The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-05-30

MARIETTA IDEAL. /


+ MARIETTA POLLI stood beside her
4 lu rude little wooden table on the
Z corner of a street that branched
{ from the Via Roma, still popularity
+ called by its old name of Via Toledo,
( the most lively thoroughfare of the
|. great city of Naples. She was
I street singer, and her only posses
sions consisted of rude table, an
earthen salad bowl decorate with
blue fiowers-into which the passers-
by threw their offerings-and a we'll
worn guitar. Every morning prompt
ly at seven Marietta came with her
table, placed it in its accustomed
nook with the empty bowl at one
corner, and, without much ado, took
up her guitar and in sweet. plain
tive voice sang hymns for a full hour.
From eight until noon she rendered
ambitious operate selections; in the
afternoon she alternated stirring ma
tional airs with songs of love, hero
ism and adventure, and in che even
ing she changed her programme to
the most popular ballads of the day.
Principally at II o'clock, when the
streets became deserted, Marietta
hung her guitar over her shoulder.
eXtinguished the light that stood
near her contribution bowl, poured
the money into her pocket, and. after
hiding the lamp in a secret niche in
the wall near by. lifted the table over
her head and wandered away to the
tenement district where the tall, mar
/ III;
rabbits in warrens, AMI where whole
families live huddled together with
out cleanness or deccncy, and the
air resounds at once with blows and
cries and singing and laughter. Here
she slept in the small hallway of
tumble-down shanty which served as
cobbler's workshop.
But Marietta was not alone In the
world. Her widowed mother CON
trived to make a living from the sale
of handllerchiefs, opera glasses, cigar
cases, spectacles and miscellany of
such articles, which both her half
grown sons mana red to steal from IN
suspecting tourists or simple strangers
from neighboring cities. Signora
Polli understood her calling thor
oughly, and her boys were shrewd
and active. Altogether, they Jared
well, although occasionally there came
a hungry day. Once every week the
family assembled at the Villa Reale,
the famous Neapolitan promenade
garden on the Chiaia, where the band
gives open-air concerts. Then Mari
eta purchased for each an orange
and few roasted chestnuts, and
slipped a few lire into the greedy
palms Of her mother. After hat each
went his way. The ragged young
sters passed their nights in unguard-
ed barges or the large baskets and
empty casks that were unloa3ed from
the ships at the wharvcs, ami at noon
the next day met their mother at a
macaroni stall along the Moo. Here
they delivered the articles they had
stolen, and related their adventures
as they ravenously devoured their
fried fish or macaroni made palatable
with oil and tomato sauce. And
sometimes. when they had heen un-
usually successful. their mother al
lowed them other Injuries. Their
meal ended, they separated again,
wandering about the city in search
of new victims. SO lived the Polli
family in true Neapolitan fashion
never knowing what the morrow
would bring, and dependent entirely
on their own versatility as, liars,
cheats and thieves.
Marietta was the only one of the
Co, liz -
of decency and responsibility: she
clothed herself neatly, ut least had a
roof to cover her head at night, and
earned considerable money. Her
brothers declared that she often
cleared as much as three lire a day,
and, with their mother, wondered
what became of this great wealth.
However, only when they were in the
drest need did they dare turn to
Marietta for assistance; and then she
responded none too generOusly-only
enough to tide them over their diff
culties.
The Neapolitans considered Mariet-
ia beautiful. From her father she
inherited a stately figure, a smooth,
broad forehead, and large. dreamy
ewes, and from her Sicilian mother,
a sharp. straight nose, small mouth
with firm lips, and wonderful mass
of curly hair, which fell in ringlets
about her face as she sang with
downcast eyes. This was her favor
lite attitude, but when a contribution
was thrown into her bowl either in
compliment to the music or in com
passion for the songstress. she raised
her pretty face and expressed heI
thanks with a grateful smile. She
found no pleasure in conversing with
the men who attempted to tiirt with
her, but, between songs, chatted with
her neighbors, who presided over
stalls where shells, coral, photo
graphs. pumpkin seeds, fish. fruit ant
lemonade were offered for sale.
The street singer had an enviablt
Reputation, even among thu poorer
classes, and many families of gooC
standing in the vicinity presented hcl
with their cast-off clothing. An ole