Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-14
THE STREETS or NAPLES.
Pen Sketches fres the Famous Italian
City.


City.
THE LAzfARoxI, rHR PKppIxRs AND THE snor-
kEErKRs-rHs PECULIAR ETHICS or THE TRADES
xES-rHE roLrrkNkss or SEArotrrASs-uov VIC
TOR KhhASUKL pIKp LIKE A KING
The following is from private letter just re-
ceived nom MIS- ErmentrouL wife OF Representa-
tive Ermentrout:
NArIks, IrALr. March 81
some one has said ..See Naples and die;" but
ones impressions Of the city depend very much
upon the point OF observation II In one OF the
great hoteis on the quay, commanding views OF
Tue ISLANDS OF 1schia and Capri ana the whole piano.
rama OF the BAY. from the promontory OF hisnum
10 Nesuvius and sorrento, Naples Is charming. II
IN one OF the hotels in the heart OF the city, among
It's narrow sunless streets with their shiny slip
pery coooie-stones and where, when on ventur ny
outside the door. ones life Is every moment endan-
serea oy passing carts ana vehicles there being
no SIDEWALKS, Naples can 10 exceedingly Disagree
PIE II has been my object here as elsewhere, TO
sve nie IN as many phases as possible. and have
succeeaeu quite 10 my hearts content Forearm
pie, Immediately upon arriving and becoming set
tied In one OF the hotels was driven 20 the post
was yesd IN progress and Tho street IN which The
general ONCE Is situated was crowded with booths
alter H my m11 PeSPis dsanssed The carriage
walked about " see the people and What they were
sale, small articles OF daily household use ana
an abundance OF fruits and CONNECTIONS Men were
slrolnns ABOUT with punches OF toy balloons. a. on
certain holidays at home and there were Others
wild curious toys, which they were shouting out
AT the top OF their voices the products OF Amer
lea, All In the most expressive Italian Besides
there was an incessant noise OF penny trunoneIs
and shrfu whistles, and altogether the ain was
something marvellous Among other things which
attracted my attention was the frying OF Gro
Quettes and something resembling wafffes over a
little charcoal fire on the ground. As any easy
I've 10 me- and as wailies are AWAY rather trouble
some compounds In American kltchens watched
, rs,,i opeSn Min great earnestness. and
BOOK OF course IL was possible TO return TO the
hotel Notwithstanding the loss letting the porter
very little In the purse at the time there wss no
cause Tor grief; but the whole thing ilustra ted
psase OF Neapolitdn life did not at all like and
\ accepted II as warming; IL has been a mystery
10 me ever since how any body found that pocget
IL always requires painful search when want It;
put the Neapontans have been entirely beyond my
comprehension throughout my whole acaraintance
with them
Another feature Of Naples In which have often
were once 10000 They lived In tents along the
most beautiful part OF the bay, and made their
living doing nothing, diversified occasionally by
catching fish. The new Italian government has
dispersed them as community, their tents and
themselves having stolen away Ike the Arabs; but
the STRONG faces OF some OF their old men, IN red
WOODEN caps playing nursery maid TO their grand
ana great grand children and all basklng In the
ONE saw would bave made me go SSn n., hsery
model and the children had the faces OF Rapnael's
angels
TIE sHoPKEEPBRs on NAPLES.
The shopkeepers are another type to be studied
In order TO De understood. Their subtlety Is a
sort OF intellectual discretion. Naples Is the place
TO buy corals, parasols and gloves but unless you
Know well the different qualities OF these things
anu their real values IL is really dangerous 20 buy
as you are like as not 10 pay fye, six seven times
their worth To illustrate, day was selecting
photographs. and an Englishman came into the
shop Inc guide books usually tell US that Itsl-
ans never expect TO receive the price they ASK for
their goods and that the best way Is 10 offer them
just one-halI the sum named. The Englishman.
prices. The dealer happened to be a German and
his prices were very fair; but as the Englishman
seemed determined 70 pay very little he produced
lngs OF the city, such are often seen In America
The kngshman at once replied with great cou-
Ro,aa rrs , nave one OF tnose The fellow
three and he let me have It." To which the Ger.
man quietly responded: 81 sell them for seventy
nye confines" You should have heard the aston
ished ejaculation OF that Englishman. IL was too
vigorous Tor me 10 record. Three francs Is slxty
Genus seyenty.nve cenumes is fifteen cents. He
lad paid just four times TOO much, and all The
while had been congratulaung himself on ais
In visiting the coral shops the prices varied so
much that at nrst was quite bewiidered Finally.
alter making my selections several days Later
made my own prices also bed firmly 10 Them and
a
contempt for such things asking prices before
making purchases should never trust themselves
needing some tri1es which has a fixed price eyery
where. went TO one OF the shops here for IT. and,
without saying anything about the cost, laid
down piece or money which could have bought
IL over and over again In America. No change
being given her she asked for IL and was told she
that's absurd" came forth inyolnnsariIy. aWSy,
did you not ask how much It was before buying"
demanded the merchant Because" was the re-
ralu rf.rhf mr. \
honorable, reliable person" but IL was OF no avail
NEAPoLITAN PoIITENEss.
The Neapolitans, however, as a rule are ex-
tremely well-bred, pay great attention to tribes,
have much OF what might be- termed surface DO
greatly upon being always goved in pupic ON
one occasion the late king, VICTOR Emanuel drove
his favorite English horses afinSelr, through the
streets OF Naples. without eloves The Neapol.
tans have not forgotten II TO this day. This king
whom all Italy REGARDS AS the Father OF his coun-
hes OF Europe and himself OF long and noble de-
scent was man OF the simplest habits and man
ners. He despised evening dress. because he SAID,
avoided IL whenever he could. once during the
visit OF the late empress OF Russia 70 Rome she
went on her own responsibility TO the theater
The king never Dreaming OF seeing her there went
In his favorite frocK coat 10 his own box. lmme-
diately opposite. In another box, sat the empress
He instantly remembered his duty under the cir
cumstances, but now could he present himself TO
his distinguished guest 50 improperly attired. In
moment ne Hau sOlVeQ the problem, ana asking
one OF his Officers, OF about his own size TO ex-
change coats with him, ne hastily donned the
other and, snatching the white tie from the throat
OF the oiet In attendance upon the box, able
In very short time, attred In the regulation eve
ming costume TO present himself In the box OF the
empress
Icould relate a hundred pleasant anecdotes of
this popular king but unhappily this Is a letter on
Naples However, will add tuat whenever dam |
ger menaced or overlook his subjects he was al |
ways the nrst to the rescue, anu so, also Is his
son, the present King Umberto. when, a few |
years ago, one pleasant sunday evening, the beau
uful island OF lschia, which can see at this mo-
ment from my window, was suddenly rent by an \
lowed up-among them several Americans-kinR /
Umberto FASTENED TO the scene OF the disaster as /
soon as IL was mace known TO him By the |
time he arrived the stencil from the dead /
bodies, through the dreadful gaps In the earth,
was almost uncomfortable, and his officers sought 70 |
detain him from the horrible place. His only re- /
ply was "where my soldiers must go, l can and /
win" and he did, ordering and superfntending \
much of the labor OF removing the bodies OF the /
humblest subjects, when the choera was destroy
ing them by hundreds, and seek TO alleviate TO /
the utmost, the consequent suffering and distress
The kindly courtesy OF Victor Emanuel's nature
manifested itself during the death struggle. he /
was a very strong man. but while hunting In the /
Pontine marshes caught the fatal Roman fever,
which, In q few days terminated IN his death OF
course the officers OF his household were gathered
about him at the last, and he sympathized with
their pardon for keeping them 20 long, Just before
the last gasp, he bowed 10 them ais thanks and
farewell Was not that dying 'Fike q kingYD
Tue climate OF Naples Is delightful winter ana