The Portland daily press., 1897-09-18

long Durleu c1ty! Wnau power the early
morning hours possess to damp ardor and
posed we longed for Pompeii with an
unquenchable longing, but when the
visit meant loss of morning nap, Pompeii
was to us as to its unfortunate inhabi-
tants but dust and ashes. "We'll bitterly
regret it If we don't go, was the spur
with which we urged each other on, and
in few hours, the smoking mountain
came in view, and the lava strewn coun-
try told us where we were. How real it
made the city seem, to walk those narrow
streets and see the rut-worn stones where
chariots passed before the birth of Christ
1.-THE new house, unearthed not more
than eighteen months ago, surpassed all
in preservation and attractiveness. The
Atrium with the very fountains and
them, looked as it did two Thousand
years ago. The brilliant red of the walls,
the still fresh frescoes, made it difficult
to realize that they had been sealed from
sun and air for centuries. Vesuvius WAS
on best behavior, though occasional sui
len puffs of smoke told us of smoldering
wrath. Our plans were made for the as
cent, but when we found that meant to
forego Capri and Sorrento, the latter
places conquered.
We have had many red letter days
throughout our trip, but that day when
we sailed upon the Bay of Naples was a
heavenly one, not only for enjoyment
but as making known to us the meaning
of celestial hue The blue depths of sky
were mirrored in the same bright color,
of the water that.gleamed about our ship.
U pom one side of us rose Vesuvius, with
many sister peaks, then Naples to which
our distance lent not only enchantment
but much needed and appreciated
sweetness-while music from guitar and
mandolin with singing voices added the
one charm desired. Some fellow passen4
gers amused themselves by dropping coins
into the water for which the natives
would quickly dive; all at once, shrieks
and Italian cries made the atmosphere a
deeper blue. Rushing to the side of the
ship we saw boy of about eighteen
grasp knife and make furious lunge
at his companion who, he thought, had
deprived him Of an eighth of cent? The
man barely saved himself by jumping
overheard. Then oars were pitched right
and left, children yelled and screamed and
pandemonium reigned until we steamed
away. In thinking back, we find we've
pictured SO many perfect days it may be
thought that we are telling fairy tales,
but we have witnesses to prove that our
Captain told US, we 'had the one day of
the year for visiting the Blue Grotto.' "
"Yes,' he added eft is the very finest;
here loaded with passengers and been
obliged to carry them back without max.
ing the entrance, the waters were so tur-
bulent; and often tourists remain in
Capri for weeks and leave without being
able to gain the longed-for sight" While
he was speaking, small rowboats cllls-
tered all about the vessel, each one al
lowed by law to carry only two. The en-
trance to this enchanted cavern is SO low
that we were obliged to lie at full length
in the boat, and we could wen understand
the difficulties, If not impossibilities, of en-
tering at high tide. No one has the faint
est comprehension of the color-blue-
who has not seen the exquisite translucent
hue that glistens there. The rover dipped
his oar and million sparkling sprays of
brilliant blue, quivered around us. "It is
a silvery blue!" we cried, gazing down
into clear depths of hitherto undreamed
of blue. We looked far off into the dark
ness, and exclaimed "It is an icy, glacial
blue!" Above, the rocky roof was blue
with every shade, from mazarin to light
est tinge of heaven, the only things that
were not blue were our exultant hearts
Now that we are ourselves in Italy,
Claude Melnotte's famous fowery sem
tences and impassioned words seem natu-
raj speech, and we are tempted to say in
feeble imitation, ''Wouldst know the
charm of orange bower, of oleander
bloom of scent, of jessamine and tuberose9
Wouldst feel in all its cooling freshness
the balmy breeze that lightly blows from
Naples Bay? then linger at Sorrento; so
strange it's narrow streets, it's rocky for
tress walls, SO bright Its many shops
with silken stuffs, and olive wood inlaid
and carved in countless ways for use
and beauty" So dreamy, SO alluring is
Sorrento, we could not bear to leave; for
the first time in our lives we revelled in
y,jo1y rod 10 +l1<
luscious fruit till we were satiated, and
then with branches laden with the golden
balls, we turned our faces back toward
Naples. For almost the first time, we
pleaded guilty to being tired, and felt for
the moment that nothing could interest
US, but the sights of Naples would ami
mate a craven image. The hour was six
at night, and our drive, along the prin-
cipal thoroughfare of the city, and by
beautiful buildings.
The characteristic of Naples is its
sharp contrasts of wealth and poverty
of misery and happiness. Boys with tat
tered apologies for garments which scarce
ly held together were driving herd of
goats before them, stopping at various
houses while the maid with glass in
hand, herself secured the evenings sup
ply of milk, having an advantage in
knowing that she had it fresh from ma
ture's fount, without being diluted at
the iron fountain. A haggard woman lay
upon the pavement, and covering her
were five sleeping children. A boy of
six stepped from tub of water placed on
the sidewalk, while curly headed cherub
of three stood ready to occupy the vacant
bath. Lazzaroni stood upon each car
riage step, three deep they hung upon the
doors, before and behind they swarmed,
SO wretched that it made us miserable to
look on suffering we could not help; and
their plaintive "Maccheronil' still rings
in our ears. The misery of the dumb
animals we cannot picture; gaunt frames
and trembling limbs, and then the cruel
beatings to make those starving Great
ures hurry; while over and above all, the
dirt and smells of Naples made us cry,
what saves them from the plague?"
Pietro was the one bright spot for us,
and that illumination radiated from a joy.
GUS happy nature rather than from the
application of soap and water. Pietro
was not superior to his oountrymen in
that he was clean-ten years of dirt and
rags were his; no father. mother, home
blows and harsh words were all that he
could surely count upon, and yet in spit
of all he seemed happy and really was SO
with that joyous Responsibility with
which Italy has blessed, or cursed, her