Morning journal and courier., 1888-06-07
WOMEN OF CAPRI.
They Are Gentle and Lovable Hut
 Jealous.


 Jealous.
 IFrom Harper's Magazne.l
 The native inhabitants of Capri, as we see them to-day, are a simple and gentle peo- pie. When irritated or aroused the fierce anger and jealousy of the Italian character will sometimes show themselves, but their usual attitude is that of admiring 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 the "hap- py islands.n All classes of society are rep~ resented, but there is mingling of ranks and grades that seems strange to the dwellers in large cities The island has no native ar the peasant or shop-keeping class. But there have been marriages by which the peasant maids of Capri are entitled to rank themselves among ladies of birth and sta- tion. One of the handsomest private resi- dences on the island boasts of a prince for it's master. and the fair lady that he has made his wife is the daughter of an employe of the telegraph company which, by means of optical signals, enables the inhabitants of Capri to communicate, in case of an emer- gency, with the main land. Artists have frequently been drawn into the tolls of mat rimony by the soft glances of their fair mod, els. 4 beautiful villa, built in Pompeiian style and not far from the Grand Marina, is ruled over by Caprian girl, wife of the eel ebrated artist Cherubino, of Rome. Here and there about the island new and hand some villas appear, and one and another is pointed out to the stranger as the house where German, or an Italian, or an Eng | fish signore dwells with his Caprian wife. There is very little of mystery in these | xUno nTHa aaS tn 6yarxr | these fair Caprian girls. They have the rich beauty of the South, the soft, lustrous eyes | and glowing color, the 1anguor and the sway ing grace. At the same time their constant I journeys over the mountain roads of their native island at the heels of their patient donkeys make them 1.-the and strong. They l are quick and appreciatiye, and it requires \ little imagination to realize that a world wearied man might find it sweet to make his home on this fair island, with one of these I gentle girls to share his life. There seems to ] be no evidence to show that any of these marriages have resulted unhapplly or brought disappointment in their train.
 Nearly all the laborious work, such as, is | performed by men elsewhere, is done at Ca | pri by women. The men are on the sea as marini or fishermen, or they have been con- scripted into the Italian army. Women are | the masons and the builders, the farmers, and in some instances the mechanics. It seems strange to an American from the land of machinery to observe 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
 were familiar to our grandfathers, 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, ara built
 of stone and plaster. Rough stones are
 nek q farmers build fences to divide their fields ir our country, and which is also common here