Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-19
Women of Capri.
Harner'S MAGAZINE.


Harper's Magazine.
The native inhabitants of Capri, as we
see them today, are simple and gentle
people. When irritated or aroused, the
fierce anger and jealousy of the Italian
character viii sometimes show themselves,
but their usual attitude is that OF admir-
ing wonder and patient subservience
toward the well dressed strangers who
have chosen to make the island their
home. Capri is in some degree one of
che Happy islands" All classes of So
ciety are represented, but there is a
mipgIing of ranks and grades that
seems strange to the jewellers in large
cities. The island has no native aristoc-
racy, the people belonging to the peas
have been marriages by which the peas
ant maids of Capri are entitled to rank
themselves among ladies of birth and
station. One of the handsomest private
residences on the island boasts of q
prince for its master, and the fair LADY
that he has made his wife IS the daugh-
ter of an employe of the telegraph COM
pany, which, by means Of optical signals,
enables the inhabitants of Capri to COM
municate, in the case Of an emergency,
with the mainland. Artists have fire.
quently been drawn into tie tolls of mat
rimony by the soft chances of their fair
models. 4 beautiful villa. built in Pom
peiian style, and not far from the Grand
Marina, is ruled over by a Caprian girl,
wife of the celebrated artist Cherubino
of Rome. Here and there about the is
land new and handsome villas appear,
and one and another is pointed out to
the stranger as the house where German
or an Italian or an English signore
dwells with his Caprian wife.
There is very little of mystery in these
marriages when one comes to know we'll
these fair Caprian girls. They have the
rich beauty of the South, the soft, lus-
trous eyes and glowing color, the languor
and the swaying grace. At the same
time their constant journeys over the
mountain road of their native island at
the heels of their patient donkeys make
them 1.-the and strong. They are quick
and appreciative, and it requires but lit
tie Imagination to realize that a world
wesried man might find it sweet to make
his home on this fair island, with one of
these gentle girls to share his life.
There seems to be no evidence to show
that any of these marriages have resulted
unhappily Or brought disappointment in
their train.
Nearly all the laborious work, such as
is performed by men elsewhere, is done
in Capri by women. The men are on the
sea as maranari or fishermen, or they
have been conscripted into the italian
army. Women are masons and builders,
farmers, and i'll some instances the me-
chanics. 1t seems strange to an Ameri-
can from the land of machinery to OBJ
serve the awkward and primitive fashion
In which work Of all kinds is done here.
Fields are cultivated and houses are
built with implements such as our grand
fathers were familiar with, but of which
we have almost forgotten the use. The
houses of Capri, constructed now of the
same material and in the same manner
as were the dwellings of buried Pompeii in
the first century of the Christian era, are
built of stone and plaster. Rough stones
are piled together after the manner in
which farmers build fences to divide
their fields in our country, and which is
also common here. The crevices are fill
ed in with sand coarse cement, over
which is laid plaster, and thus the walls
and arched roofs of the 6wellings-the
former sometimes from two to three feet
in thickness-are constructed.
Every part Of the work is done in the
most primitive and laborious manner.
The earth, for instance, that is dug from
the proposed site of some new wall is
scratched with rude hoe, gathered up by
the hands, and thrown into basket, which
when filled, is carried away on the head.
All this will be done by women, assisted
occasionally by some youth who has es-
capped CONSUMPTION through mental or
physical incapacity, or by graybeard too
old for military service and unfit for life
upon the sea. All the stone from the
quarries on the mountain side is carried
to the building site on the head, and we
have frequently seen girl children of not
more than 10 years carrying in this way
stones that must have weighed 20 to 80
pounds. The head is protected by
coarse turban, upon which the load is
mounted. The Caprians seem to have no
idea that anything can be carried any dis
lance in the hand.