Year: 1878

ing and asked me TO do il again. To show
them that it was an opera glass | meant,
kept doubling up my hands into tubes and
looking over at the other side Of the gorge
They all gazed attentively in the same drec-
tion, until at last one of them said he saw
what l meant 1t was something moving on
large rock, and lively discussion arose as
whether it was Il man or a goat. Finally
took out notebook and pencil and wrote
down what wanted but my attendants gave
me to understand that not one of them could
read just then very respectabe-lookng
old woman came tottering into our midst In
despair | showed the note book into her hands,
she took it, and after fumbling long time
for her spcctacles found and adjusted them
she then closed the book examined the bind
ing said it was pretty, but would be of no use
to her, as she could neither read nor write.


On sudden general shout arose around
me of "Carmela Carmela!" While | was
wondering what the cry could mean half a
dozen of my attendants ran of in the drec-
tion Of green door which belonged to tum-
ble-down house near the cathedral Their
continued shouts and vigorous assaults on the
door soon brought out young girl, who on
learning what was wanted came briskly toward
me. With modest salute and n sunny smile
she asked in what way She could serve me.
showed her what | had written she read it
easily, explained it to the donkey-boy, and in
moment he was of at full gallop to recover
my glasses.


At first sight Carmca struck me as a charm
ing person. She was about eighteen or twen-
ty, and extremely goodlooking. Chestnut
hair and hazel eyes such as she had. nrc not
often seen in Italy, and they are a pleasant
relief from the black hair and eyes which are
almost universal there Carmela wore the
usual dress of the peasant women Of Amalf
| but everything about her was tidy. and her
bearing gave unmstakable signs of education
and refinement. The sudden apparition of
such a superior person amid these surround
ings of poverty. Ignorance and desolntion was
most striking | would gladly have detained
her. but before / could think twice about it
She had made me a pretty courtesy, tripped
across the square and disappeared within the
green door. The donkey-boy having come
back with the missing glasses | took few
turns through the grass-grown streets of the
dead town, and then returned to Amalf


The next morning no excursion that Icould
think of seemed so attractive to me rs to 20
up to Ravello again. / started early. and as
cended at my leisure on foot. Some of my
urchin friends of the preceding day, who were
batterng the features Of an overthrown mar
BILE saint with brick left off their sport at
my approach One Of them. divining my
thoughts said "Carmela is not here she
does uot come till noon | gave the boy
penny for his cleyerness and his news and
to while away half an hour | went to visit the
| Rufolo Palace. Seven hundred years ago
when the Saracens Were masters here, this
palace was built in their graceful style of arch
itecture by the Rufolo family. For many
centuries it was the most splendid residence
on the coast and at different times was occu-
pied by a pope and two kings. Though much
of it now lies in ruins, portion is still habit
able. In the abandoned part there is beau
tiful clostcr surrounded by graceful Moorish
columns in two stories, while the massive
square towers not only attest the ancient
strength Of the odifice. but bid fair to last for
a thousand years to come. This palace Is at
present the property and the home of Mr..
Reed, an Englishman. who is the employer
and the beufactur Of many of the poor IN the
neghborhood Mr.. Reed has long wished to
make a carriage-road from Rayello to Amalh,
but this project is strcnuously opposed by the
population on the ground that if wagons could
pass between the two towns the t,icci(HiwOuld
be thrown out of employment and must starye.
These facchui are numerous class Of per
SONS of both sexes who at present carry on
their heads and shoulders all the articles Of
commerce which pass from one town to the
other.


At noon was sitting on the cathedral steps
waiting. Carmeln soon appeared, and, flushed
| with the toll Of the ascent. she looked even
| prettier than the day before | went to meet
her, and she seemed pleased to see me |
| had several questions already written out for
her in my note book. and in answer to them
she told me that she lived with her father and
mother in Amalf. but had always spent much
of her time with her uncle, the parish priest
| of Rayellu 1t was he who had taught her TO
read and write He was II lover Of old and
curious books, and had made large colec-
| ton of them. Now that his eyesight was
| growing dim, aud that he was in need of mon
| ey lie intended 10 sell some of his treasures.
| Accordingly, Carmela came up every after
noon to help the old man select and arrange
| those which were to be disposed Of. If was
interested in old books she said, her uncle
| would be glad to see me. | required no urg
| ing, so Carmela and entered the green door
| together.


| found the priest in his library, the floor
Of which was so strewn with books and man
uscripts that | approached the owner with
| difficulty He was small of stature. sleek and
| in good condition, as becomes an Italian
| priest and his soft black eye beamed with
| good-nature and honesty. He received me
courteously, but when spoke of buying some
of his books he begged me to wait few days
until they should be in order. Hearing that
| intended to spend the winter in Amalf and
| looking for lodgings, he said that his sister,
Carmela's mother. had apartments to let which
might suit me- and he suggested that Carmela
| should 90 with me and show me the way to
| them.


Nothing loath. I took leave of the worthy
man. and following my fair guide descended
to Amalf by path still more PERCEPTIONS than
| the one with which was already acquainted.


We loitered somewhat on the way, for had
many questions to ask about the vineyards
and waterfalls and mills which we passed and
Carmela took pleasure in telling me all she
knew about them. We passed quite through
the town, and began to ascend the steep road
which leads to the Capuchn monastery. Car
| mela's home was small yellow house stand
ing in a garden Just off this road, At dis
tance this house and garden seemed to be
| hanging on the very face of preclpice. In
| fact, they occupied n sort of shelf in the cliff,


which here rises perpendicular from the sea.
| just behind the house the weather-stained


rock. adorned with scanty vegetation, rises to
a dizzy height, while from the parapet in
| front of the garden one looks directly down


upon the beach. several hundred feet below.


II was the upper story that was TO let, the


lower one being occupied by the family. The


rooms were plainly furnished, but were neat


and clean, while the situation was so romantic,


the air so pure. and the view so charming,


that | accepted at once the terms offered me,


and arranged TO take possession of my new


home on the morrow.


soon came to know the humble family


we'll and in my forlorn condition l took a


singular pleasure in their society. Carmela's


father was bent with age, and so inirIn that


he seldom went beyond the limits of the gar


den. But in his day he had been an able


bodied seaman, and, having made three voy-


ages to the Leyant, was now full of anecdote


and story about the strange lands he had Wis


tied His wife was hale and vigorous wo-


man Of forty. In face she was strikingly like


her brother, the priest, but there was a shrewd


twinkle in her eye which to his honest glance


was quite wanting. The last member of the


family was Beppo, Carmela's brother. tall,


comcly boy of fourteen he was to follow the


sea, as his father had done, and already he


spent most Of his time with the fishermen on


the water


My coming made great stir among this


simple folk. / was the first boarder they had


had, and | could see that the good mothers
Nl.HE