The Argosy — page 241: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

226 ~ San” Marcello. sipping his hight wine or sirop, listening to the gossip of the neigh- bourhood. *Even ladies quit theirxhomes,.and, throwing a black lace veil over their heads, go there to chat with and see each other, though they may not take anything. The sleeping apartments at the back of the villa looked. out on the glorious Apennines. I had the good fortune to occupy one of these, and:many a moonlight night, before going to rest, I gazed on the calm, wondrous scene: from*my window. Here and there a little village, surmounted by.its picturesque church, seemed in deep repose as it nestled in or was perched aloft in the mountains. ‘The habit of rising early in this climate, at five if possible, gives you all this beauty in its dewy, delicious freshness. We gave up our town hours and breakfasted early, dining at one, and taking high tea at seven, sometimes at home, at others abroad. The Italians of the household of course indulged in an afternoon siesta, but I, who could not manage this, took my book to a cool brick-floored room into which my bedroom opened, or else walked across the way to the small hospital to visit the unfortunate inmates, in whom I had become interested. At first they imagined my object to be curiosity, but when they saw that I was anxious to sympathise and help them, they looked eagerly for me, and were sadly disap- pointed. if anything prevented my going to them. ‘The, hospital is poorly endowed ; though it is beautifully clean and airy, the food supplied to the patients is of the most miserable description. A little minestra (a thin, washy soup), and the meat from which it is made, is all the nourishment given them, and with the often capricious appetite of an invalid, they are thankful to get any change in their diet. Ices are generally prescribed by the doctor. A young lady whom I induced to accompany me, frequently joined in sending them a good ‘supply. They were also very grateful for any linen given them. | We had fine, steady weather, the whole time we remained in the mountains, Frequently in the evening we were in the habit of char- tering two or three donkeys. One carried the materials for our evening meal (the man-servant, sometimes the man-cook, accom- panying us), while we took it in turns to mount the others, so that by walking and riding alternately we were able to accomplish a con- siderable distance and to become acquainted with the beautiful spots of the neighbourhood. ‘The large spreading chestnuts furnished a famous shelter for us while we eat our supper, and on moonlight nights we did not return home till ten or eleven, and never experienced any bad effects from damp or dew. ‘The children used to accompany us, for, like all Italian children, they slept for two or three hours in the day, and were kept up late for the sake of cool- ness. In the neighbourhood of San Marcello numerous excursions ca. be made. Some lie close at hand, and others at some distance CORMICLDOOKS, (E00)