Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-06-10

CHAPTER II.

Every one knows WHAT hluu VI
summer we had in Naples in 1851. me
newspapers of all lands teemed vita
the story of its horrors The cholera
walked abroad like destroying de-
mon; under its whitening touch scores
of people, young and old, dropped
down in the streets TO die. The fell
disease, born OF dirt and criminal
neglect Of sanitary precautions, gained
or the city with awful rapidly, ana
worse even than the plague was the
unreasonlng but universal panic. The
never-to- be-forgotten heroism OF King
Humbert had its effect on the more
educated classes, but among the low
Neopolitan populace abject fear, vulgar
superstition. and utter selhshness
reigned, supreme. One case may
serve as an example of many others.
A fisherman, we'll known in the place,
a handsome and popular young fellow,
was seized while working in his boat,
with the first symptoms of cholera.
He was carried to his mothers house.
I ne old woman, Misunderstanding
bag, watched the little procession as
1t approached her dwelling, and taking
in the situation at once, she shut and
b6rrcaded her door.
"Santissima Madonna" she yelled,
shrilly. through half-opened window.
"Leave him in the street the aban-
dcned, miserable one The migrate
full pigl He would bring the plague to
his own Woodworking, honest mother!
Holy Joseph, who would have child
rCn? Leave him in the street, tell
you!"
L was useless to eXposulato with
this feminine scarccrow; her son was
happily for himself unconscious, and
after some more Wrangling he was
laid down on her doorstep, where he
shortly atterward expired, his body
being afterward carried away like so
much rubbish by the beccamorti
The heat in the city was intense.
The sky was a burning dome of bril-
liancy. the bay was still as a glitter
ing sheet of glass thin column Of
sn oke Issuing from the crater Of
Vesusius increased the impression Of
al all pol&A1irg. though impercepti-
Bile ring of fire. that scanned to sur
round the place. No birds sung save
In the late evening, when the nightin-
gales in my gardens broke out In a
bubbling torrent OF melody, half joy
Gus. half elancholy, Up on that
wooded height where | dwelt 1t was
comparatively cool ] took all the pre-
cautions necessary TO prevent the con
tagon from attacking our household;
in fact. | would have left the nelghbor-
hood altogether, had | not known that
hasty nght from an infected district
often carries with 1t the possibility of
closer contact with the disease. My
wife besides. was not nervous
think very beautiful women seldom
are Their superb vanity Is an eX-
Cellent shield to repel pcstilence; it
does away With the principal element
OF danger ear AS tor our Stella,
a tcddling mite of two years old. she
was healthy child, for whom
neither her mother not myself enter
tanned the least anxiety.
Guido Ferrari came and stayed with
US, ANA while the cholera, Ike a sharp
scythe put into field OF ripe corn,
moved down the dirt-loying Neapoh
taus by huudreds, We three, with a
small retiuue OF servants, none OF
whom we're ever permitted 20 visit the
city, lived on fariraceous food and
distilled water, bathed regularly rose
end retired early, and enjoyed the
most perfect health.
Among her many other attractions
my wife was gifted with a beautiful
and well-trained voice She sung with
exquisite expression. and many an
evening when Guido and myself sat
smoking in the garden, after little
Stella had gone To bed, Nina would
raytsh our ears with the music OF her
nightingale notes. singing song after
song. quaint storueli and ritoruclli--
songs of the people. fun OF wild and
passionate beauty In these Guido
would often join her, his fun barry
tone Ginning in with her delicate aud
clear soprano ms dcliciously as the fall
Of the fountain with the tull of a bird
] can hear those two voices now. their
united melody still rings morEiugly In
my ears Che heavy perfume of orange
blossoms. mirsled With myrtle. floats
toward me uu the ulu. tho yellow moon
burns round and FINN ju ,he Dense blue
sky like the kjng of Thulo's goblet OF