Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-10-21

turn my head to catch her parting
glance. | could mott was sick of
myself and of her. | was literally
torn asunder between love and hatred
love born basely of material feel
ing alone-hatred, the offspring of n
deeply injured spirit for whose wrong
there could scarce be found sufficient
remedy. Once out of the influence OF
her bewildered beauty, my mind grew
oalmer-and the drive back to the ho-
tel in my carriage through the sweet
chillness of the December air quieted
the feverish excitement OF my blood
and restored me to myself, 1t was IA
most lovely day-bright and fresh,
with the SAVIOR of the sea in the wind.
The waters of the bay were of a steel
like blue shading into deep olive
green and a soft haze fingered about
the shores of Amalfi like a veil of
gray, shot through with silver and
gold. Down the streets went women in
picturesque garb carrying on their
ltduS pdShttS iuil W iUt biihi VI
purple violets that scented the air as
they passed-children ragged and dirty
ran along, pushing the luxuriant tan
gle of their dark locks away from
their beautiful Wild antelope eyes, and
holding up punches of roses and
narcissi with smiles as brilliant as the
very sunhine, implored the passengers
to buy 'for the sake of the little Gusu
who was soon coming
Bells clashed and changed from the
churches in honor of San Tommaso,
whose festival it was, and the city
had that aspect of gala gayety about
il, 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
laughter pumped out of him by an
occasional visit to the theater where
he can witness the original English
translation of a French farce. cannot
understand why these foolish Nea-
.'o-iAduS oDoulu lduSu anu SILK anu
shout in the manner they do, merely
because they are glad to be alive.
And after much dubious consideration,
he decides within himself that they
are all rascalS-the scum of the earth
and that he and he only is the true
representative of man at his best
the model Of civilized responsibility.
And a mournful spectacle he thus
seems to the eyes of us base" for
eigners-in u hearts we are sorry for
him and believe that If he could man
age to shake off the letters of his in
sura customs and prejudices, he might
almost succeed in enjoying life as
much as we do!
AS drove along | saw a small
crowd-a g~esticulating. laughing
crowd, listening to an "improvisatore"
or wandering poet-a plu~mp-looking
fellow who had all the rhymes of ltajy
at his fingers ends, and who could
make a poem on any subject or an
acrostic on any name, with perfect
facility. | stopped my carriage to
iiSN'h w hio tAltIlpol iStt Z btS, many
OF which were really admirable, and
tossed him three francs. He threw
them up in the air, one after the other.
end caught them, as they fell in his
mouth, appearing to have swallowed
them all-then with an inimitable
and said.
"Ancora affamato, eccllenza!" (I am
still hungry!) amid the renewed laugh
ter of his easily amused audience. A
merry poet he was and without con
ceit-and his good humor merited the
extra silver pieces | gave him, which
caused him to wish me-"Buon APP
petite e un sorriso della Madonna
Ga good appetite to you and a smile
of the Madonna!) Imagine the Lord
Laureate of England standing at the
corner of Regent Street swallowing
Ealf-pence for his rhymes! Yet some
of the quaint conceits strung together
by such a fellow as this improvisa-
tore might furnish material for many
of the so-called poets whose names
are mysteriously honored in Britain.
Further on | came upon a group of
~red-capped coal fishers assembled
round a portable stove wherein roast
ing chestnuts cracked their glossy
sides and emitted savory odors. The.
men were singing gayly to the thrum-
ming of an old guitar, and the song
he sung was familiar to me. Stay,
where had ! heard it?-let me listen!
"Sciore limonef
lie yoglio far mort de passione
Zompa llari Tira!"
Hal | remember now. When | had
crawled out Of the vault through the
brigand's hole of entrance-when my
heart had bounded with glad anticipa-
tions never to be realized-when
had believed in the worth of love and
friendship-when ! had seen the morn
ing SUI glittering on the sea, and had
thought-pOor fooli-that his long
beams were like so many golden flags