The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-03-30
: WILL SEABROOK's TRAVELS

(Bv ". B. Seabrook.)


grocery stores of Arkansas and Mis-
sour, it is often said of a vicious
mule that che can kick the molasscs
out Of a ginger cake.' The young
sneak thieves Of Naples, however, sur
pass this proverbial performance
they can steal the sugar from cup
Of coffee! I've seen them do it, more
than once, and on each occasion my
admiration for their dexterity in
creases. They usually operate in
front Of the crowded cafes Of the
Galleria Umberto Primo, where the
tables are placed in the open air, up
on the border of the promenadeS.
Having encountered an acquaint-
ance while strolling one evening III
the gallery. I accepted his invitation
to sit down for chat over a cup Of
coffee; the waiter brought the cof-
fee service upon a tray, with two or
three Jumps of sugar laid in the sau-
GERS at the side of each empty cup,
and then withdrew, leaving us TO
serve ourselves; at that moment my
companion was calling my attention
to a newspaper dispatch announcing
the tragic death of NJ Catulle Men
dez, the French playwright, and as
We were both bent over the journal,
ragged urchin Of 8 or 10 years, who
had evidently been crouching beneath
the very table at which we were
seated, bobbed up like a jack-in-the
box, darted forward a grimy paw
with lightning rapidity, and before
we could recover from our astonisa-
ment had disappeared with the sugar
from both saucerS. When we called
the waiter, he uttered a patient sigh
Of comprehension and brought a Sec
ond supply of sugar. He was pestcr-
ed night and day by the little vaga-
bonds, he said: occasionally one Of
them was caught and flogged or sent
to the reformatory, but these meas
ureS had not put stop to the nuis-
ance; every big cafe in. Naples, he
declared. was subjected to the same
kind Of pillage.
1t seems that the pilfering Of sug-
ar is a regular trade, means Of live
4ihood for hundreds Of street gamins,
who hoard away their booty lump by
lump, and after collecting a half
pound or more dispose Of it to the
lower class restaurants along the wat
erfront, sometimes selling it, some
times bartering it for food. The
price Of sugar (and of SALTY is excess
sively high in Italy because of spe-
cia1 taxes, and. the proprietors of
small eating-houses naturally encour-
age the young rascals, who supply
them at reduced rates. These details
I learned from the exasperated wait
er. The little thieves are so stedi:ry
and move so silently on their bare
feet that they sometimes manage to
creep under table; filch the sugar
and escape without being seen at all
"a sleight of hand performance
which occasionally gives rise to anus
inc situations when the victim Is
stranger, unacquainted with the prac-
tice. The ragamuffins nearly always
pick out tourists and foreigners,
knowing from experience that they
are the easiest marks.
But such tricks are not confined
exclusively to street gamins, or even
to the poor. lower classes. One of the
most aeeravating and most character
istic qualities Of the typical Neapoil'
tan. even the well-to-do tradesman. is
his passion for petty thievery, MS
constant planning Of mean little
schemes to gain one or two dishonest
pennies. I can pity the wretch whom
hunger drives to theft, l can feel
certain admiration for the bold high
way robber, who shoves a gun-barre'
in my face, and even for the~crocked
financier. whose shady transactions
involve fortunes, but these thriving,
prosperous Neapolitan merchants who
are ever ready to sell their souls for
miserable copper soldo, fill me with
contempt.
I want to relate a case or two in
point.
The other morning, while purchas-
ing provisions for tramping excur-
sion in the country, [ entered all eS-
tablishment on the VIA Toied>:--a
big store, resplendent with plate
glass and marble fltrnishings-anl
osEod q rlorE for ten CENTS worth )t