Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-02-26
FLORENCE.
Manners and Customs or its Enhabftants
YividIy Set Forth

Manners and Customs or its Fnhabitsnts
Yividly Set Forth.
1t is strangely wonderful city. The
past and the present meet, bat the stranger
feels that The past has been nobler and
mlghtler than Is the present. The history
OF greater Florence has been written long
ago. Dante, Savonarola, Raphael, Ange-
10, Gallleo, Amerigo Vespueci, and the
Medlcl lived yesterday, not to-day The
Florentlnes OF to-day are careless, easy,
unamb1tlous, monumental, declining in
wealth, and content to rest upon the mar
velous greatness of their fathers. Yet
the stranger feels queerly reverent and re-
specttui In city that has stamped its gem
ius on the world and has produced more
names of uudying fame than any other
city In the world.
The population of Florence is about
100, 900, and is divided into two UNEQUAL
parts by the classic Arno river, on the
nouthern bank of which are splendid
buildings, and fashionable promenade
miles long. The river rises in the fr-and-
chestnut-clad Apennines and flows to the
Mediterranean. Splendid purple hills.
dotted with princely villas, monasteries.
ETC., enclrcle the city. 1t is enclosed by
walls whose gates are shut by night.
Living is cheaper outside the gates, as
the government, hard up for funds to
support It's army and navy, impose tax
upon even eabbages and eggs coming
within. The Florentines freely admit
that its government does many .hings in
the face of Italian interests. For instance.
every pound and ounce of registered or
checked luggage is charged when the
frontier is crossed into Italy. The coun-
try Is poor, taxes are many and heavy,
and every possible device is resorted to, to
keep the government machinery running
But the Italian people, specially The
poorer, are wonderfully passive and con-
tent The poor people are very poor and
miserable looking, yet the Russian revo-
lutlonary element is not in their charac-
ter. They look up to the higher classes
as to superior race and accept their
grim lot with even a cheerful resignation,
as fixed and wise destiny. But what
a Wolhsh greed they have for the sou or
soldl, and the Ira or franc. They are
mean, petty, everlasting beggars, and are
never satisfied with what you give them.
The shopkeepe1s ask three or four times
the proper prices, and the stranger must
either stand up for his rights" or be
tteeced outright. Some knowledge of the
Italian tongue, is almost Indispensable to
comfort, and any measure of economy
Living, all told, costs what it does in
England or America. Some things, such
as vegetables and feet-wear, ere extremely
reasonable, while other things, as teas
and sugars are high, A bus or tram ride
costs ten centesimi or one penny.
Red, green and yellow are the prevail.
ing colors of the Florentines. They dress
Enthusiastically, oftentimes very attractive to
the eye, sometimes otherwise. The Off
Gals of high degree and low dress showily
and all sport the sword. The streets are
remarkably quiet after sunset, but a per-
feet bedam III the early morning, with
numberless hawkers, and whips that crack
like pistols, and church bells The Ital-
lans speak low, sharp and quick, and al
most every word is accompanied with
violent gesticulations, like their French
cousins. They are apter in the languages
than the Anglo Soxons; it is common to
hear them, even the humber ones, speak
ing French, English, and even German
Exchange