Evening journal., 1904-12-22
THE ITALIAN PARENT
POVERTY AND HOSPITALITY OF THE
MIDDLE GLASS MAN.

A IA Father He Is a Model of self
sacrfacc and Literally Lives with
His Children-Hfs Amusements Out
side of His own Home.
In all Europe the most maligned
country and nationality are Italy and
the Italians with regard TO the upper
middle and middle class man. OF the
nristocrat there is nothing to be said.
Competent authorities have declared
him to be neither better nor worse
than his compeers in other countries.
Aristocratic society is cosmopolitan.
The middle class husband in Italy is
the most long suffering and hard
worked. one may venture to say. in all
Europe. and while his aggravations
ure many his retaliatlons are few.
To those who look on from the
heights Of foreign superiority it is
continual wonder that he does not
break out oftener than he does. Condl-
tions OF course have much changed in
the last quarter of a century. There is
more money and consequently more
comfort. but also greater necessities
md demands The upper middle class
husband works, as the American
would say. like niger" but at last
he is beginning TO see some return for
his labor in the way OF increasing
wealth
What would the Englishman say IL
he were obliged to be in his Office at 8
n. m, with an hour for dinner, and
then on until 6, or even 8 p. m, as
the case may be7
His evenings after dinner, If he is
not too tired. which he often is, are
spent at the theater, or perhaps he will
drop into the cafe, I'm the former case
invariably accompanied by his wife
and in the latter perhaps. The accept
ed idea concerning the italian man is
that he is n gay Lothario, spending his
days in idleness and his nights in
something unspeakable or Mt a cafe.
Now, the cafe is a bugbear to most
English speaking people, the mere
word conveying something fearsome
and dangerous. What Englishwoman
considers her husband lost to respecta-
bility because he goes to the club,
which costs him many pounds year
and where he can drink and gamble II
so inclined? Yet she will shudder at
the cafe. where one spends at the most
a shilling an evening and plays moth
ing more exciting than a game OF dom
mos, while the Italian never drinks to
excess. He will perhaps give a few
dinners In the course of the winter
and go to reception or two. This
makes up the life of the richer middle
class husband. whose meals are apt to
be disorderly. his children unruly and
his wife affectionate, but exacting.
The more modest type Of the middle
class husband. whose means are as
rule very limited, will make money 20
further. He will have perhaps from f2
to f3 a week and with this win support
a wife and from three to six children
in such a way as to show no signs OF
real poverty. His house viii have few
comforts, bis food viii be OF the sim
plest. while his widest diversion will
be an occasional visit to a cafe and his
habitual one a walk along the Corso or
b Stroll on the Pincio to hear the band
play.
1t must be taken into consideration
that If his house is bare Z IS flooded
with the sunshine which only Italy
provides. and IL he is cold he has only
to put himself In the sun. which Is al
ways called the "Italian stove" with
all his poverty he is hospitality itself.
He will inyitN People TO his table. max
ing no apology for its simplicity, and
will make it seem n feast by his cor
diality and high spirits. He welcomes
friends In the evening in his family
circle and is In the habit Of returning
such visits.
But where the middle class man,
both rich and poor, shines above his
fellows is as a father He will make
any sacrifices for his children and,
what is rarer, lives with them, so to
speak. and enters into their daily life.
No slowing away IN the nursery with
n governess for his children! a nurse
there is, but he and the childrens
mother think of everything. send the
youngsters to the public school and
overlook their lessons at night. If
there is a nurse she is usually a for
eigner, either French or German. and
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