening. My room faces
the bay Of Naples, Capri and Mount
Vesuvius, but to-day our vision Is o5
scured by dense clouds Of low lying
fog, and We must content ourselves
with a view of the law, miserable
houses, built on terraces beneath US.
The streets swarm with miserable
looking Italians, lazziruni and don.
KEYS. The drivers yell wildly at their
d0nkeys and beat them unmercIfullY,
and all day long We hear no other
sound than the crack Of the cruel
whip, aud the idiosic scream of the
miserable, godforsaken Italian urging
1n the patient, ogerburthened animal
am at times aroused to a spirit of
indignation against these cruel Great
ures, and when look out of my win
dow and witness their baEbarities
feel as though l must 20 down and
grasp one of the miserable vermin by
the throat and strangle the miserable
life out Of him. As yet 1 have not
seen the beautiful bay, for reasons
mentioned IN the first page of my let
ter, and I cannot say whether it is as
beautiful as have been led to believe.
But even If nature mas surrounded ;he
town with her most bOuntiful gifts,
one fails in proper admiration of them
because of the miserable people who
are in Naples. They are 30 dehased
and live 10 such filth and squalor that
one only thiaks of and cantemplates
their condition, aad fails to enjoy what
ever Is good Of the natural surround
ings. l am told that Is much better
now than before 1870, at which time
Naples was handed over to the pres
ent Italian Government. In fact, all
Italy, since il came into the hands of
Victor Emmanuel, hss undergone q
change for the better. as l under
stand it. the government has rescued
the people from the hands Of the cler
gy, and by establishing = system Of
free schools. hope 10 raise the people
up from the intellectual and moral
slough they have Eallowed in for cen
turies. How the people Of southern
Italy live Is a mystery 20 me, for the
land Is only partially cultivated, vast
districts being unworked, and in none
Of the cities and towns are there any
evidences Of industry, such as manu-
factnries of any kind. There Is q vast
number Of priests, forming a great ar
ny Of nOn-producers, prsying upon
the people. This present liberal gov
ernment must be cognizant Of the evils
Of this miserable class for All over
Italy they have disbanded great mon
Asteries. snd have made il obligatory
on the priests 20 do military service.
In northern Italy things are much
better, and We find the land universal
ly cultivated, AID many factories. As
= consequences the people are sslzup-
porting. and do not ask for aims, in
portuning you AZ all times and places
a. 90 these southern laZZironi, who are
content with iso or three cents 3 day
20 provide sustenance, and 70 spend
the greater part Of the day stretched
upon the ground with their faces 70 the
glaring sun. Poor deuiLs they are
not 50 much 10 blame fnr they have
been brought 70 il By the priest-eraft,
aided somewhat by an enervsting eli.
mate. / forgot To say tha. Vesuvius
is nov active. altho1gh not dangerous
j 80. Last night We saw the glow,
bright red, of the lava as il slowly
ponrs dawn the mountain. Eruptinns
such as this are of common occuFrsncs
but ara not attsnded with loss OF life,
or much destruction Of property.
The museum here Il made up mostly
from things discovered AZ Hsrcula-
neum and PomPeii, At which places
excavations ara constantly being made.
think il the most interesting place
in tae Rorld, for here IS presented %