The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-23
From me Italian.

Of dark green trees lighted by red and
yellow lanterns Of lemons and oranges,
And II Is as much a feast for the mind
as for the eyes, this fabulous, mythology
cal country OF Virgil and Ovid, in the
creyioes OF whose mountains Vulcan forged
his thunderbolts; a land where the gods
carried away their goddesses and where
giants, concealed In grottoes, lay In walt
for strangers whom they might devour;
o country where brigands, worthy OF the
name still live.
The truth Is, said my neighbor, an
engineer on his way to Girgenti, whom
had questioned on the subject Of the re-
puted bTigands Of Sicily. 'the truth Is that
there are malefactors here as In every
other country. Misery Is terrible In Sicily
here ss elsewhere 1t IL a bad counsellor.
There are plenty Of poor devils who will
not stop at anything TO get hold Of little
money But these are
-Bandtsl'
If you choose 10 call them 80; but Isolated
bandits. They do not work together
nor are there any longer the redouotaole
chiefs OF former times.
Nevertheless, at Palermo replied.
heard a great deal OF certain Valsa-
voia-'
1T is not the same thing said my com
phnion. Besides, what you heard OF was
the Malta.
The two are not to be COMPOUNDED
The people Of the Malta are those who
place no confidence in our judges and
consequently become their own law
makers. II is justice made more just,
more speedy.
Every man, whatever his situation,
may have in his life an injustice or an
insult which he burns TO revenge. Certain
men are 20 constituted that they are
Obliged TO satisfy their vengeance immedi-
ately. This depends on the temperament,
the climate, the race and the blood.
Now, supposing the man who has
taken his revenge is suspected, accused
and arrested, he will be glad indeed, will
he not, to find witness who will testify
before the Magistrates that at the hour
of the crime, the accused criminal was
somewhere else?
Accordingly, service for service, Sooner
or later the murderer in his turn will
furnish an alibi for the man who for
merly helped him. And as these people who
thus aid each other belong 10 all classes,
YOU can easily understand that the foun-
dations of the Malta, are laid in the very
heart Of society, which is the reason that
nothing has ever been able TO destroy
the association.
can the stories which you may have
heard at Palermo Of private revenge, kid
napplngs and captures in the mountains. are
merely instances Of the Malta. But the
foreigner has nothing to fear, although, Of
course, realize that the Malta u made to
take the blame Of certain outrages COM
mitted by the isolated bandits Of whom
spoke just now. It Is inevitable that such
should be the case
listened with deep interest, and as the
stranger paused asked eagerly:
But did not this Valsavoia kill foreigner
not long ago, a Danish gentleman, the Baron
de Behrdrupp?'
YES, know it, he admitted. But the
Baron's pocketbook was found untouched,
which proves conclusively that the murderer
did not kill TO rob, but that he acted, in this
instance again. for private vengeance
docs any one know who this Yalsavoia
is2'.I persisted. Some said that he Is a
brigand by profession and others that he
h an ez-oficial who has been the victim
Of much injustice
i have heard and my companion spoke
as II scoring each word, Il have heard that
be was an inhabitant Of Caltagirone. and
that he suddenly disappeared from there
about two years ago, after serious domestic
troubles. What others have told me on
the subject would suit this hypothesis
very well.
IT is a long story, a story full Of brigands.
as they say in your country, and one that
would not interest you. What3 Certainly,
n you really care about II,
'ArInando Nitopi, the man who disap-
peared, lived in a pretty little villa between
Calta girone and San Michele di GanEarria.
He was about 40 years old, kind hearted,
held in much esteem by his neighbors and
comfOrta bly, veal by.
He had been married for ten years,
marriage Of love, for his wife, young girl
Of Lentini, had brought him no dowry but
her beauty. They had no children.
'Signora Nj OPT had two brothers named
wait, what were their namesl-ah yes,
filippo and Vincenzo. They were bache-
lors and lived a free and easy life at CatRno
without working at any part ocular business,
It was said that they acted as guides for
tourists who wished TO ascend Ena, during
che summer season.
1T happened thus that two years ago
they were attached to a rich tourist, whose
money they were expert in spending All
Of Catano was known TO them, every haunt
where foreigner might be induced TO
scatter gold freely
zone evening when they were agreeably
employed in this manner the man whom
90 the young woman he had seen with them
on the Piazza Stesicoro, The two guides
refused. The woman was a relative
was, In fact, their sister who had come with
Armando 70 make some purchases In
C8tRno.
THE stranger did not insist. He con-
tinued TO live gayly with the two men, PLAY
ing heavily and Inducing them TO play also
One night Filippo and Viucenzo lost, on
their promise TO pay several thousand
Nee. The only trouble was that they had
absolutely no money with which to pay.
1T was useless To appeal 10 their brother
in-law. He had always treated them
coldly, and unable TO refuse to allow them
to come TO the house, he had nevertheless
not troubled TO conceal his pleasure when
they left.
sThe two brothers would then have
been hopelessly lost II their forestiere
had not placed his purse at their disposal
There was only one condition. They must
present him TO their pretty relation whom
they had talked with that day on the Piazza
Btesicoro.
sFiippo and Vincenzo accepted the
money aud the condition, week later
a party vas arranged to ascend Mount
Etna, and the guests included Armhndo
Nitopi and his wife.
Il