Rollo in Rome

Jour

is the way of driving the horses. It is a very common thing to have them driven, not by coachmen, but by postilions. There is

coach. Or if there is a seat in front, it is occupied by

of stage horns and other emblems of their profession. They also wear enormously long and stout boots. These boots come up above their knees. They carry only a short whip, for they only have to whip

grand appearance, you may depend, in coming, upon the gallop, into the streets of a town-the postilions cracking their whi

tilions, uncle George," said Rollo,

sked Mr.

, too, when we have postilions. Besides, when there is a seat for a driver on

t reasons-all of th

r the examination of the passports; during which time the postilions, having dismounted from their horses, stood talking together, and play

in the most curious costumes. Multitudes were on foot, others rode crowded together in donkey carts. Some rode on the backs of donkeys, with a load of farming produce before or behind them. The women, i

orm feeds,-and there were vineyards, with the vines just bursting into leaf, and now and then a little garden of orange trees. In the mean time the postilions k

any kind of leaves but m

re are a great many different kinds of caterpillars that spin a thread and make a ball to wrap up their eggs in, and each one lives on a different

shut him up in a box, in order to see what sort of a butterfly he would turn into, and we

of him at last?"

ollo. "First he turned into a chrysalis

said Mr. George; "but in order to find one that can be m

conditions to be fu

d from the cocoon. Then the animal must be a tolerably hardy one, so as to be easily raised in great numbers. Then the plant or tree that it feeds upon must be a thrifty and hardy one, and easily cultivated. The mulberry silk worm has been found to

ooking?" a

world, that is employed in finding new plants and new animals that can be made useful to man, or finding some that are us

lo, "that wind their silk up into balls. I mean to get some

excellent plan,

y find the en

ined Mr. George, "and then I believe there is some prep

w what it was

the people when we stop to

enough Italian for

ity," said

inn, in a village. Fresh horses were standing all ready at the door, with new postilions. The postilions that had been driving took out their horses and le

he price regularly agreed upon for the service, to receive a present, greater or sm

from the passengers in the stage coach, es

man without any hat upon his head, but with a white napkin under his arm, came out of the hotel, and adv

. George. "No

d Rollo, "let us go and

mediately changing his language into French

have some hot coffee. There woul

coffee, uncle George

l," said

d, so that it was necessary to drink the coffee quick. But there was no difficulty in doing this, for it was very nice, and not too hot. Rollo had barely time to give back the cups and pay for the coffee befo

e country was delightful; the road was hard and smooth as a floor,

orses instead of four. Of course there were now three postilions. But although the country was mountainous, the ascent was not steep, for the road was carried up by means of long windings and zigzags, in

the diligence made a good stop, in o

Mr. George, "and so save the things that we have p

ch. Besides, I want to go and take dinner wit

ion, near the sea. For though the road, in leaving Naples, had led at first into the interior of the country

ments. The passengers from the diligence were conducted through one of these doors into a very ancient looking hall, where there was a table set

oor leading to another hall, where there was a

ests, there was a row of dishes extending up and down the middle of the table, containing apples, pears, oranges, n

upon the table when the guests sat down. It is not customary in E

boiled beef. The beef was upon two dishes, one for each side of the table. It was cut very nicely in slices, and each dish had a fork and a spoon in it, for the guests to help them

of plates, a course of mutton chops; then green peas; then roast beef; then cauliflower with drawn butter; then roast chicken wit

he dessert were furnished; and then the fruit, and the nu

at they called wine, though in taste it was more like sour cider. The

each gave, besides, a buono mano to the waiter who had waited upon his side of the table

the last of its rays were seen gilding the summits of the

Mr. George, "we shall begin t

ngdom of Naples and the dominions of the pope.

ey will not examine the ba

baggage at the frontier, when we cam

en, to save time, they often take it into the capital, and examine it there. I asked one of the pas

the passports, I su

ey will, undoubtedly, examine

ped, in token of permission given you to go out, and also at the first military station of the country which you are about to enter, to have them examined and stamped again, in token

r and postilions, were all left at the border, and the passengers were transferred to a new turnout which came from Rome. Indeed, there was a double change; for the Roman diligence brought a load

as late in the evening, and the work was done by the light of torches and lanterns. The two diligences were backed up against each other, and then all the trunks and ba

ody of the coach below is so large and heavy, that the extra weight above is well counterpoised; and th

s of umbrellas and canes, and other such light baggage which they had had with them inside the coaches. Many of them were sitting on chairs and benches around the sides of the room, with their baggage near them. Others were walking about the room, changing money with each other; that is, those that were going from Rome to Naple

engers, and observing what was going on, while Mr. George re

"that our trunk is there, and that t

," said Rollo. "Have you got an

d change here; and I calculated closely, and planne

," said Rollo, "and those I am going

aces in the coach for Rome; while at the same time the other company got into the Naples coach, which was now going to return. The conductor came for his buono man

NTINE

efore a great while we shall c

hat the land is firm enough for grass to grow upon it, and for flocks of sheep and herds of cattle to feed; but yet it is so low and so unhealthy, that it is utterly uninhabitable by man. The extent of these ma

ely beautiful. The road is wide, and smooth, and level, and is bordered on each side with a double row of very ancient and venerable trees, which give to i

nds, as far as the eye can reach, one vast expanse of living green, as smooth and beautiful as can be imagined. This immense tract of meadow is divided here and there by hedges or palings, and now and then a pr

r then they crossed them by day light. Now, however, it was night, and there was not much to be seen except the gnarle

nge horses. Mr. George kept up a continual conversation with Rollo all the way, in order to prevent him

proposed that they sh

r supper for the last thing. As long as

the moon rose, and the moonbeams shining in through th

it a great deal ple

ill make it a great deal more con

and took out from one the chicken and the two rolls, and from the other the bottle of coffee and the oranges. He placed the things, as he took them out, in a large pocket before him, in the front of the coupé.

all respects excellent. For drink, they had the juice of the oranges. To drink this juice, they cut a round hole in one end of the orange,

The coffee was cold, it is true, but it was very

hed and the papers cleared away. At half past three, Rollo, in looking out at the window, saw a sort of bank by the

id he, "we have go

eve we have,"

y go to sleep

my head over into the corner, an

ept several hours; waking up, or, rather, half waking up, once during the interval, while the diligence stopped for the purpo