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384 oxm EomtTAm.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Notwithstanding A Strong Prejudice In Fa...
trained horses , who understand all the ways of the road _perfectly _,, - The books I loved best in my childish daysfairy taleswild
terrific stories of robbers and the like , had earl , y impressed , me with the belief that of all men charcoal-burners were the most to be
_Sreaded and avoided . I well knew the glowing fires they lighted In dark lonely forests were kindlednot to burn wood as the
ignorant supposed , but to lure unwary travellers , to their dens , where they were speedily robbed and murdered ; the next process being to
sew the mangled remains into sacks powdered with charcoal , and to sell them to their fondunsuspecting widows or children at a high
, price as superfine charcoal . I cannot say the men who now stop "their carts on the Piazza look very ferocious or dangerous as they
enter into fluent conversation with the servant-maids who are coming _, from from , the the houses fountain near thoug to fill h their their swarth great y jugs grimy and faces pails with and water long
black On one hair of and the beards carts , , comfortabl do give them y placed a somewhat hj her father wild ' s appearance , side under .
, a sort of bower of chestnut branches , is a pretty curly-headed little girl , who claps her hands at the sight of the fountain , and begs to
3 be allowed to have a good drink of the " sweet cool water . " One of the men lifts her down so gentlyand holds her so patiently in
his arms whilst she puts her little rosy , mouth up to the great stonelips and takes along draught . I feel ashamed of my old suspicions ,.,
and am willing to believe that charcoal-burners have been maligned . J do not wonder that the maid-servants linger for a little more
lively conversation with the newcomers , and to caress the laughing child who has now perched herself on the ledge of the bason , and is
popping her tiny bare feet into the water , splashing them about in great gleeand calling on her grimy friends to " come and see
, how funnily they gleam through the transparent water . " She is poorly , not to say scantily dressed , but she has her ornaments _,,
which she wears with the proud grace of a jeweled princess . On her head is an elaborate crown of the longgreenneedle-like
flowers of the chestnut plaited together ; she , has a , girdle and bracelets of the same , and bunches of bobbing red cherries tied
behind her ears , and fastened in her boddice . It is some time before she can be induced by her patient father and his swarthy
companions ( over whom she evidently reigns despotically ) to leave off splashing and chattering to the amused servant irlsand resume
lier place on the cart ; but at last she signifies her g readiness , to be carried back to her leafy throne , from which she looks down with
her pretty little air of childish stateliness , waving her hand graciously as the carts move on again , and friendly d riverderlis are _^
-exchanged . She will need all the shade her bower can give her before the horses reach Luccatheir ultimate destinationfor already
the sun is hot and bright . , , A noisy tinkle from the church bell announces that it is a Festa
day , and that good Catholics are expected to attend the Mass ; , nor-
384 Oxm Eomttam.
384 oxm _EomtTAm .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Aug. 1, 1862, page 384, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01081862/page/24/
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