The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-07

the women of the city; the females among the
loWIy Deing a sad lot OF mourntul-faced slow
paced, Idle scrags. The reverse Is usually true
as the painters will tell you, In Mediterranean
countries. On the other hand. the male menl
peers OF the nobility and aristocracy are most
Insignificant lot of swaIthy skin-and- bone Eel
lows, 'cblcken-breasted" or bumped, with ca
daverous faces, claw-like hands, aud limbs that
would discredit the skeleton department OF q
weli-ordered anatomical museum Singular
contrast to these are tile men among the Lowry
excepting the fishermen, who seem 10 be as skim
ny set as the nobllity-whOse forms and bear
iAg Illustrate the real aristocracy In which ma
lure often molds her least-fayored creations.
Ihey are perfect In form, straight, 1.-the, beamlng
Win good nature, and in all but dress and en-.
vlronment, seem prototypes of the real cavaliers
mat romance and ehiyalry picture to us as hav-
,ng existed I'm days OF old, when knights were
bold and barOns held their sway"
. BUT u Inc sunny days in Palermo are full OF
iign', beauty and picturesqueness the nights
ptlng with them the real splendOr and luxurious
ness OF this inatchless city OF the south. There
Is music everywhere. In thousand half lighted
balconies are groups OF men aud women chatting
III low, musical tones, or listening 10 the sweet
notes OF mandolin or guitar; in countless en-
tradas, backed by courts filled with rich lights,
plants, flowers and quaint corridors In an almost
oriental perspective, are families with friends
seated half oul upon the street, ana among them
somewhere Is music OF voice or instrument; and
mere, there and everywhere, upon the housetops,
In luxurious gardens, are merry crowds singing.
playing, dancing. Melody Ia word, laugh and
song and from musical instrument OF every kind
-hotning loud and sonOr0us, but everything soft
ABOVE aud over aud through the soundful streets.
You may be alone and not of it, but 1t is all com-
passing and 1t possesses you. You know 1t not,
yet IL mas the loving familiarity OF the universal
voice OF mirth and music. 1t is in a strange
Tongue, yet II is as plain TO you as The untaught
JOY OF blessed childhood. Then, from The half
seen, wholly felt scenes OF melOdious mlrlH, look
upon
THE SPLENDID NIGHTLY CARNIVAL
Pouring out of The Corso into the glorious
Marina. Fully 10000 equipages, filled with
richly atrired and merry occupants, may be seen.
Three times that number OF pedestrians look
down from the upper Marina. Military bands
DISCOURSE tile sensuous airs Of Italy. In this
course OF perhaps $4,000 souls rudeness and
c!amor are unknown. Every frequenter OF the
MAJ only lntensines the everywhere mani
lest cnivairous courtesy aud consideration so
distinguishing this great outdoor reception-room
OF a great city. IL Is not until after midnight
That The crowds seem to diminish, for IL is made
sort OF social obligation upon every gentleman
ana lady OF the city to be present al some time
during me evening. Then from midnight on. by
al uhwrltten law, another sort of life has the
right OF way. II is an intense life, over which
Italians have few agonized PHILOSOPHERS.
vi the hundreds OF religious edIfices of great
age ana exceeding Interest i'll and about Palermo
the stranger Will linger longest at the church
and monastery OF Sanlo Spirito. famous as the
scene OF me sad tragedy OF the Scillan Vespers,
on March 80, 1857 and its Campo Santo for the
lowiy dead, where there are 800 stone pits COW
cred with stone slabs, into one of which the dead
OF single day OF the year are cast with cOnsum-
Ing qulckllne, 10 remain undlstuibed until the
same day OF the succeeding year; the huge Con-
vent OF san Martino and Cathedral of MOnreaIe,
putt by William II to outrival the greatest relI-
glous edlfces Of Northern Europe; the Royal
chapel, with Its marvellous mosaics, finished In
di52; the interesting Saracenic relics OF La
cuba and La lisa; and the magnificent cathe-
dral Ql Duomo> with its mighty sarcophagi
where repose the ashes OF the loyal Normans,
King Roger l, his daughter, Constantia and
Emperor Frederick II; but the most weird
and unearthly fascination will be felt In the
cfypts Of the convent of the Cappuccini, where
over 5000 bodies are disposed in the eternal
sleep In manner which ought TO bring eternal
sleeplessDess TO the living. These bodies are
practically embalmed, or mummfed, aud many
habited In the clothing Of their mortal days are
stood, or fastened, or hung, IN inches, in upright
postures In which they sway, seeming TO Wrilhe
In horrible facial contortons, for the entertain
ment OF the on-looker. Every possible age,
every manner of dress, every conceivable post
ute, Is observable. The theory upon which this
CHASTITY place Is conducted Is that it Is a good
thing for the living TO commune with the dead
Perhaps II Is not bad idea, but 1t would take a
healthy American some time TO get used 10 It;
and as our steamer sped toward Naples / was
glad mat the brightness and beauty of Palermo,
ia fellee," were rich enough In memories OF de-
light to hide the Cspuchn CstacOmbs as glad
someiy as sweet June day will efface hateful
dream. EDGAR l. WAKFMAN
Copyright, $780,