Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-10-30
IRvINGTON VIRGINIA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 1908.


with being the cruelest. The bride and
bit of the Neapolitan driver is a thing
OF torture. No bit is put in the animals
mouth. but around his nose is a circular
piece of metal, and underneath the Jaw
a chain. Like a curb-bit when the
reins are pulled, the metal shuts off the
animals wind and the chain buries in the
flesh. AS with all cruel people. life is
here at discount. The Southern Italian
is born gambler, taking chances on any
thing-even to the extent of building his
home on Vesuvius' dead ashes. Naples
is modern city, lacking phones and
elevators, and much ike Paris-with no
night, no Sunday and no lid. Com
mend US to Venice, Florence and Rome
for antiquities and some quietude.
But after ali, Italy is a country of
surprises. She is far away and ahead of
what we had dreamed, ahead of Swift
zerland. Holland, Scotland and, in many
respects, of France and Germany. Her
people as whole are prosperous, pa
t-iotic, smart and Industrious. Hol-
land and Switzerland are poyerty-strick
en- beside Italy, but nowhere did we see
want as prevalent as in our greater
American cities. They eat and drink
nearly all day through and into the
night; yet it costs little. Their indus
tries are many and remunerative, and
their railways and street cars are up
with the best-thougha abominabiy filthy.
Trains are run every few minutes, and
like street-cars, are always on time.
They lack good postal system, as does
all Europe, but are abreast of the rest
of the continent the po5ssi system of
America never appeared to us before
to be such an enormous and magnificent
affair. Every evening in the parks and
squares some government or city band
delights the throngs of people that as
semble to eat, drink and chat, and the
Italian would think that the govern
ment was depriving him of his liberty
and rights if the band should fail to put
in its appearance.
AS Walter Scott has been the great
est asset to Scotland, the painters and
poets to the Rhine, so was the profit
gate Bulwer LyttoE to Southern Italy.
They have advertised these countries,
and the placards are not misleading. As
we have written more on Italy than on
any of the other countries, here is now
good bye to the land of surprises, of in
terest, wonderful progress. and growth
"a nation of progression as well as of
paradoxes.
Our baggage is unopened by the French
gendarmes as they board our train on
the frontier, but lady occupant of our
carriage had all her packages pulled
apart. The male tourist gets off easy
with European customs officials (if he
does not with the New York ones) but
every lady's bundle is examined care
fully. 1t seems that women are the
ones accustomed to do the most SNUG
Cling here. Rip, snort, we goi through
southern France, through the Alps,
viewing Mont Blanc and her glaciers
at a distance, and the afternoon of Sep
tember 10 lands us again in Paris.
While our side-partner pulls for the
Louvre 20 once more examine some stat
uary, we call up the various transpor-
tation offices to know of a way back
home. Allare booked ahead, lists filled,
and by the time we gather up our COM
panion we have but twenty minutes in
which to cross the city 10 the Gar du
Nord (or North Station) and catch train
for Calais, and steamer thence to Do
yer, en- route to London. A silver dol
lar (five-franc-piece) shaken at our dri-
yer, in addition TO his fare of 80 cents,
brings whip down on the horse. and
away we, tear at gallop. A pasted
suitcase held upon your knee notifies
the policeman that would stop you that
you are tourist-and that means some
liberty, for his good word is the bringing
of riches to this city as well as to the
most of Europe.
From Paris to the sea is but short
ride on an express train, but dark over
takes us before we get far out on the
English Channel. A remarkably stormy
body of water, as a rule, we ere
just now lashed by dying storm, and,
big vessel though we have, some of the
hundreds of passengers are overheard
sick before the English coast il
reached. At Dover, and on to London,
before midnight over takes as, we fine
the great city packed for the exercises Of
the Ecumenical Congress of next day.
Not having booked ahead at an,
hotel we drive for two hours about the
lighted city hunting lodgings. No on.
would dream that great London couis
be packed, but it was so. We fount
lodgings on a private dining room ta.cor
after much pleading and free Tipping,
while thousands walked or rode tn,
streets, and other thousands crowde'
the railway station rooms, among then
many women. But we had roughed i
before, and our only thought now wa
to get passage home. AS soon as tn
shipping Offices opened we were in com
munication with them to know if ther
was chance for q berth to America
Several ocean liners were to sail tn
next day, but all were filed. It wa
thought possible to buy passage at $50
apiece on the Mauretania from som
ticket seller who had bought ticket
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