New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-22
BRUNO'S TOWN.
A GLIMPSE OF AN ITALIAN FESTIVAL.

To any one for whom a happy coincidence
in matters OF history literature has Pc
culiar attraction, a visit to Nola toward the
end OF June is sure 10 possess a welcome signin-'
canoe. In Nols Giordano Bruno was born and In
Nola they celebrate on the last Sunday In June the,
old bishop of the town, San Paolno. who invented
the church bell there in the fourth century. 1t re-
quires great flight Of the imagination to see the
connection between the two, antagOnistic as they
might seem to be at first sight. On one side Is the
ecclesiastc deyisng the instruWent by whose
brazen tongue the tidings of his faith to this
day uttered all over the civilized world. On the
other Is a philosopher for whose ideas the good
bishop could have had nothing but loathing had he
lived late enough 10 know them but one whose
challenge to the minds OF the Renaissance and OF
succeeding ages rings with even greater ciangor
from the walls of the little Campanian town. In
other words, the voice which is associated with
Nola is Brunos; and yesterday, when the town
turped itself into a chorus of thunder for San
Paolino the bells seemed to speak alone or Brunos
warfare against sacerdotasm and bgotry. STU
Of Bruno will recognize the justice OF this in
depreciation Of the days jubilation. None OF the
other free-thinkera OF the Renaissance. not POM
pnazzo nor Vannini Pico, nor any Of their pro-
totypes had Bruno's magnificent sweep Of thought
nor his invncibe pugnacity. In the history OF nis
age he presents an heroic figure and one ioiiows
him in his tempestuous voyagng up and down Eu.
rope to England, and finally back 10 the stake at
Rome, with something or the same duiiHatiOh 'Aos
attends the progress of military captain.
In Nola this tradition survives In no OBVIOUS way
The mediocre statue TO Bruno In the public square
represents a dapper lawyer. with sleek mustached
countenance and an expression Which reveals
chiefly the sculptor's ncapacty TO cope with any
higher type Of individuality than one might meet
to-day in the heart of Phstia. The monks. who
can be trusted to preserve so much In the INTEL
lectua history OF their country have, of course no
love to waste on Bruno, nor have they any knowl-
edge of him. At the monastery above the town tho
good -humored inmates have only a shrug OF the
shoulders for the hero. But Noa is there, and not
far beyond is Vesuvius, rising from the luXuriane
plain in n sea OF purple mist that fades at last
into the silver smoke curling from the volcanoes
peak on the terraces of the farm that slopes from
the monastery the town the lemon trees. heavy
with their fruit, shine like metal In the sum- Tho
almond orchards stretch in gray wave-ke masses
up 10 the very walls OF Nola, and the only flowers
that you see anywhere are the scarlet peoples
Pickering along the ground like fame Not cloud
marks the sky 1t is over a scene like this that
Bruno looked, with his gaze turned toward Naples
and the world. The beauty or the vista ID
exquisite. but 1t is easy to understand, also now
the remoteness and isolation OF the place must
have fed the mans Imagination. 1t was precisely
the spot TO give a restless thinker to the world.
Yesterday Nola was In a state Of frenzy. Neapoli-
tans and Nolans. with peasants from villages Tor
miles around, combined glorfy the saint They
began early and until late last night they kept
Nola in an uproar. dancing 10 their own ceaseiess
singing as often the tumult OF the ten brass
bands distributed through the streets, and setting
off fireworks when the noise didn't seem deafenins
enough. The bells kept up their sonorous ooligato.
Dogs barked. brayed. children screamed, par
rel organs added their implacable monotone. IL
inanimate nature didn't rise up as in Greece tho
other day 1t simply because 1t was held down
by the largest throng that has filled the crooked
streets OF Noa since year ago.
In the Piazza del Duomo shabby square far
beneath its name. the people were inextrcaoiy
TANNED. once in, 1t was almost impossible 10 get
out Vendors of chestnut necklaces water-sehers
and pedlers OF fruit, ices and souvenirs haN,
pitched dozens OF their stands in the square, and
reared far above them were nine splendid towers
built for the day Since San Paono came from
over sea- there is also a miniature ship erected, ana
provided as is each OF the towers with brass
band OF terrifying assiduity. These towers are
about fifteen feet square at the base and taper
until they come to a point at height OF hun
dred feet more or less. They are built stoutly OF
wood the framework OF poles being covered with
thick paper and stucco in architectural forms with
all sorts Of floral and conventional decorations.
Gay colors are used in the painting OF the struct-
ures pink. yellow. blue and gold predomnating inc
back Of each tower is stacked from base to apex
with leafy branches that boys throw into windows
and to the crowd in the street peting every one az
the same time with handfuls of confetti hard az
pebbles.
The start OF these towers from the square In
which they are first collected is itself a spectacle.
Along the old wall of the duomo filling one side OF
the Enclosure a tremendous explosion Of fre-crack-
ers declares the days festivities formally begun;
and San Paolinos ship sails off on the shoulders OF
as many men as can squeeze themselves and their
poles under its pedestal. The shJp's band OF half
dozen musicians settles itself as comfortably as
il can. and proceeds to blow its hardest. The din
crackers IS discharged beneath the wall. and the
first tower leaves the square similar salute Is
given the next tower, and so on until the square Is
plsh the clearance No less than eighty men snoui.
der one OF the swayng towers. The weight OF tne
framework alone must be enormous, and the oand
and confetti throwers make II heavier bu. s, Inc
the task All the morning long they enter inc .omn
In bands OF efn by or Srnmer They wear shirts
and kerchiefs OF every conceivable color ana tnelt
s no two Of them seem alike They goodlookins
men Some OF the bronzed faces, gilstenng WIN
Set on muscular shoulders that show clearly
through the thin shirts are posyey thsv
are ever fagu-i on san Paonof Daya RE they
motoness When the snp Il and syes the signal
FOR halt all along the linz me bearers 40 tSo nor or
three mount on the shoulders OF their comrades.
and for a space of ten minutes they dance and sing
a ns men Wmo With their arms and shouting From
every side the confetti come in hailstorms when
The dance continues until one expects the men to
drop from exhaustion. but then the band begins
with a new tune and the tower moves on. The
winding streets alive with dust. broing under the
MONDAY sun. and gay at every window. as well as
times present sight TO make one dizzy. No one
is cool and collected. no one save the carapinier.,,
Who remain as they always do. and as they VIII
when Ves,ivus lifts up It's voice again. as placid
and polite so many mourning dancing mas.rr,s;
in Inc strange dialect OF the province: 1t is long
time before the revealing ends. Until late IN the
afternoon the streets impossible and In the ey-
ening there are fireworks galore. The last train
leaves for Naples while the fun Is still rampant IN
The streets The tired Neapolitan goes hungry nome
and his wife tries smooth her crumpled holiday
gear and silence the inevitable baby at the same
fimc Everybody Is worn Sut and scorched three
times over but everybody is patient and happy.
This cheerful acceptance of trying conditions Is onb
Of the saving traits Of the Italian character.
SUCH THINGS WILL HAPPEN.
From The Chicago Tribune