The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-02-16
SIGHTSEEING IN SICILY.
Extracts From Letter From Mrs Fisher
to Her Sister, Mrs. S. c. Sherman.

GRAND HOTEL DIES PALMEs, PALER-
MO. AS | have told you all about my
voyage in another letter l will tell you
now of my trip in Sicily. 1t is colder
here this year than last; though OF
course where the trees are loaded with
oranges and lemons and the roses and
other flowers are in bloom it cannot be
so very cold; but the sun during the
day is very warm and as soon as it
goes down we feel the chill. Today we
have been to ride, away up in the noun
tains, to visit Greek village that was
established there in 1883. 1t is the
queerest place, and is rarely visited by
strangers. 1t is called Pianci del
Greece 1t is sixteen miles, up steep
hills all the way, and takes three and
one-half hours to drive there. We went
in a double carriage, with Mr.. and Mrs.
TYLER of Brookline; we had three horses
abreast. The views were lovely. AS we
ascende1 the hills it became colder, and
we soon came to snow, though only a
little that had fallen the night before.
The sun shone very brightly so we were
badly burned and tanned. When we
got there at the little village it was a
queer sight. In all these little noun
tain towns, the goats, pigs, hens, don
KEYS and children all live on the side
walk together. How they live in
stormy weather | do not know, as the
people that live down stairs have only
one room, and there is no way to air or
light it, except from the open door. l
suppose that was because, in the wars
that were always raging until Garabaldi
took possession Of the country and
united it to Italy, they could defend
themselves better without windows in
the lower stories. Up stairs it is lit
tie better. There are no fires in the
houses, but you sometimes see brazer
of charcoal, or wood fire on the side
walk where they often do little cook
ing or warm their hands.
In most all towns where there are no
bake shops there are common ovens for
baking bread, and the poor people rare
" taste meat. The bread is very
coarse and dark and baked very hard;
ard that with a raw onion or little
fennel is quite feast Our driver left
us on the steps of the cathedral to eat
our lunch and an old man brought us
four chairs from the church; and there
we sat and munched our food, with a
motley collection of old blear-eyed men,
and about two hundred boys and a few
little girls looking on. The man who
gave us the chairs had a stick, with
which he whacked the boys when they
came too near. In gratitude for his
protection We gave him the remnants
of our lunch, which they had put up at
the hotel, and which consisted of bread,
cold chicken, tongue, lamb and ham,
with fruit for dessert. 1t was one of
the queerest sights that ever saw in
my life. Mr.. Tyler and Mary tried to
Ldk6 SoulC plCLhlSO vi VIC lotiCy WI
lection, but they crowded around us so
that | don't know as they succeeded in
getting good ones. In direct contrast
to the poverty and squalor of that
scene, is the wonderful professions and
gala scenes of the CriSpi celebration.
On Thursday there was beautiful
lol;nn%oI 70 ~,
the afternoon, and in the forenoon flu
neral services in the immense church
here, which holds twelve thousand peo-
pie There were thousands of soldiers,
and as the Italian uniform is one of the
most beautiful in the world, the differ
ent regiments were brilliant sight,
especially the cavalry with their splen-
did horses.
The count of Tunis came Wednes-
day, the day we arrived, and is 60
ing away tonight He stays at the
palace and lunches and dimes here, so
we have seen much of him, as he sits
in our dining room. He is first cousin
OF the King so there is possibility that
he may some time rule Italy, but there
are now five lives between him and the
throne. He is very much loved by the
people and whenever he appears is
greeted with great enthusiasm. Last
night there was a great ball here i'll ouI
hotel for charity. A princess got it up
and gave out four hundred invitations.
Signiore Ragusa, our landlord, gave the
use of his hotel, which has three large
drawing rooms and three dining rooms,
as it was formerly palace. He also
gave the refreshments, flowers, cotillion
favors and the use of his vast corps of
servants. The count and his staff of
officers were here in their gorgeous
dress uniforms. | never saw such airy
beautiful dresses and evening cloaks.
Some of the cloaks were of white vel
vet. some Of white brocade silk, some
of lace lined with satin, and one was of
ermlne and had a train a yard long.
They Just glittered with diamonds.
The dresses were of all colors and all
very decollate. We staid in Taomina
two weeks and eniOyed it so much,