Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-19
Women Writers Coming to
Their Own In Italy
London Literary Letter

Her drama, Casa di Pena," was given
first at Turin. and played. in December.
In shortened form In Florence. The
plot concerns itself with woman SEN
tenced unjustly to the House of Pun
ishment," which gives the drama Its
name Relentlessly the dramatiSt
follows Anna Maria through sufferings
consequent on the deficiencies of the
italian penal code. until her prison
born babe. having been removed by the
law, which at that date compelled that
act. she goes mad. singing a lullaby
TO pillow. huddled like her babe. In
her arms. The audience Sobbed In
such unrestrained grief that an ir-
ritated critic challenged the truth of
the revelations and wrote of senti-
mentality. Rossana in her turn, re-
quested him publicly to come and
hear her lecture. and see the slides OF
the photographs taken by authority in
the prisons. The critic next day owned
defeat Rossana's voice. and RosSann
herself, his article announced. haG
been convincing.
As rule. neither reformers. nor
women writer's, have been as famous
for their beauty as for their zeal or
oleVerness Rossana, however IS tbs
exception, for her beauty is marked.
being of the type which combines
brown eyes and blond hair Her plea
both In her writing and lectures IL
Tor the ecc1omic treatment of Italian
prisoners. for tho universal teaching
of respect for the work her race looks
down unon, and discrimination in SEN
fencing children
FASHIONABLE AUTHORS.
Signorina Dora Melegar author of
Anne dormante." "F'aieeur dc toie.
La Piccola Madamlgella Cristina."
etc. is by birth of the world OF fash
ion. Her brother. Contc Mclegarl, Is
italian ambassador to St, Petersburg,
and the family has been Il factor in the
resurrection of italy, SIsnorlna Meie-
gari first appeared In the world OF
letters by the publication of the cor
respondence between her father and
Mazzini. edited by herself. She writes
with equal ease In French and Italian.
her novels generally appearing first IN
Paris in leading review She Is
a handsome woman past youth, inter-
ested in all movements for the nd
Nanccment of her sex. but moderate"
she says with n warning smile. re
member. moderate" She is ore of the
vice presidents of the Italian Council of
Women. The character OF "P!ccoia
Aladamlgell9 CriStina," she saws was
copied from life, the real Cr!stina be-
ing young teacher of languages
whom she knew in Rome. She wae
asked by the editor OF the French
magazine in which 4 apreared To
write an Italian story that the most
punctllious might read She laugh
insly told this Young girl that she was
the suitable heroine and her book
followed
BLIND AUTHORE
The translator OF the Italian edition
of The Life or Helen Eellar." Signor
ina Celia Allesri. Is the orphan daueh-
ter of former italian professor. who.
as well as her mother. died when their
blind daughter was Il child. Her life
has been spent in the Institute Tor the
Blind in Florence, and aided by Il Sis
ter of the institute SlgnorIna AIlegri
has completed the course Of studies of
the schools of Florence receiving her
diploma at the age OF 20. As the tcxt
books she used were not printed in
Braillc. the Sister read aloud the lcs-
sons each day. The young girl has
published one or TWO small books OF
her own, translated THE Life of Helen
Kellar," secured its publication, and
prepared Il lecture on the history Of
the blind from the earliest records
available. Last year she delivered This
lecture for the benefit of the earth
quake sufferers OF Messlna She is a
very pretty, bright, attractive girl, alb
solutcly fearless. with a determination
to "see" the world. especially America.
where she would like 10 teach She has
mastered several languages and will
begin her career as n teacher at Turin
Her plea is that the blind should be
treated as other people, and not set
apart with the unsecing.
A new woman writer is Sicnorlno
Paola LombroSo. daughter of the late
Prof. Cesare LombroSo. When n short
time ago a paper for boys and girls,
'Corriere cci Piccoli." was started i'm
Milan the great favorite among tho
writer's quickly became "Zia Marlu. &"
tAunt MarD. Complete mystery as To
who she Was has been preserved until