Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-08-22

gOtu. Down the streets vent women
In picturesque garb carrying on their
heads baskets full to the brim of pur-
pie violets that scented the air as they
passed, children ragged and dirty ran
along. pushing the luxuriant tangle of
their dark locks away from their beau
tiful wild antelope eyes, and holding
up punches OF roses and narcissi with
smiles as brilliant as the very sun
shine imploring the passengers to buy
'for the sake of the little Gesu who
was o coming"
Bells clashed and changed from the
churches in honor Of San Tommaso,
whose festival Ii was, and the city
had that aspect of gala gaiety about
1t which Is In truth common enough
to all continental towns, but which
seems strange to the solemn Londoner
who sees so much apparently reason
less merriment for the first time. He,
accustomed TO have his reluctant
la"ohter pumped out Of him by an oc-
nal visit to the theater where he
can witness the original English
translation Of a French farce, cannot
understand why these foolish Neapol-
itans should laugh and sing and shout
in the manner they do merely because
they are glad to be alive. And after
much dubious consideration, he de-
/, cides within himself that they are all
rascals-the scum of the earth-and
that he and he only is the true rep
resentative of man at his best-the
model of civilized responsibility. And
a mournful spectacle he thus seems
to the eyes of US base foreigners
lin our hearts we are sorry for him
and believe that IL he could manage
to shake off the letters of his insular
customs and prejudiees, he might al
most succeed in enjoying life as much
as we do!
AS l drove along / saw a small
crowd at n of the street corners
a gesticulating, laughing crowd, list
ening to an ''improyvisatore" or wan
dering poet-a plump looking fellow
who had all the rhymes of Italy at his
fingers ends, and could make a poem
on any subject or an acrostic on any
name, with perfect facility. | stopped
my carriage to listen to his extempor-
lied verses, many Of which were real
ly admirable, and tossed him three
francs. He threw them up in the air
one after another and caught them as
lutN Itll, III Ills IiQuNUr appealing III
have swallowed them all-then with
an Unreliable grimace. he pulled off
his tattered cap and said:
"Ancor' affamato, EccellenZai Il am
still hungry, among the renewed
laughter Of his easily amused audi
ence. A merry poet he was and with
out conceit-and his good humor mer-
tied the extra silver pieces / gave
him xrhfch aon0nl him 20 uvioh n
Buon appetite e un sorriso della Ma
donna!-(a good appetite to you and
a smile to the MadonnaD Imagine the
Lord Loureate of England standing at
the corner of Regent street swallow
ing half pence for his rhymes! Yet
some of the quaint conceits strung
together by such a fellow as this i'm
provvisatore might furnish material
for many of the so-called poets
whose names are mysteriously honor
ed in Britain.
Further on / came upon a group of
red-capped coral fishers assembled
round a portable stove whereon roast
ing chestnuts cracked their glossy
sides and emitted savory odors. The
men were singing gaily to the thum-
ming of an old guitar and the song
they sang was familiar TO me. Stay,
where had l heard it-let me listen!
"Sciore limones
lie yoglio far mort de passione
Zompa llari llira!'
Ha! / remembered now. When I
had crawied out of the vault through
the brigand's hole of entrapce-when
my heart had bounded with glad anti
cipation never to be realized-when I
had believed In the worth Of love and
friendship,-when / had seen the
morning glittering on the sea, aud
had thought-poor fool!-that his long
beams were like so many golden flags
7 OF joy hung up in heaven to symbol
ize the happiness of my release from
death and my restoration TO liberty
then-then had heard a sailors voice
in the distance singing that ''rltor-
nello." and l had fondly imagined it's
impassioned lines were all for me-.
Hateful music-most bitter sweetness!
| could have put my hands up to my