The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
~ QUEER C0hNEn or kUxoFh
Rontebsa tn utaiy ana roatarsi In Austr,a Ara )
ue,nhbaru in Rptte OF Law.

Heinhbsrs In SPITE % Law. q
PorrEBBA, Nov. Tho names Pontebba and ,
Pontafol seem to indicate relationship, and
Il 10 n fact that tho places called by these GU
phonistio terms actually rub shoulders. II
anywhere It Is possible TO be in two places %
once, Il Ia 30 here. Yet how far apart these
towns really are. Tho distance is not to be
measured by o surveyors rod or reel, but It IL
decidedly perceptible. H
Pontebba is named 80 from the river Pontobe =
bana, and Pontatol from the River Ferla. The
former. coming from the north, flows straight
into the latter, coming from the east, thus
forming two right angles. Both rivers, as "a
preparing for a collision and trial Of strength,
arc buttrsssed and confined for a long way
before thoy meet between strong. broad, mas.
sivcly built walls, so broad and fiat on tho top
that thoy form favorite promenndes. In The
angles the rivers form as they meet lie en-,
sconced behind these wallis Pontcbbn and
P~ontnfol, the former in the west angle aud the
latter in tho east. Communication between
these two nciRhbor villages is not easy, for riyaH
and wall make It difficult. Still, communicate
| ton docs exist, carried on by two bridges
across the Pontebbana, one of which carries
tho railway and the other the road. Both
bridges run east and west, parallel with the
| Ferla River. .ns D..
But not even are these connecting links free
OF access. At one end Of tho railway bridge
stands a man clad in light trousers and dark
blue Jacket, with yellow facing. shoulderinG
a loaded rifle. and at the other end stands ans
other clad in dark green clothes, shouldcringo
weapon Of different mako but equal poweG.
These seem TO say Overwhelmingly mo road this
way so one tries the road bridge. Here the
appearance is worse, but in reality passage can
DO had. At one end is n box accommodating
two or three men clad in blue, each Of whom
carries a rifio and n sabre. These or similarly
accoutred men nre there day and night, prowl-
ing about their box by day and keeping guard
within II at night. TO aid them in'making the
passage over the bridge perilous, besides guns
and sabres, there is b huge iron chain that
might hold a men-of-war. This lies coiled on
the ground by day, and at night, as soon as the
sun sets, it Is stretched across tho entrance to
the bridge. and the only way there il to get on
to the bridge is to pass close beside the door
OF the armed mems box At the other end of
tho bridge II similar number of similarly armed
nrcen-clad men keep watch and, ward. and the
place OF the chain is there taken by a huge
yellow and black printed pole, which during the
hiSie to pass. willie at.nightfnli down 1t comes,
when the fire of these men ,haS to be PASSED.
and yet how FAR. Further apart stilI are they
when one learns that the one is in Italy and
the SshsT is n b hns an f6i" @na id shs!; 'ae t%o pco ,aIsy
Of vastly different descent, habits, aud, two
; G G.nSfo"! Th Se INA 1 nDiiat.ts %Sontrast. Pon tel j.
! ponGiHte1 by a tai. daTk : ii,hs race EY cay y and and
, f fis, shor, t% :, st 9SfeTe Of b nEHt"i and ny more ' %'aqit pS1,
: and grave: The one speak the musical full.
m 11n1d Ike one ' fsro orh thei ihf broh sa't een,cs SGaii
. md paper lire. the other their copper kreutze1
, The houses Of the Italians are palazzi Cpal,
accs,. although by that term in Italian is moi
r rcant I. roynl residence. but a large. massive
: Err; sS5a Tjijsss arc az js IT'S, and M Ven It built
n l AIM tp,.a sgs. ~ htpsfnrnl nndE nTnafinlAu n M
y cuiar. and again sometimes in what is called 9
Q ',squarcarch," the door. heads being keyed q,
. The tisnlI o SaE. sto ri sn are se OF it H1s's Which stil furthel
9 suggests the fortified palace. On the othe,
9 Pontafci are simply. cottages. but cottages wifi
5 enormous roofs The roofs seem twice tn.
. he ltai,nn paleIzzzi are covered in every Gas,
T. about their doors. windows. and walls, thu
Austrians have a good deal OF sombre shade
sr The Italian housewives are to be seen a
every running stream earning a livelihood b
2 theirs out of sight OF the public eye. The on
70 cat thotr, garlic. polentG. and msccaroni, tn
e tEIsn i : ssnts The Italian sugar i 20 cent?
!, for two boxes Of %, each. Salt In Italy is j
'e edvantage. however, is not all on the side Q
: Austria; The Italian has his newspapers, ns
- Two anu loEcLSE. u Austrian u Tcdlly UOtL
The Austrisnp cannot; The Italians breath
F. fairs; the Austrlans are really under Govern
- ors and tutors, and are even ignorant of hoy
to however. that one can live more cheaply /
" Poutsfel than In Pontebba, that the Austrian
9 Q Arc t4 S.tsfE "a s sspsGim1ss''y VII, fhr iIlu n I Italian iSa'
's a party went to Pontafel from Venice, chic
. y On the .Syiss Gf B sifa d who Hts spea rass Of
N the gauntlet Of the Austrian customs they &c
. seoms are In secured ITS 0sf or SSd RGst Is e. GGm a nisB'
egd breakfast costs about IS cents, luncheo
At Il 80 cent?. and dinner 90 cents; There Vas n
"a into a court OF on tho houses on the opposit
OF entirely conasea;ed. Tho police Insisted on q
ID nx,ag to Ens!t,h newspaPers two stamps Of
x cd the same, the Adridtico was confscated b.
TO cause eau III Lib s : Snd the hsn RgsSsHi tt the oS SlsT1ssl 6! g
error.n the Postmaster said. So much for AuI
~ Crossing tho lannon's bridge over the P9n,el
i eS%nG 2Sdhi ''s sosh 'tR hs valleys '' and ind hG the
sso e sOa s sse e. G ESQ 'G IN p lHo @dsRs i0F How To- 'f feo
Ut S Sse.l 30 S Ss iEiAs sSa Or yss Gh'P tRss e peT IS b IN Isrly Is ,
Austria to Italy FREQ Of duty. For e%ampi
5: f 70 se1 s9'ti n 20 p Ssn.s ! Pound S%. i In is p pep@iIPed an ,
~ take across tho bridge free a quarter Of a poun,
ns gee hundreds of parcels or that weight piled o
ps the Austrian counters. 1t Is the same wit
or maids and women IN Pontcboa seen to eros
No to Austria To- secure a free breakfast table.
In regard to bread. any amount can be take
weight lie allowed. Then a good deal OF contr'
No bead traffic goes on. all on a small scale. III
~ pie who como and 80 Tor house purchases, AM
ar 80 they do not trouble to look into their hs
=" ketS, !e- less search their pockets, and thus I'll
Al two villages mutually benefit each other.
.. II H. lflDOSe.blR To saw enough In praise
Nv the country around POntebba and Pontaf"l. o
the great valleys OF the Pontebbana and Ferl
open others with their rushing torrents in a
directions Good fishing can be had in tn
streams and rivers. The valleys are fresh an
sTeeo, IN spite OF the heat that is burning u
a. tie plains below. In the valleys maize is u
ehisf crop, and it is too cold Tor vincs. II
pastures arc fields OF w!ld flowers, Higher u
Of ihe slopes are hazel woods sun higher up a,