The Washington times., 1894-07-08
CRISPIS LONG LIFE STORY
In His Seventy-fifth Year He Is Still
Premier.
EARLY DAYS OF STRUGGLE
News Of His Mothers Death Kept From Him
for Years-The Romance of His Boyhood
His Journey to the Cholera District and
His Marriage.
Especial TO TIE TINHs

FLORENCE, June 25.-Although in his 75tf
year. Francesca Crispi is still premier o
| Italy. One OF the three great men of Europe
men who have, though uncrowned, reall,
welded the scepter OF umpircs, Crispi still
reigns, virtually dictator OF Italy. Bismarck
his friend, is in retirement; Gladstone il
through life's public labors. but Crispi, who
on the 4th day of next October, will. Dec
volenre, celebrate the 18th anniversary OF his
birth, which nativity has lent greatness to
the little Sicilian town of Ribera, Is to-day
the busy man OF Rome. No American oI
equal years could surpass in activity this
Latin. in Il land where the many hold the
dolce far niente is the best feature OF life.
The Iron Chancellor is a rugged. Gladstone
grand. but CrIspi handsome old man.
Always handsome. it has influenced his ca
reer. He has played the devil with at least
one OF womankind. and it has reacted to his
disadvantage. Crispi, even at his time OF life,
does not at all undervalue his good looks or
the advantages of presenting the best appear
ance one is capable of. He dresses carefully
and conventionaliy. usually in black. Ee las
fine eyes that penetrate. They can fash fiery
enough at an opponent. and evidently might
yet melt into languishing i1oks. His thick. per
fectly white moustache sets of the premier 5
ruddy countenance. and his bald head helps
him TO a senatorial dignity.
So much for Crispis looks. and none doubts
that he is vain OF them. His temperament is
of the nervous, exci.able kind. and he brooks
no opposition. 1t is suspected that Crispi
adds to his own natural disposition 70 be in
tolerant some force in imitation of his greatly
admired Bismarck. OF the possession OF whose
good opinion he is 80 proud. Americans who
have seen Crispi latterly in the sessions of the
Italian Chamber OF Deputies say that his in
creasing wears have failed to quench the fire
of his character. 1t is the premier's won't,
when launching shafts of oratory that are so
apt to make opponents quickly yiel0. to ham
mer the arms Of his chair with his clenched
fists in manner that apparently would ruin
the knuckles OF professional pugiiist. Spec
tators in tine galleries have long been accus-
toned to watch the scalp OF the prime minis
ter's' bald head. which is, when suddenly red
dened by rush of blood, a sure indicat. .on
that his choer is rising.
That Crlspi's intelligence is OF a high order
Is conceded by all who really known him. He
has naturally rare capabilities. and these have.
been developed by study. and his mind has
been broadened and stored with that knowl-
edge not contained between the covers OF
books. by his travels, and through contact
with the eminent and obscure alike. Crispi
is a scholar of diplomacy. and has the caution
and shrewiness OF Il weil-seaSoned conspira-
tor and the ready use Of his wits that has
come 10 hun in tha eXigencieS Of numberless
political combats.
Perhaps because he is polite. or NAV be for
the same reason that seif-rade men are ready
to heighten their success by lowering their
origin; or possibly because he is really demo-
cratic, Crispi good humoredly says he is sen
of the people. His compeers in Italian high
lie, however. accept the assertion that ne is (,
an a5istocrat by birth a well Is ~ bahit, ,.,r \
The mansion, a locally pretenIioHs one, OF
two stories. where Crispi was born. SILL Stands
in ne center OF Ribera. Without the town,
on a wooded hill lie the bones OF some OF
Crispi's Immediate ancestors. 1t appears eer-
tain to those who have Investigated his de-
scent that the family OF Signor Crispi was of
Roman origin, but that it early emigra.ed to
the East. Near iibera, which as a town oates
from the spanish occupation, are GreciaG
ruins. The Crispis came from Albania and
were regarded rs Greeks.
The classical features of Don Ciccio. as the
premier IS often alfectionately termed in Ma
pies are themselves an evidence that he is
Grecian, and indeed the presn!er'S grand
father WAS IA priest of the Greek ehdrch. /
Crispi himself was educated at the Greek
seminary in Palermo. where the Albanese
language Us well AS the Italian was used.
Crispi AT this school gained no scientific edu-
cation. even geography and history having
been ignored. The ancient authors wer- the
sources from which ne drank and their influ-
enee on his speech 6nd composition still pre-
walls. Tacitus was and is the pceniers ia
vorite. and it Is not difficult 10 imagine upon
bearing Cri,pIs oratory that Tacitus Is his
model. tti fi ~
No more admirable trait in Crispi's charac-i
ter can be mentioned than his strong love for,
and devotion TO his mother. lis father To-
masso Crisqi. married u GencvI of Ii family
OF Coia,aiotta a tlny town hard by Ri0era
They had seven children. While Francesca /
was an eXiled coESpirator his mother WIS
taken i'll. The elder Crispi was q man OF 4
strong character. Hearing that Francesca,
whose tender attachment to his mother his {
father well krew. might return 20 be n.gh Eer. 1
at the risk o. berty OF HE, Tomasso con- }
cealed his vife's illness from their absent son.
When she died he did not inform Francesca
for tine same reason. The fathers letters Al
ways contained this phrase. Thy mother
blesses thee
At last there were no lie tiers. Finally new
came TO Crispi of his fathers DEATH .soh, (
my poor mo;nerl" was Crispi's first uttered
thought. Your mother has been dead these
Tour years. said companion. WITH incom-
prehensible brutal directness. Cri5pi seemed
utterly crushed. This, he has since said, was
he most uncomfortable period of his life.
The romance OF Crispi's life began when
ne was 49, and 10 his second year at the Uni
sersity of Palermo. There he met beautiful /
girl OF 16. named Rosina, and they fell in
oye. Because OF their youth Francesco's
ather called him home. The young lover
piued away in spite of parental attempts 10
,olace him and their providing for him
changes OF scene and air. Then came news
hat cholera was devastating Palermo.
yrispi clandestinely borrowed neiahbor;ng
armers horse and set out for Palermo and
Rosjna. His inamorata was the daughter OF
widow and had three sisters and brother.
Rosina was in need OF francesca, for when
lie arrived her mother was already dead. as
we're her eldest and younger sisters. Her
,rother was dying. francesca sold the house
o the postmaster Of Palermo, and with the
money thus ob;ained cared for Rosina and
Ter one remaining sister
In the meantime the mystery OF young
5rispi's disappearance had never been cleared
ID, and his family had mourped him as dead.
)ne day the farmers houe cams along driven
~ stranger, and fo1io1tng ~ ~ tkqe {
lliSe lhS =: M ik eeiiaq4 !: s
rife, her sister cot6P.--fz = e. ~ >lolds
'arental forgiveness was f6fthcu1Hs.< and
be three went to Ribera The pretty Resina
we'd but two years. After her death ner
lister would not have said nay had Essncesco
sked her to succeed Rosina as his vile. but
his did not come about. and shc became