Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-07-24
CBy Alice Rohc.)


Omitted Press staff Correspondont)
Rome, June 23.-(By mail to New
York .)-St. John rs Eve--and for the
first time in centurios--more centuries
than the dNzed old woman by the steps
of st. John Lateran could count upon
her withcrcd fingers-the Vigil Of san
Giovanni is not kept,
"Mother of God " cries the old
woman, 'what has happened ~
don Z you know there is 10 be no
vigil tonight, replies yonng Roman
matron Of the people, a baby nursing
Justify aud unashamed at her breast.
|" Did you not read ln the papers that
The vigil cannot be Kept because, "
and her voice became vibrant and acr
black eyes diloted because Of the
| Austriansl We cannot light our can
dies, we cannot light the torches The
Iinnkeepcrs cnnnot illuminate their
places nor can the vcudors put up their
stalls, You see for yourself how the
! Piazza, how all the squares trm the
Gate of st. John even to San Gouso.
|lcmma and Santa MarIp Maggi0rp, ara
dark and without the sellers Of snails.
of lavender Of carnations, of garlic
| flowers, of terra Gotta bells II is q
saA year, terrible year when we can.
not keep our vigil to the good st.
John. -
The old woman galcd with startled
eyes at the young mother at me-, az the
dnrkencd piazza. Then she raised her
shrvclcd hands to the famous church
before us.
May the evil spirits blast them
1.-The AuNrians, She cried "N0 vigil
for st. Joint il is t0c first time u
has ever happened Ny mother bee.
( fore me my mother y m"hcr have
never missed q vigil of st. John Aud
before them my grandmother has told
me aud her grandmother told her they
were always here, always with their
candles and their nuppcrs eating snaily
| as did st. lonn when he wandered 10
the wilderness How could know
/ there was no yigill' she said, simply,
| turning her old eyes on me. "l can.
not read and no one told me. Oh, may
/ God spare us from the Ausirians'' -
! Both the young woman aud the old
one looked anXiously overhead, for
/ throughout Rome there was q whisper
/ that no illumination would hc permitted
I0f the piazza of San Giovanni and
those squares in the nc0ghbofnood
/ for reasons Of discretion And those
roasOns-lho two women scanned tho
Ibluc shy with the moan shining lrium
phantly- were Austrian nef0planos'
"Thcy'yc killed my grandson, p said
the old woman, who bud come all The
way from beyond the Tibcr near ~
/ Peters 20 kccp her accustomed vigil
I"Wo got thc news last week. Foul
other gmulsons and gfeaigmndsor
are up there fighting them sho said
/ fefcely God help us-ihcy reach
intp our homes and now they reach int,
our religion came tonight 40 that
might be among the fret 10 enter ih'
church for mass tomorrow morning of
Y 81. Johns day ! came with "a pfayrl
for my grauds0ns fighting against lh'
n Austr.aus. came 20 pray for all ih'
|. yrnulsnB and all Tho sons of Italy win,
are ihcre In the north %
But you cau pray iust ibs same
] hNKkfNIfNt
" 80, 1t won Doc The some ,cplis,
The old woman, "Fan Giovanni -sh,
/ pronounced the name lngerugiy
"what mus, the good saint think o. d
lam"
Throughout The moonlight dielshc
Piazza men and women were disrusfihi
what bad befallon Rome For rails Wig.
Of 81. Johns is one Of the most ane.ea
and most picturesque of Roman els
toms. u is fiesta " The people will
an origin dating back s0 far ihai som
persons place it even in me- tenth ION
iury when lhe church was f.r,t dodieal
ed 20 St John.
OF late year the festival T vigil
has, IKE all ancient eBHoms change
somewhat 20 O more r0t01l alyeHtlf,
with noisy crowds Flasning about VIII
garlic stalls and Inieuuptng iho ton
contests. Bot The ON custom u famlI