The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-10-18
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Experiences .i,. 3 in sportlve italy,

! v
II - Rome, Oct. 1s. Il
y, Dear Editor: i There is a delightful
uncertainty about life in Italy which
appeals to the American who is pos.
sessed Of even a small quantity Of
sporting blood. Italy is the home OF
the brigand, the organ grinder and
the grand opera singer. The brigand
is perhaps the most famous institu.
ton. He is dlveded Into several gen.
eral classes. including the Black
Handler. the Camorris and the Second
Story Man.
Therefore say that there IS much
uncertainty about life here and long
evlty is a very scarce article II
evity Is a very scarce article. In
some remote portions OF Italy It is
unsafe for an unarmed tourist to walk
along the road alone. The brigand
creeps up behind unexpectedly, fol-
lowed by several other brigands, and
what happens to the lonely tourist Is
not necessary to explain. 1t is much
pleasanter to stay in the hotel and
be robbed by the landlord and the
walters.
You can always tell q brigand, but,
as Trixie Friganza says, you can't tell
him very much. He has bright red
handkerchief tied around his head
and he has leather straps wrapped
around his legs. He wears a long,
rakish mustache and generally black
eye or two. Outside OF the Russian
cossack. he is the most pessimist!c
person in the world. He has grudge
against YOU before he sees you and in
fact this grudge against you starts as
soon as you are born.
Italy Is the home Of Music and Art
and the trouble is that they don't
keep enough of 1t at home. As soon
as Music or Art is able to toddle in
Italy, 1t is sent to America. A ship
load OF artistic temperaments leaves
these shores for the United States
every day. They range all the way
from organ grinders TO grand opera
singers. Italy has also furnished a
large number OF our congenial and
well known railroad section hands,
but Of these we must speak in an.
other chapter.
The desire to, sing Is strong in the
Italians. They begin to make vocal
noise, as soon as they are born; and
they keep 1t up in grand opera until
they have lost their voices After
that they make twenty-nine annual
farewell tours Of America. Then they
open studios and teach vocal for iii.
teen or twenty years at IS a, lesson.
The Italian is the most durable grand
opera singer in the world and beside
the Italian grand opera singer the
Durable Dane OF Hegewish, III, is d
rank piker and an also ran. u
Probably the. only persons in the
world who don't get much Of d
chance to hear Italian grand opera
are the residents Of Italy. ',,As soon
as an Italian singer gets the steam
boat fare he goes tc America. In
America he gets thousand dollars
night and in Italy he gets 81 II he is
a common or garden variety and s2.25
II he is extra good. They make
their money In America and spend II
in Europe and Europe, by the way, is
one OF the best little spots on. earth
to spend money in.
Christopher Columbus was an Ital.
ian to start with. Another more or
less talented and >congenial Italian
was Napoleon Bonaparte, who ate so
many fried onions that they killed
him, OF course Napoleon did other
things, such as to furnish. a subject
for Robert G. lngerflsol's most fam.
Gus lecture and first name for a
celebrated Cleveland baseball player.
Among the other famous Italians
Is big brother Sylvest.
Vesuvius Is great spouter and is
known as the LaFollette Of Italy. We.
suylus Is very dangerous when reused
to passion and shoots lava SO high
that some OF 1t lands in Texas in the
shape Of meteors and smashes glass
Conservatives and derby hats. I
would like to SO further with DIES.
cription Of Vesuvlus, but as | am OBJ.
liged to nav the rppuIor odyort;st,,r