St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-08-16
cALAsRIAN EMioRANTs.

Where . Large Number Of Our italian
Citlsens Cone From.
But the most Significant thing Of al
IN Cosenxa 10 tho multitude Of placards
OF steamship companies which bedeck
the walls Of the houses. The exodus
from Calabria to Buenos Ayres and
New York threatens the province with
eventual depopulation. I saw some
thing Of this later in the day. By some
imbecility I had not enough Italian
money in my pocket to take me to the
end Of the tour l projected. and the
local agent OF tho Bank Of
Naples could not b persuaded
that the paper Of Thread
needle Street was an exchangeable
commodity. It was therefore impera-
tive to return to Naples that night and
to travel third class For companions
In the train I had about two dozen
Calabrians bent on expatristion- Some
started from Cosenza, others joined the
troop at wayside stations. There WAS
much mournful anguish OF parting.
One Door old granddame sank upon the
ground, and tore her hair. The sad
der side Of human life was vigorously
illustrated. But chance arranged It
that the members Of musical society
were also in the train. and ut the
prompting Of the railway officials the
drum drowned the chorus of lamenta.
ton.
These emigrants were leaving their
homesteads in all the glory Of vest
hal Aprn -
One family consisted of four generations
Of mortals. from the great-grandmothcr.
wrinkled and ha9gard. to the sucking
child; and all were IS garish IS the Ma
donna Of . Calabrian church, and as
dirty. They had been won to this
strong step by the words of promise Of
the emigration agents. and, indeed, the
distress furrowed upon their faces
seemed to argue that any change In
their lives would be for the better. But
now and again, rs We journeyed along.
doubts came into their minds The
older folks mosned and wrung their
hands, and tho young mother looked As
II her heart would break with anx-
iety. There was brute of
commercial traveller with US who
found pleasure in adding to their
fears. He told them bluntly that they
would all be dead in year, and that
they had far better get out ct the next
station and return to their native vii.
lagos "What misery! what misery!"
calculated this same honest fool. uprais-
ing his fat hands as he surveyed the
emigrants collectively. madonna
mia!" cried the woman to another at
this cruel chill to hope. There were,
further, two stout priests in the car
riage, but they also were without
word Of comfort 70. tho people. In .
genial moment the elder of them. ten
dered me his snuff box, and at the same
time the :leading questions: "Are you
. Catholic?' NO" said l. 'Ohv' said
he. and that was the extent Of our con-
versation. At Sybaris itgrew dark and
the fire. fles danced in the air. What /
wondered, would the luxury-loving an.
clients Of this fallen place have thought
Of our trains freight?
I saw my emigrant friends once moro
. few days afterward. 1t was on the
Naples wharf. They were awaiting
their turn to be shipped-bags and
bundles and babies, images and pict-
ures, loaves Of bread, Gagged birds. and
the myriad of other tribes which the
Italian emigrant is 10th to part with. A
reaction had by this time come over
them. q They were. bright and hopeful.
with no terror savo Of seasickness.
They talked Of Calabria in America.
~ IL such state already existed; per-
haps it does. as province Of tho
Argentine Republic. Their ribbons
6uttered. and their jewelry tinkled as
they were rowed away from the land.
After all. there is more pluck in IN en-
igrant than in . bandit, and 1t is well
tcat Calabria now prefers to breed stock
for the New World instead Of robbers
and assAssins for the old. Charles Ed.
wardes. in National Review.