Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-09-05
dismissed with a great deal Of contempt.

etta's ideal. Her great wish, and that
which possessed both heart and mind of
the Neapolitans of her standing, was that
of being proprietor of a one horse coach,
which can be driven through the entire
city, and which both rich and poor alike
might use. Marietta not only dreamed
of some one who might own one. but
Sunday afternoons, when she did not
sing, she, dressed in her light blue holi
day dress, with the pale yellow kerchief
and red gold hoops in her pink, shell like
ears, would pay one lire for drive from
one end of the city to the other and back,
being the entire course.
So great was her happiness in this ride
that as she rode along she gazed out as
proud as a queen, her eyes sparkling,
and she as joyous as if it were her very
own. Many We're the young men who
were pleased with Marietta, and many
were the offers which she rejected on all
sides, for none possessed the one thing
necessary. Whether all coachmen came
into the world married was question
Marietta often asked herself She dis
played great deal of tact with these
carriage drivers, for no sooner had she
taken her seat in the carriage than she
ascertained whether they were married,
and she was in great despair in not be-
ing able to find one unmarried.
SO time passed on, but no driver came
in Mariettas way who wanted to make
her his wife. The much dreaded five
and-twenty years crept nearer. AT this
age Italian women begin to lose their
beauty, and Marietta thought with hor-
ror that she could not hope to be an ex-
ception. She knew that when another
year came she could no longer stand at
the street corners without being laughed
at. The profession belonged to youth
and beauty alone, and she had no other
way by which to earn her bread. What
should she do? AT school she had
never been, and she was not rapid
enough with her Hands to procure an
engagement in factory. Then, too, in
Naples there are not SO many such places
to be had, and what there We're, were
filed by underpaid girls. To be water
carrier was the only thing left, and yet
in every second house could be found
many doing the same thing, and the
business was almost overrun anyway by
boys. To do as her mother did she could
not, for she knew what was right and
prided herself upon her honesty. There
came an idea to her. From friend who
had travelled she learned that in Switzer-
land there were women doctors and
women telegraph operators, and the
friend, after telling her of several other
positions held by women, ended by say
ing.
"They were employed at the railroad
stations"
Now Marietta thought in her little
head that if all these places were filled
by women, and as no coachman came
for her, why should not she offer herself
as coachwoman? 1t would be per-
fectly respectable vocation, and no one
could say her nay. Then, too, one would
have the pleasure of riding all the long
day through, and all the while receive
pay for doing it. Then, as first coach
woman in Naples, she would be very
much more admired than as a street
singer, and in a short time she could
give up and live upon the interest of the
money that she had earned. This was
the conclusion to which Marietta came,
after hours spent in deep and earnest
thought. 1t was not anything strange
to her, a street singer; SO, when she had
arranged it early in her mind she was
very happy. She took her bank book
to the wife Of the shoe member, to reck-
on her interest for her, and she found
| c. Il,
that she had $50 Tires, that she had saved
from the money gathered on the street,
and which was held in safe keeping for
her at the national bank.
Beside her strong, clear voice, Mari.
eta had a genuine Italian ability to
make a bargain; so she betook herself to
a cousin of hers who was still young and
had saved for herself some money. She
offered her the stand with table and
guitar if she would like to buy. The
cousin entered gladly into the advan
tageous bargain, and the next morning
those who passed that corner of the
Strada San Ferdinando, found in the
place of the stately beauty Marietta. 8
very sallOw young person, around whose
neck was the well worn green ribbon
upon which hung the old guitar, ans
who sung to it as if she were singing our
her very life, standing by the weather
stained table.
Marietta fastened to the widow Of {
lately deceased carriage driver. She wa
close, and hard to drive bargain with
but she succeeded in procuring from hel
a rather lean horse, a carriage painted
but recently a bright red, new rug, an(
two brilliant lanterns under the driver
seat. Happy was she in the possession o
these costly things, for which she haC
been obliged to part with 700 Tires. Afte
this bargain, she went to Melito, shor
distance from Naples, whence an omni
bus went regularly to Naples. seating
herself by the driver, who, for her rid
money, taught her to drive. He locke,
upon the affair as fun that brought il
money, and he was willing to aid heI
So Marietta rode eight-and-twenty time
the four hours route, and after that az