The humour of Italy; . that as soon as they were able to rig up abit of a republic, which was what was wanted, everyone whohad to do with the conscription and the taxes should bekicked out; that there would then be no more soldiers, but MASTRO PEPPE S MAGIC. 155 every man in the country would go to war if it were Padron Ntoni prayed and entreated him to get theRepublic made soon—before his grandson Ntoni had to gofor a soldier, just as though Don Franco had the Republicin his pocket, insomuch that the chemist ended by losinghis temper. Then Don Silvestro, the Syndics secretary,near
The humour of Italy; . that as soon as they were able to rig up abit of a republic, which was what was wanted, everyone whohad to do with the conscription and the taxes should bekicked out; that there would then be no more soldiers, but MASTRO PEPPE S MAGIC. 155 every man in the country would go to war if it were Padron Ntoni prayed and entreated him to get theRepublic made soon—before his grandson Ntoni had to gofor a soldier, just as though Don Franco had the Republicin his pocket, insomuch that the chemist ended by losinghis temper. Then Don Silvestro, the Syndics secretary,nearly killed himself with laughing, and said that a nicelittle sum paid into the pockets of such and such personageshe knew of would have the effect of producing in Ntonisome defect which would make him ineligible for service. G. PEPPES MAGIC. V/T ASTRO PEPPE LA BRAVETTA was a stout, stupid,*• good-natured man, living in Pescara, who sold pots and pans, and was terribly in awe of his wife, the severe and. miserly Donna Pelagia, who ruled him with a rod of the income derived from his business, he possesseda piece of land on the other side of the river which producedenough to keep a pig. To this property the couple werewont to repair every January, to preside over the killing andsalting of the pig which had been fattening through theyear. 156 ITALIAN HUMOUR. Now one year it so happened that Pelagia was not verywell, and La Bravetta went to attend the execution to him, in the course of the afternoon, came two ofhis friends, graceless vagabonds, Matteo Puriello, nick-named Ciavola, who was a poacher, and Biagio Quaglia,better known as II Ristabilito, whose most serious occu-pation was that of playing the guitar at weddings and onother festive occasions. When he saw these two approaching he welcomed thementhusiastically, and then, leading them into the buildingwhere the wonderful pig was laid out on the table, asked— What do you say to this, no
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Keywords: ., bookauthorwerneral, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1892
