The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-05-01

Rome arc the patches of fertility
which spring up here and there
amid the sea of brick and mortar.
The most conspicuous of theseis the
,Pincio and its surroundings, a veri-
table rus in urbe. Here nature has
ably seconded human skill. The al
titude of the gardens and the mag
niticent view they afford make them
unequaled by any other public park.
True their area is small, but what
of thati It brings its visitors all
the more in touch with one another,
and this is the secret of its charm
for the Romans, whatever may be
its attraction for strangers, for, let
the truth be told, the Pincio is the
great flirting ground of Rome. Nor
should this horrify the reader. 1t
is intended en- tout bien tout hon
neur.
1t is probable that the Pincio sees
the inception of half the marriages
In Rome. 1t is a curious sociological
fact, but the explanation of it is
simple. 1t has been commented up
on by numberless writers that 1tal-
ians are exclusive, though not in the
usually accepted sense of the word.
They are proverbially open and
friendly, especially to strangers, the
commercial value of whose visits to
their land they appreciate, but this
cordiality, even to their own coun-
trymen, has its limit. In no coun-
try more than in Italy is mans
home his castle, and, except in the
highest circles and where there is
no poverty to be concealed, he is
chary of his hospitality. This is es-
pecially true of Rome and Naples.
Therefore, if neither she nor her
parents receive many visitors, how
is the Roman girl of the bourgeoise
class who is not "in society to
meet the inevitable lover for whose
advent and her consequent emanoi
patton from parental tyranny she
longs more ardently than young
women usually dol The answer is,
1.-THE Pincio."
On Thursdays and Sundays,
when the band plays-uncommonly
well, by the way-and the park is
in consequence crowded to overflow
ing, the signorina who is the fcrtu-
nate possessor of becoming cos
tune dons it and demurely accom-
panies her mother to the municipal
pleasure ground, where each ex-
pends 10 centimes for the temporary
right to a comfortable chair ingen-
iously constructed as to be springy,
though fashioned entirely of iron.
If she be wise maiden, she will so
maneuver that the chairs will be
placed on the main pathway where
every one must pass. This being
achieved she may await develop
ments, and, if she have pretensions
to beauty, she will not long be left
in anticipation. The young men
who pass will gaze at her approx
ingly, and finally one, to whom she
may especially appeal will detach
himself from the crowd and take up
his stand before her. Thus is ini-
tiated the first chapter of the ro-
nance. From that moment, with
out word or sign, and even with
scarcely a look from her, he be-
comes her swain and faithful
knight. Week after week he sees
her at the Pincio. He even follows
her about the streets. Having as
certained her abode and her name,
he generally soon manages to find
mutual friend who performs the in
PRODUCTION. The rest is obvious.
Or, if they do not happen to have
acquaintance in common, when the
silent lovemaking has progressed
far enough, a demand for the dam
sells hand is made directly to her
parent Then, as sedate married
couple, they revisit together the
scene of their wooing. This pro-
cedure, as have said, is extremely
common and is considered proper
among respectable members of the
middle class. I have been told that
marriages thus made turn out, as
rule, as well as could be desired