The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-28
WHEN IN ROME

An old adaEe says: When In Rome do as the
Romans do but Il ls n question whether the
average American tourist ever learns the GUS
toms Of the Romans. Even people who have
lived in the Eternal City fail to observe many
Of the traits and ways OF the Romans in their
daily life. An EnRlishman who was an old
resident OF Rome was put to shame by m
American schooltencher OF -. who asked
him IL he knew why they chopped 50 lit
tie wood In Italy. He had taken upon himself
the office Of general dispenser Of Information
among the guests. and not being willing to
confess ignorance. he blurted out:
"Ah. yes. 1 fawncy it must be the want OF
wood hand the smallness OF the hnx.''
But the young womnn-and she came from
New York city-e1plained to him that the real
reason was that they sawed most of the wood.
She showed the guests how the Italians hold
the saw between their heels and knees and
draw the log across the teeth. These are lit
tie things. but they go TO make up a peoples
personality and are curious facts for foreigners.
When one vehicle passes another In Italy
the driver keeps to the left. The pedestrians
act in the same way. Some foreigners 20
through Italy from Naples to Milan. and at the
end wonder why it was that the Italians per-
sisted in getting into their way.
The native Roman eats two meals a day. one
the cotdzione. or breakfast, at noon: the other.
the pranzo. or dinner. from Z to 8 in the even
ing. Black coffee is a ~favorite drink among
It costs usually 10.cents n cup. Italian bread
Is made without salt. which is under a heavy
tex WS, and is elassed With tobacco and stamps.
chase the other two commodities.
The cigars usually smoked are like Pitts
burg stogies. but are only half as palatable.
They .cost, two cents apiece.
As for the owners. OF bicycles. they have a
for himself, he can ride no other wheel but his
own. and should he permit his brother to use
his wheel without a license the authorities
ANOTHER peculiar custom is the way in WHICH
America people wave the hand toward them
when they desire a persons approach; in Italy
a.good-by.t to you with his hand YOU Imagine he
is calling you back. and II he wants you to APP
proach he motions with his hand as Ameri-
cans do In making n gesture OF repulSion.
ing papers. with a liberal outflow Of extras be-
public about iS 5 oS'cI fSS asn nisSt' feaeh the
Around every school door, when classes for
gathering Of men and Women These are the
parents. who come to carry home the books of
carries the basket full OF clothes on her head
to the public washhouse, the ,'%drdtJo. Hero
q place at the, scrub bench. Women readers
H GIG9Ss. how bSCom heavy a large basket OF wet
girls in Rome may be seen carefully picking
their way down a steep hill with basketfuls OF
with the motions OF their bodies and singing
as they &c. The working women have necks
OF steel. owing to the development the mus
In rowing the Neapoiftans face the bow.
n. Mhe IN A. ats e theatre Tan or on any public prone.
content at your neighbor. but should it be a
woman 70 at oT whom no p you gaze you must never
Among the common people soap and butter
are considered Injuries. and should you be
pay the Government a tax for its use. 'ou "u''
Wine Is the common drink and spaghetti the
s sSen later, af for the IL l FsSgl Tbe aS I1t tIb ssi ar to t sSs
mouth with 1Reatnsss and success &c sss l1 But the the
full turns OF his fork makes startling headway.
1t is an art and requires long practice. yet
Italy calmly and quickly finish q third dish and
then sigh for, more.
two preceding the ave or the bell raps \ s1 N
and return calls. to drive in the public park. Or
It Is during this time that the Queen takes her
drive. She Is never seen with the King, Ever
At his side Is an. officer. and following the car:
5 for Set fGe sw 2v PF1yo one f fO1ss sh n53 9see and s gsssd Z
her psiace dressed in plain BLACK 5 ska and Ssi1 min aGia
the KineNWeh. that is another storys Si0r
Banana or peanuts are never seen in Italy.
they are seldom seen in the city streets. 4
peasant from the mountains bringing in vege-
tables les to sell ha 70 the city folks must pay a tag
the first Sign OF snow the Roman schoolboys
There are . great many suicides in Rome.
and the ~fayorits way is to throw ones self over
the Pincian VAL or t. go TO the Suicide Bridge
the rocks 400 feet below Ssnu And R frSm a II pe Tq SS
has thus ended his, life. 'thehatives think it
proper TO cut 2 small cross on the spot from
as eleven crosses have been counted in as
many feet. and the, bridge is rather long.
suit. f 80 Waik f In the q sunlight aaHa Il Is TO Ss eissS yon aP-
sell with dogs and barharians. To enter a
chase Is to call down upon your head the
wrath Of an Italian tongue; whose s1Perlatiye
s sqsses WITH Ti2Spl enI MAKE Th g Nsw 99 n tb .iEpGf & man
the windows OF the stores contain, everything
In stock with marked prices, and the shop
prospect at the, end. He may have done moth
Ing but sit and doze for an hour before you
leave. but should you fall to buy. he considers
himself the most abused man In the city.
best. One day at the Church Of st. Peter in
Rome a party Of American schoolboys, were
swarthyefaced man approached and asked in
the purest Italian il they wished a guide. On
the spur Oh ln6 mOmeul- Oue Oh Ine DOlS an
sWered him in Greek. The fellow gave them a
keen look then, with q broad grin and q still
broader brogue. said:
"Arrah! Now phwat are ye Givin' mel Sure,
an l know ye are Americans-an' it's mesel'
that's Pat Brannigan." And that man could
tell you more about Rome in Ave minutes
than a native could in Q month; Two years
atterward he was on the Rue de Riyoli in Paris.
He was driving a hack. and his French was
perfect.
One grows careless in travelling and many
things slip the menory. but there Is one thing
that II fQEnl mnnfha IN GET HnpnEfnmad To-
a Roman funeral. OF all sights. a burial pro-
cession In Italy is the strangest. 1t startlesa
man to turn q corner and to come suddenly
into a gloomy street where the yellow glare Of
funeraltorches throws grotesque shadows along
the house walls. There Is a quick glittering
OF censers. a low wall from the mourners, a
measured tread OF white-robed.. chanting
priests, a smell Of incense hanging In the hot
air, aud behind it all rises q great high object
in black. and along It's top lies a coiin.r Flow
the hearse is a crowd Of moprners. iostling
II Is a sight that Is apt 10 come to
a man In his sleep, and the dreams that follow