Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-10-16

oo OoSScbc VI ueDdSeu dS Is southern
Italy. There may be more virtue here
than shown on the surface but this race
has continued in its vulgarity and OBJ
scenity probably since the days of Pom
peii (Which out-Sodomed Sodom, as
shown by the pictures and carvings
unearthed). The streets are Uttered
by man and beast and there seems to
be no shame among them and no clean
hness. The pauper and beggar are
not so numerous as once, the former as
few as in our New York or Chicago,
and the latter being put out of business
by the government. Here, as along all
tourist routes, the government and
police to a large extent protect
the tourist. They bleed him, and
live off him, and are shrewd enough
to know how their ''bread is buttered."
But you cannot trust them. All Europe
will rob the tourist, more especially
southern Italy. Metaphorically, the
German knocks you down and goes
through you; the Frenchman shows
such urbanity and suavity of manner
while holding you up that he leaves
pleasant taste in the mouth, and you
feel somewhat glad that you were rob-
bed; while the Italian stilettos you
from behind and rifles your pockets.
That's about the manner in which it is
done. The proprietor of your hotel in
southern Italy will rob your suit case
unless you sleep on it (another meta
phor). The cashier of a bank will mis-
count your change or put spurious coin
upon you when cashing your check,
and the country is full of bogus coin.
You have to continually call attention
of the ticket agent that he has not
given you the right change, and he ex-
poets tip for correcting the mistake.
The tipping system is at its worst here.
You get worn out with the obsequious
attention given you, and your pockets
become holey from carrying the neces-
sary coppers for tipping. Hotel rates
are low, way down-two dollars 10
francs) getting fine large room with
two beds for the pair of you, and
breakfast of honey, bread and coffee
thrown in. But you come pretty nea
doubling this if you tip everything that
holds out palm there. There's the cham
bermaid, and sometimes they will run in
two to do the work; the "boots" (or hall
boy) the bath steward; the elevator boy;
the head walters and several lesser wait
ers who manage to insist on doing some
thing for you, if it is only to get the salt
celler; the book keeper; the head porter
and some half dozen lesser porters;
the bus man-and then you thank your
stars that you ere through with the
gauntlet, for you are now on the way
to the station. Not so, however. for
the bus door is opened at the depot by
liveried fellow wearing the insignia of
your late hotel and one you have not
seen before. He stays at the station
all the time and canvasses for the hotel
free of wages; his wages are in tips.
and some of them fare handsomely.
This caparisoned fellow swings your
luggage out and secretly beckons or
whistles to station porter, who has
your grip before you are aware of it
(provided you have not learned by ex-
perience and rudely jostle him aside and
grab your own luggage; this you soon
learn todo, and courage and dander rise
at each repeated occasion). You think
for sure you are then free; but no; this
station porter takesyou only as far as the
ticket gate, and another railroad porter
inside officiously snatches the luggage
and ostentatiously pilots you to your COM
partment in the train. BY the time you
are seated inside you are worn out-not
from carrying your belongings, but from
trying to keep up with the uniformed
imps that take possession of you and
from pumping your hand up and down in
your change pocket When you reg
ister at a hotel in Europe you
have engaged yourself to a whole
band of Satanic satellites from
which there is little escape. Stag
ging" it as we were, we did not mind
an occasional jar or scrap, and we
saved much annoyance and considerable
change. But the Powers help any who
appear green, any woman or child, or a
man with females, who prefers cashing
up to a scene!
Everything is wonderfully low here,
even after counting in the tips. Hack
hire In New York is about $1.5O per
hour. Here it is 20 cents with or 10
cent tip thrown in, and the tip is a part
of the bargain price, even as reasona-
bic tips are by custom agreed upon
when you engage yourself to the hotel
proprietor. From the bank president who
gives you information as to exchange
down to boot-black on the street
who points you to your hotel, lost
among the chaos of brick, cement and
stone that line the narrow streets, ths
itching palm is open for tips. 1t is
told of an American in taking passage
from Naples to New York. after tour
ing Italy. that he threw. coin ashore
as the steamer was casting off with the
parting injunction-''Take that to your
king; I've tipped everything I've seer
here, but missed him." To be fairly
treated you must get off the tourist cen.
tres. You can buy things cheap out OF
the line of tourists. but they soon spot
you. In most places off the tourist
beat, goods are marked. and Won car