Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-02-26
CURRENT TOPICS IN EUROPE
"BuffalO Bill'' in Rome.-Death OF
Salriati, The Glass Manufacturer
Of Venice. - Bismarck's Bill
BOunced.-Salisbury and Portu-
gal.-GOrdOn's Quintennial, Etc.

EUROPE, Feb. 3rd., 1899. Especial
Correspondence Of the DEsERET
NEWS THE Italians have often
been called superstitious; and the
number of reputed holy places
which the traveller finds in the city
Of Rome rather tends to prove this
assertion. Yet now and then we see
an incident which leads US to ask il
It is not true that Americans do not
err in the opposite direction. As is
well known, that strange medley OF
cowboys and Indians, known rs
Buffalo Bill's "Wild West, show
has, during the winter, been exhibit
ing the fantastic side Of Rocky
Mountain life to the inhabitants Of
Southern Italy. In the gay city Of
Naples the "Wild West'' has been
a great attraction; and the Indians
themselves, it is said, felt an unusual
interest in the picturesque and CAV
colOred costume Of the haif-Moorish
inhabitants OF Naples. Now. as the
spring is approaching, it is proposed
to exhibit the ''Wild Westp for a
few weeks in the city of Rome. In
connection with thisidea Mr.. Cody.
better known rs ''Bufialo Bill. ;, has
made application for the privilege
OF exhibiting in the ruins Of the
Coliseum. To this proposal the
Italian Government object. 1t is
not that the exhibition would in
any way damage the hoary old min
that stands as a silent reminder of
the grandeur, the wealth, and the
cruelty Of ancient imperial Rome.
u IS not that the war dance OF
North American savages, or the
rude yells OF the cowboys, would he
any harsher than the plaudits of the
Roman multitude, when the blood
IF such gladiators as Spartacus.
dampened the Coliseum's arena IN
days Of old. 1t is not that the scene
Is too tame when the ''NVild West,
show represents an overland stare
attacked by Indians. There are
other considerations that have. |
doubtless. prompted the Italians 10 |
decline Mr.. Cody's application. In
was this same Coliseum's arena that |
was dampened by the blood of |
Christian martyrs. These same old |
walls resounded with the shouts of
The frenzied pagan multitude when
Of Christian men, women
ana children were torn in pieces
BY famished Numidian lions.
Here 1t was that "Mystery, Baby.
on, the mother of harlots., was
trunk with the blood Of the Saints.
Ill at length the Apostolic Church
vanished from the earth, aud an
'ther church-a hideous hyhrid of
leathenism ami superstition-had
isen In It's stead. Yes, Il is well
hat the hoary old ruin should re-
main in solitude, not desecrated by
he frivolities OF the "Wild West,
how. Better far that sentinels
hould guard this old ruin-the
ravestone, as it were, of early
christianity.
By the way, isn't it strange that
hhh -lAL2S- ltalsl7 are ltt IiOSt
ddicted of all people to the vice Of
elic-stealing? French, Germans and
Italians have generally a passion
" scribbling their names on every
II monument they come to, but
hey seldom carry anything away
; a relic. On the other hand, the
sntinels of Italy have to keen a
harp eye on Anglo-Saxon tourists. /
My the other day an Ameri-
IN lady t?l was invited by the !
.mericsn consul at Naples TO view ,
me recent excavations at Pom !
I'll, and while there was caught i
the act Of taking and secreting ,
little bronze cupid that had just 7
'en excavatsd. Scarcely two I
onths ago an Englishma1 at Yer I
Ia was viewing what was said 10 [
} the tomb Of Shnkespeare's Ju- /
4. 1t so happened that this Eng I
Sd traveller was the only person