Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-02-19
The Home Of George EiOt's Ram0la-A Walled Pro-
aSicn-Duomo Cathedral-Aichasl An
gslO's HOuss-Ths Birthplace
Of Dante.
special CORRESPONDENCE
r----- To-uoru IL 1S

~ 49,
are driving toward the famous bridge,
Ponte Vecchio-so named because wee
chic Is an Italian word meaning old. This
bridge is really a huge, long two'story
building. Within it, on either side OF the
carIiage-way, are stores Of rich jewelry,
and above 1t is a foot-paIh full Of pictures.
At each end of the bridge Is q gallery con-
tanning hundreds of famous paintings that
no money could buy.
Just before We got to this bridge, We pass
the corner of tho street Bardi, in which
lived George Eliot's heroine Romola. We
cross the river, and drive northeast to the
'MercatO Yscchia"-a small square which
used TO be the great vegetable market Of
the city. Ia this place, Tito, the hand
some but slippery hero Of the novel, spent
a part Of his first morning in Florence,
making love TO thee. 49,
BRAINLEsS LITTLE BEAUTY,
" hom he afterward permanently deceived.
II is now q shabby and squalid wreck of a
place; bot the moonlight softeDs the lines
and helps EhOt's pen to people it with the
ghosts of her characters.
IlCIC,d ~ VIC " - CbAhCAg VIC LANSb VSS
of the queerest-looking professions 10 the
world. 1t is a small company Of men,
their heads perfectly covered with white
NANTES, with holes for the eyes and mouth.
They look ia the moonbeams like a conf
pany Of dead people Just resurrected and
walking about the streets with shrouds
still upon them. One OF them, met alone
in any American town, would scare any
girl into Mysteries. e.
A feeling Of Indignation comes over US
rs we glance at this strange walking
group, but when We know what they are
1t turns into a sentiment of fervent love.
They are the Misfricordia-au association
formed 10 comfort and relieve misery
wherever they can hear Of it. They are re-
cruited from all classes Of citizens, from
the prince to the pauper. When a certain
signal il struck by the bell of the big ca
thedral, il means that somebody Is suffer
ing and needs their help. Those on duty
that week must rush TO their rendezvous
as village people do to q fire, and
help the afflicted n These masks conceal
their faces from bystandeTs and from each
other. No one knows who they are-nUt
GNGu INC pClSOh LhaJ ~ NHSAA
help. Six of these men are bearing a
human body with them. If the stretcher
is tight closed they carry a corpse; this one
is open, thank Heaven, and they are trying
to save a life to its friends. If any sssOci.
alton in Italy has the approval Of God, the
Misericordia has.
We turn into q square in which Is the
"Duomo"-the great cathedral of Milan.
1t is not a peculiarly handsome building,
Notwithstanding the beautiful sculptures
that have been lavished upon it.. Its
squares of black and white marble make 1t
lock a little lik a series OF boxes piled one
upon another. Within, it is vast and
dreary. But its great dark dome eclipses
the moon as we look at it, and is called the
in the world.
The 'Baptistery" is a pretty octaeon
structure, standing in front OF the catht-
dral. In this building every Catholic
baby in Florence must be baptized, with
in a few hours after it is born.
We turn southwark again, AM in a few
MINUTES drive past Dante's birthplace.
were there to-day, and saw nothing
but O couple ofsmall, bleak rooms, built
within a few years, upon the site OF the
poets first home. Yes, we saw something
large crowd of native Italians
doing Lonor to his memory, even in that
unsatisfactory place. They love him
here as the Scotch do Burns, both wrote in
the language of the people.
Southeast, again, through the dark-shad-
owed streets, and we pass the house OF
Michael Angelo. We were there also to-
day. Several rooms were shown us, the
interesting of which was the tiny den
in which he did his work of the brain. 1t
was 40 small that it could not contain
much to distract the masters mind from
his subject. 1t was so secluded that the
door looked from the adjoining room like a
part of the wainscotiDg.
He lies in Santa Croce, this large, queer
looking church a little way south from his
house. And as we drive past 1t we remem-
Der another prince Of the brain who has a
bed in this vast bostelry of the departed
Galileo. He had to fight all the learned
Brother Jaspers of his time, and even to
admit, for the sake of his life, that the sun
did move; but his famous tower Of observa-
ton up yonder on the hill is visited day
after day by pilgrims from all over the
world, who have discovered that it is the
world that moves, and tina great astrono-
mer's stormy life was not in vain.
What 90 we zee fishing weirdly and ST.
lently along the reaches Of yoEder gloomy
A long line of candle torches, led by a
cross, borne aloft; in their midst q hearse, so
with flowers that it looks like the
sweetest nook of o garden travelling along
the way.
What do we hear yonder a quarter Of a
mile off? A chorus OF many voices, sc
sweet and smooth and accurate as tie
music of s professional concert
drive hurriedly to it, and find a
score of young men Of the working
class, standing together, and singing ole
of the grand and expressive songs OF their
country. The Dir they sing is full OF tech'
meal peculiarities; they render each one
them with as much accuracy as an IN
There are solos-duets-re-
spopses; they do them all with feeling and
expression. 1t is not for money or for
show; il is simply their innocent way OF
amusing themselves and their friends, who
gather around and applaud with enthusi-
asm.
We drive through the long, high-browed
streets rather sadly; for soon We must leave
this delightful little town and travel on
toward ''the eternal city of the seven hills"
One of the sad tasks Of the traveller is 10
behind him pleasant places. Flor
enee is one of these; it has matetial to
make happy d lifetime. 1t is the birth
place of some Of the grandest spirits Of
history; the treasury of some Of the best
pictures and statues in the world; the
scene of great historical events; the cradle
a thousand quaint legends, aud the
home of hundreds Of the artist-tribes OF
many nations and professions. And all
these gene of thought aud feeling are
the setting CT the beautiful scenery
of Tuscan hills.
Farewell, Florence, but not forever.
WILL CARLETON.
The Great Steel Gun Terfec'.
PIrTsBURG, PA, February 1.-THE