Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-02-16

IN Florence.
In Florence everybody drinks wine. II
is drank imsparingly, even little children
carrying a small "tiasco" TO school TO
take with their lunch. A person who
drinks water is regarded as a barbarian,
bent on self destruction. If one is known
to pay So high price as so cents for a
three-quart "fasco" of wine he is consid-
cred wealthy and extayant; in fact q
grand signore before whom hats must be
DOTTED, and aroHnd whom heggars flock
by the hundred All kinds of cooked meats
and vegetables can be bought at the pro-
vision shops, hot and ready TO eat, and
one can watch the roasts and fowls being
slowly turned over on long splits before a
blazing fire. These cook shows, with Il
variety of other booths, are crowded to-
gether in heterogeneous mass. Fritters,
little square cakes of crisp fried musn,
chesnut puddin, fried minnows, and mum
erous other eatables are disposed OF as
rapidly as prepared. Tiny birds no
larger than our English sparrows are
pluoked, stuffed with sage leaf put be
tween two little slices of bread, and long
rows OF them strung on spit and toast
ed with their legs and heads on. To
Judge from the frequency of tbs booths
where this small game is sold, the italian
peasant must consider it u palatable
morsel. Very small purchases are made
and often an almost interminable amount
of bargaining, explaining, and gesticulat-
ing will precede the transfer of few
slices of mHsh, Wedged between the
cooking booths may be seen carts or
stands laden with bright-colored, coarse
woolens, toys, copper and red earthen
kitchen utensils, and all sorts of cheap
wares. There are chickens, birds, and
puppies 10 be sold, and even a mature,
sleek-looklng tomcat will occasionally be
thrust forward and offered for q "soldi.'
This motley mass presents particularly
pretty picture at night, when the dark
faces and various wares are brought into
bold relief by the Aaring lights. Com
paratIvely little cooking is done az home
hot dishes when wanted being ofteneI
brought from neighboring restaurant
or shop than prepared Ia the house. The
ordinary kitchen range is more conspicu-
Gus for its ponderuus bulk and crudity
than its usefulness. Some queer combina
tions are found at these shops. Cold
cooked caulihowers and spinach pressed IN
balls the size of ap orange are sold at the
fruit stalls, and salt at the tobacco stores
the sign swinging above The door inyari-
ably reading; "Sale TabacckL' The
streets, paved with various sized square
| blocks OF smooth stone, are kept serupu
| lousy clean. Most Of the imposing OLE
palaces and public structures are built o.
| dark bi own stone, but the majority OF
houses, especially in the less elegant
quarters, have plaster covered brick Of
stone exteriors, painted all shades OF
| light yellow or drab, some having fires
coed designs over the door or windows
and protection from evil by an an image
of the "Yirgin and Child" sheltered IN
nook, before which dim light burns
| These street shrines are ancient anC
neglected, showing the wear and accuuu
lated dust of ages. Another picturesqu,
feature is the very broad caves, whiol
seem 20 protect the tops of the houses
/ as a tuscan straw hat does the face OF
pretty "contadina" In places thes
caves so nearly approach each othe
across the narrow streets that one coul
step or jump across. The houses hag
grated windows and massive iron door
with ponderous bolts, while the interior
are even more gloomy snd forbiddinl
with their long, bark passagewa.7 an
narrow flights of stone stairs.