Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-03-17

ton free play, and after all be sure
you have not come to what it really
is. Magnificent is the only word |
can use. And many other churches of
less size are almost equally fine.
Thirdly, the people are uneducated.
In this they are improving. For
whereas in 1868 about so per cent of
the population could neither read nor
write, and in some places 80 per cent,
at the present time probably 80 per
cent can read and write. OF course in
many instances these two branches
cover their entire education. But
there are now free schools, the law
requiring school wherever there are
800 people, and the government even
providing books for the poorer chill
dren. The law also requires every
child to attend school, just as it pro-
hibits begging; but as there are no
penalties attached in either case, the
people do as they like.
Fourthly, the people are happy.
They may be poor and wicked and ig-
norant, but happier lot never saw.
Men go along the street singing to
themselves as though they owned the
town. One day this week | walked
along behind ragged little fellow.
1t had been raining, and his clothes,
or rather rags, were soaking wet.
His shoes were different sizes, and the
absence of stockings very apparent,
but he was singing away to himself as
though his pockets were lined with
gold. Our Mineral Point women
would sadden and sicken and die in
places where many here seem to thrive
and certainly appear happy Only
give them sunshine, and few clothes,
and little food, and less work will
be sufficient for the rest.
| should say that the one thing this
people need is great moral purpose:
something that will stir them to the
very depths, and change them from
children to men and women. Educa-
tion may do this, but it is doubtful.
1t never has. Patriotism has done
much for the Germans. Since their
last war there has come to them a
great pride of country which, added
to their love of the " fatherland, !"
makes of them a strong nation. Their
king is unpopular, but their love of
country covers that. The provinces
of Italy were unified at the same time
as were those of Germany, but this
country is held together by a few
strong minds at the top, and not by
any strong cohesion at the bottom.
The people are tickle, and if the his
tories tell the truth, they have been so
since the days when the Emperors fed
them with bread and wine to gain
their favor. Some one says they are
not broad enough for parties, but
only enough for factions. If their
religious nature could only be thor
oughly aroused, it would make won
derful difference with them as a ma
ton.
Finally, while they arc like children,
must confess | like them. A man is
sour spirited indeed who can be
gloomy when everybody around him
is happy.
The charm of the sunshine, and of
the history of the land, certainly ex-
tends to its people, while at the same
time it has been a snare to them. For
the last generation or more there has
been a steady increase of foreign
travellers, to whom the old ruins of the
land speak in silent but suggestive
eloquence. And the people, with u
climate equal to any in the world. and
u country wonderfully situated for
commercial prosperity, have found it
easier to live off of the travellers than
off of the soil. And America fur
nishes II large share of the tourists.
One of the churches here, in which
Gregory, the Great, used to oificiate,
has its ceiling gildcd with the first
gold brought to Europe from America.
Ferdinand and Isabella gave it to the
Pope, and he put it where it still
shines down on American heads.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons
why the people here still think an
American is somehow connected with
a gold mine. How they do want to
render some assistance to Il stranger.
1t was worse even in Venice than here.
If we looked up on street corner to
read sign, a voice at our elbow said,
"Do you want II guide?" If we stop
ped moment on Il bridge to look
down u canal, voices came from below.
"Do you want gondola?" Only
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