Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-08-28
CUSTOMS OF cApa,.
Picturesque scenes On ,ha 80,
Famous bv Ga.t,..,., "~

'"resaus scenes On tho Island Ma.
Famous by GarIbaIdL
ihey have strange way in this l;.,l.
place. found, Of betrothing tbe o;n,.
70 the young men before the latter
leave the town. AS very few Of them
are able to either read or writo Ionn
years pass by without n word fro,, ~
ioyer or "spoza' reaching the patient
girl at home. ''oA'
~ is not a rare thing to meet here
youns couples who were engaged for
.eh' Twelve or even fifteen wears before
fortune was sufficiently favorable tn
allow them to marry. "
one can not soon get rich on thirty
cents a day. and that is the WAGES Of a
man In Capri. This is pertains tho
reason why so many men leave tho
isiand' leaving the women at home 70
take care OF the vineyards and olive
groves. ''''
Is very picturesque scene. those
women, with their gay costumes. rich
compilations. bright, flashing ewes at
work In the fields. or leading their
hooks OF goats up the mountain side to
pasture. Their feet are always bare
anu become so hard that il is simnlv
wonderful what they can endure. Thev
Will walk over the roads covered with
sharp, hinty stones, climb the ruooed
mountain sides, and be quite as COM
portable as if walking on the softest
carpet In fact, for hardness their feet
resemble those OF the Western girl.
VINO. when told by her mother that
there was red-hot coal under her foot
drawied out, without moving an inch:
(which foot is it under, mammvp,
let the feet of these women are bv no
means misshapen. but, on the contrary.
are perfect models for an artist
During my stay on the island I en-
]oyed the rare treat Of witnessing the
grand festival of San Antonio, this be-
ing the great feast day of the year.
One OF the most attractive feature,
to me was the procession of white-robed
maidens. vending their way through
the narrow streets, lined with white
walled houses. From the top of these
walls, friends and lovers showered
down the sweet-smelling, golden San
Antonio fiori upon the procession he
low. The girls were wreathed with
flowers, and carried in their hands
either candles or little wooden images.
and chanted as they walked, surround
Ell by clouds Of smoke from swinging
censors.
Through the town and up the wind
ing stone stairs cut in the mountain
side, they passed to the chapel, whose
the religious services were held. After
that came the feasting, and the dane
ing, and the music, over which they
became greatly excited.
The numberless movements of their
favorite dance, the "Tarantata. and
the easv graceful forms of the dancers
Is they swayed backward and forward
was indeed a pleasing and exhiliarating
sight. The 'Tarantata' is danced by
three couples only. the men dancing
around the women and then kneeiino
as suppliants at their feet The women
raise them, and with airy movements
dance around the men. Then they
separate into pairs. advancing and re-
treating and again dancing together
The figures of the dance are bat small
part of its beauties; there is an indie
scribable fascination in The free and
graceful movements of the arms. heal
and, in fact of the whole body. -Bea-
trtce PreSSWooa King, tn Woman