The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-05-05
CUSTOMS or CAPRI.
Picturesque Scenes On tho Island Made
Famous by (3artbaldL

fICGureSqu0 scenes On tho IeIun0 MA0d
Famous by GaribsldL
They have strange way in this little
place, found, Of betrothing the girls
to the young men before the latter
leave the town. As very few of them
are able to either read or writo, long
years pass by without word from the
lover or "spoza" reaching the patient
girl at home.
II Is not u rare thing to meet here
young couples who were engaged for
ten, twelve or even fifteen years before
fortune was sufficiently favorable to
allow them to marry.
One can not soon get rich on thirty
cents day, and that is the wages of n
man in Capri. This is perhaps tho
reason why SO many men leave the
island, leaving the women at home to
take care Of the vineyards and olive
groves.
1t is very picturesque scene, those
women. with their gay costumes. rich
compilations, bright, flashing eyes, al
work in the fields. or leading their
flocks of goats up the mountain side to
pasture. Their feet are always bare,
and become so hard that 1t is simply
wonderful what they can endure. They
will walk over the roads covered with
sharp, flinty stones, climb the rugged
mountain sides, and be quite as COM
Portable rs if walking on the softest
carpet. In fact, for hardness their feet
resemble those of the Western girl,
who. when told by her mother that
there was red-hot coal under her foot,
drawled out. without moving an inch:
(Which foot is it under. mammy?"
Yet the feet of these women are by no
means misshapen. but. on the contrary,
are perfect models for an artist.
During my stay on the island en-
joyed 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 features
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 be-
low. The girls were wreathed with
flowers, and carried in their hands
either candles or little wooden images,
and chanted as they walked. surround
ed 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, where
the religious services were held. After
that came the fcasting, and the dane
ing, and the music, over which they
became greatly excited.
The numberless movements of their
favoritc dance, the "Tarantata. and
the easy graceful forms of the dancers
as they swayed backward and forward
was indeed Il pleasing and exhiliarating
sight. The "Tarantata" is danced by
three couples only, the men dancing
around the women and then kneeling
as suppliants at their feet. The women
raise them, and with airy moveme nts
dance around the men. Then they
separate into pairs, advancing and re-
treating and again dancing together.
The figures of ths dance are but small
part of its beauties; there is an inde-
scribable fascination in the free and
graceful movements of the arms. head.
and, in fact, of the whole body. -Beo-
Ertce PreSSU0Od Ring, IN Woman.