Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-10-24

anu ubppV ~COncluSlOH. Among my az
sembled guests, all Of whom belonged
10 the best and most distinguished
, families In Naples, there was a pre-
vading atmosphere Of undoubted chill
illness; the women were dull, being
rendered Jealous Of the brides beauty,
and the richness of her white velvets
and jewels; the men were constrained
and could scarcely force themselves
into even the appearance Of cordi6lity;
they evidently thought that, with such
wealth as mine, / would have done
much softer to remain n bachelor. In
truth, Italians, and especially Neapoli-
tans, are by no means enthusiastic
concerning the suppositious joys Of
marriage. They are apt to shake their
heads and to look upon II as a mis-
fortune rather than a blessing. "L'al-
tare e. La tomba DELI amore," is a very
common saying with US, and very com
monty believed.
Ii was a relief To US when we rose
from the splendidly appointed table
and separated for a few hours. We
were to meet again at the ball, which
was fixed to commence at nine o'clock
In the evening. Thee cream OF the
F.. event was 70 be tasted then; the final
toasting of the bride was to take place
then; then there would be music,
mirth and dancing, and all the splen-
ID of almost royal TeyeiTy. l escorted
my wife with formal courtesy to a
splendid apartment which had been
prepared for her, for she had, as she
told me, many things to do; as, for in
stance, 30 take off her bridal robes. to
study every detail Of her wondrous
ball costume for the night, and to SUI
perintend her maid i'm the packing of
her trunks for the next days journey.
The text day! I smiled grimly. l
wondered how she would enjoy her
trip! Then I kissed her hand with the
most profound respect and left her TO
repose-to refresh and prepare herself
for the brilliant festivfty of the even
ing.
Our marriage customs are not as
coarse rs those OF some countries; a
bridegroom in .Caly thinks it scarcely
! decent TO perse>ute his bride with
either his presence or his caresses as
O as the church has made her his.
On the contrary, If ardent, he restraints
his ardor, he forebears to intrude, he
strives to keep up the illusion, the
r~ose-colored light, or rather mist of
! love as long as possible, and he has a
| wise. instructive dread OF becoming
over familiar: we'll knowing that moth
Ing kills romance S o swiftly and sure
" as the bare, blunt prose Of close
and constant proximity. And /, like
other gentlemen of my rank and class,
gave my twice welded wife her lib
erty, the last hours Of liberty she
would eve know. l left her to busy
herself with the tribes she best loved
-trifles of dress and personal adorn-
ment, for which many women barter
away their souls peace and honor, and
divest themselves of the last shred of
right and honest principle, merely to
outshine others Of their own sex, and
sow broadcast heart-burnings. petty
envies, mean hatreds and contempti-
Bile spites, where, IL they did but
choose, there might be a widely differ
ent harvest
1t is easy to understand the feelings
Of Marie Stuart, when she arrayed
herself in her best garments for her
execution: it was simply the herOism
OF supreme vanity, the desire to fas-
cinate IL possible the very headsman.
One can understand any beautiful
woman being az brave as she. Harder
than death itself would 1t have seemed
~ AACI hai shC btNl cAtptItu W up
pear on the scaffold looking hideous.
She was resolved TO make the most of
her charms so long as life lasted. 1
thought of that sweet-lipped, luscious
smiling queen as / parted from my
wife for a few brief hours; royal and
deeply injured lady though she was,
she merited her fate, for she was
treacherous; there can be no doubt Of
that. Yet most people reading her his
tory pity her. / know not why. 1t is
strange that so much Of the worlds
sympathy is wasted on false women,
| strolled into one of the broad logge
of the hotel, from whence / could see
a portion Of the Piazza del Popolo.
and lighting n cigar. l leisurely watch
cd the frolics of the crowd. The Gus
tomary fooling proper TO the day was
going on, and 10 detail of IL seemed to
pail on the good-natured, easily
I amused folk who must have seen IL all
So often before. Much laughter was
being excited by the remarks Of a ven
dor Of quack medicines, who was talk
ing with extreme volubility TO a num-
Der OF gdiiy dressed girls and fisher
men. I could not distinguish his
words, but l judged be was selling the
'eiixir of love- from his absurd anna
tory gestureS-an elixir composed, no
! doubt, 81 a little harmless cau SSucrcc.
Flags tossed on the breeze, trumpets
brayed, drums beat: improvisation
twanged their guitars and mandolins
loudly 10 attract attention, and falling
In their efforts, swore at each other
! with the utmost J~oviality and hearth
ness; flower girls and lemonade sellerJ
made the air ring with their confi"t-
ing cries; now and then a shower Of
chalky confetti few out from the ad-
jacent windows, busting with white
| powder the coats of the many
! passers by: clusters of flowers tied
with favors of gay colored ribbon were
iavishly flung at TIE feet of bright
eyed peasant girls, who rejected or ac-
cepted them at pleasure, with light
words of bandinag,. OF playful repartc;
clowns danced and tumbled, dogs
barked. church bells changed and
! through all the waving width OF color
and movement crept the miserable
shrinking forms Of diseased and loath-
iy beggars, whining for n soldo and