Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-12

to step quickly out from the curb and
run or walk alongside and show their
deformities. As rule. when the driver
sees that his passengers are not disposed
to give he stems the flow of pleadin@s
with sharp word. which is Always
needed.
One of the leading industries of Rome
is the making of Cartwheels. These.
however. are not used for transporta-
ton beyond the shifting of coins from
one series of pockets to another j ne
cartwheel makers are small boys who
tnfest the roads leading from the cen
ter of Rome to the various points OF
tourist interest in the suburbs. partlcu-
larly the Via Appia. which is favorlte
tourist drive.
Suddenly alongside the carriage ap-
pears a whirling maze of arms and
legs spinning upon human body as
hub. Then again as suddenly the
strange phenomenon resolves Itself
into a perfectly normal boy. trottlnS
longside and doffing his cap. which
has by a miracle adhered to his head
throughout the process. There is. per
haps no response from the carriage,
and then the making of cartwheels be
gins anew. and this continues until
coin is thrown or the driver cracks ms
whip at the youngster.
The best of these performers is
youth who freauents the Via di Porta
st. Sebastiana. Just before the Baths OF
Caracalla are reached. Here is a
smooth stretch of road and an almost
endless string of tourist-laden car
riages 1T is rich field for an active
cartwheel maker. and the champion has
several rivals. one not more than six
years of age. who gives promise of
being an expert himself some day.
His Costume Very scanty.
This particular boy has reduced his
ciIiS. 10 or
cartwheel turning on warm spring day.
He his no shirt His trousers are roll
ed up to his thighs and of course he has
hat. That is apparently the badge of
the union. When in action this chap is
a mere whirl of bare legs and arms and
flashing body.
shoulder the other morning. as, when on
our way to the catacombs of st. Calixto,
beyond the Caracalla Baths. this eleam-
ing spectacle rolled alongside. The boy,
seeing perfectly Well although whirling.
checked to get beyond the range of the
whip. the pointing of which he rnistook
to be menace Then he renewed his
attentions until. from the fear Of adding
another case of hopeless invaIidism to
the already long list of Rome's de-
pendents, through a stroke of athletic
apoplexy. we contributed a quoting coin.
Next in order of virtual mendicancy,
anu highest III respect OF una DIShed per-
sistence. is the post card vendor He
exists throughout touristdom but not
until we reached Rome did We meet him
IN such full bloom of good-natured ef-
frontery. In Paris he offers his wares
and. after perhaps a second time. he
drops back TO tackle the next foreign
ioohhs PEDESTRIAN But here one has
almost to fiSht for freedom
Ihey are so adroit. these Roman post
card sellers. They see you stop TO look
at ruin or church and they are
npon you instantly. They do not always
otfer TO sell at first. hut insinuate a bit
OF information about the object Of your
interest. Then when YOU answer how
ever briefly, they catch a clue to vour
nationality and saeak in your own Ian
suaSe. ! nave heard the same Young man
thus talk with "A PARTY of Germans aud
another party of French people after en-
saging me in an all-English conversa-
ton.