Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-26
TRAVELLING CARAVANS
EXPEnlENCD WITH PEOPLE of
ITALIAN MOUNTAIN TOWNS.
Young Colored Man Who Finds Him.
self Stranded at Naples Takes Up
Strange Enploynent-Notes
From Diary.

Arthur Anderson. the young colored man.
some OF whose experience as a traveller
was told some time ago in The Journal.
has written a book of his journeys. a brief
extract from the notes OF his roamings In
Italy is here given.
Al the end Of his stay In Rome. he
writes: See Rome and die. ! have seen
It and 1t has Lot killed me. but l left 1t
with my life and not much more. at least
scarcely more han q suit of clothes. for
all else must be left behind until l have
repaid M kind landlord for his hospital
ity.' Civiti Vecchia he finds so far as en-
p,oyment is concerned no better than
Rome. lat last" he writes. "A gentle
man whose acquaintance l had made by
chance, as he spoke English, possessed a
guitar. the music OF which reminded me
Of my dogs with my company. Why not
take 1t and with my knowledge OF 4 few
songs sing at the principal cafes, and thus
earn money enough to get away from tie
dead own? l acted immediately. l sang
TO the Italians in front of tine square Amer
lean songs. Two nights 1 sang: the second
l had money enough to take the steamer
that left that night for Naples"
Sunday morning. bright and early. we
AAAO llbko tAAS AAoA WI "a va"
pies. one Of the ~liveiiest spots of Europe.
the beautiful bay rejecting the buildings
in its azure water: the picturesque amphi-
theater formed by the verddnt. villa
eprinkled hills that inclosed the city.
Mighty Vesuvius on the iight. rising out
OF the sea. the fair shores sweeping around
on the one hand by Portici and Castlcmare
nola nd isenum TO romantic Ischia. Tie
general aspect, though described In history
and song. neither pencil nor pen ever give
nes Of ans Saples and an 'n its saspsssHs '0se-''
OF his experience in Naples he writes:
Il wandered about for hours taking in
all the sights. and again almost forgetting
walking. when I sat down for a moment on
the grand stairway leading up to the Gal:
a voice say, Hello. Johnny. what are you
doing here? l looked up and saw a young
man. very dark even for an Italian. but
America. SO he had identified me immedi-
ately as an American negro. He seemed
glad to sec me, and he invited me to his
principal Streets. I spent the day with him.
and the evening, being fiesta. he showed
me about through the labyrinth Of great
Wine s eeilars s, Whers the IN s nne n sa'sS r eas sn
1t was the fiesta of ST. Carmine's church
and square. The street. seemingly miles
and Chinese lanterns. forming arches over
head, which presented a picture that only
a carnival in Naples can. At ordinary
times. the streets and markets are like a
fair. in fact, life in the city Is like one
perpetual fair"
Ont Into the Country.
While passing a store he was accosted
by a merchant, but was unable to make
out anything more than that he was Of
fered work. II got into the cab with the
gentleman. whose attention to me was
catering. This much 1 could understand
the country. where he had a large store,
and that ! was going with him to be pre-.
sented to his family to rave dinner and
torily. -" The next evening found US
in the train settled to my surprise for q
nights ride; In the morning we reached
of Italy. and here We cars for
our destination. Cerignola. which lay
about two hours distant; II was
Societa Anonima Orientale.' This company
Is composed OF fourteen different groups
travelling through Europe for the sale Of
Of the groups were travelling through Italy,
one doing business In the province Of Pag-
liza was the company to which l had en-
or. Each one of these groups is repre-
scented. or, at least. is supposed to be rep
THss;satiedi; .e by = n SsE9oe from s9e A Adf Cent? Or
full In Italy. so In case one left another
must be supplied. whether he comes from
Asia, Africa or America.
I'VE started out but One-half hour after
my arrival. I had the head Of the process
sion. That 1 proved an attraction goes
without saying. as 1t was an unusual occa-
sion for a negro to visit these towns with
the caravan-ltke merchants. 1 was sup
posed to be an Eastern representative of a
large company. The requirements were
man weiI-to-do. / was helped by the ar
rival of the wardrobe I had left in Rome,
which my employer sent for. AS for the
ficult. as we are In provincial towns. where
2 francs and a half a day.
Three weeks We remained in Cerignola
then there was a packing OF cases. We
must star! at 3 o'clock to escape the great
heat. Heavy overcoats were required: the
farmers that we met on the way were
wrapped In long. heavy coats. About 7:3O
the heat begins. and 1t increases In in
tensity as the sun mounts in the heavens.
Arriving at Fogeia We drive through the
especially those Of the southern part Of the
country. present a form of life unknown
to me in any other part of the world. They
are buildings OF Immense size: like a great
warehouse. with vaulted ceiling and sup
ported by columns. In these stalls are
placed the horses and carts. sometimes 9TH
er animals and under the anne roof are
many of the smaller towns there are no
! hotels, and strangers who come to the
place put up IN these stalls. There are
! caravans OI uA WhStGTS ITO" CARTS ana 0On-
keys to gayly painted wagons with valuable
merchandise. All go into the stalls. Many
OF the people have beds. which are made
up On the tops Of the wagons. or be-
meath.
"Out We start upon our rounds. our two
wagons loaded with rich silks, linens and
cloths l lead the procession: Don Ercale
followed. and when a call was made from a
house We stopped until q sale was made.
Never shall I forget our crier. who an
nounced In q plaintive. almost mournful. cry
our arrival. oh. qui va Ia space, Ia bella
cash. cried Antonio. Then came Don Err
Gales sharp voice: 'Biancheria. laneria,
sateria. tela de limo. tela d'alanda.'
Nothing was more interesting than "a
be called into a house by one OF a family
to supply silks for the bride and cloth for
the bridegroom. The whole family is gen
orally present. with friends and neighbors,
whose tastes and opinions are consulted.
1T is odd. too. to go into the cottages
where they appear only evidences of pow
erty, yet secreted in some old bureau
drawer. or ehind sacks of grain. are IA,
purses Of hundreds OF Tires. Ye, the whole
fsmily-nan; woman. children. horse,
no Partition. and often times at the foo,
of the bed Is standing a donkey. The seen.
cry Is wonderfully picturesque. The towns
are up In the mountains. far from q rail.
road. Since 1 left Naples I have not seen
an Englishman nor an American, or heard
other than the Italian language. Life in
many OF the towns differed little in style
l from that OF centuries ago.
A Castillo Nuovo I packed I'D my yaliss
and with we'll wishes. and amid regrets and
tears, with Don Ercale's kiss on my cheek