eral church-going. The people
here are honestly and naturally religious. I have seen so many examples
of what can only be called "sincere and unaffected piety," that I cannot
doubt it. The church, on Cortina's feast-day, was crowded to the doors
with worshippers, who gave every evidence of taking part not only with
the voice, but also with the heart, in the worship.

Then followed the public unveiling of a tablet, on the wall of the
little Inn of the Anchor, to the memory of Giammaria Ghedini, the
founder of the art-schools of Cortina. There was music by the band; and
an oration by a native Demosthenes (who spoke in Italian so fluent that
it ran through one's senses like water through a sluice, leaving nothing
behind), and an original Canto sung by the village choir, with a general
chorus, in which they called upon the various mountains to "re-echo
the name of the beloved master John-Mary as a model of modesty and true
merit," and wound up with--

"Hurrah for John-Mary! Hurrah for his art!
Hurrah for all teachers as skilful as he!
Hurrah for us all, who have now taken part
In singing together in do . . re . . mi."

It was very primitive, and I do not suppose that the celebration was
even mentioned in the newspapers of the great world; but, after all,
has not the man who wins such a triumph as this in the hearts of his
own people, for whom he has made labour beautiful with the charm of
art, deserved better of fame than many a crowned monarch or conquering
warrior? We should be wiser if we gave less glory to the men who have
been successful in forcing their fellow-men to die, and more glory to
the men who have been successful in teaching their fellow-men how to
live.

But the Festa of Cortina did not remain all day on this high moral
plane. In the afternoon came what our landlady called "allerlei
Dummheiten." There was a grand lottery for the benefit of the Volunteer
Fire Department. The high officials sat up in a green wooden booth in
the middle of the square, and called out the numbers and distributed
the prizes. Then there was a greased pole with various articles of an
attractive character tied to a large hoop at the top--silk aprons, and a
green jacket, and bottles of wine, and half a smoked pig, and a coil of
rope, and a purse. The gallant firemen voluntarily climbed up the pole
as far as they could, one after another, and then involuntarily slid
down again exhausted, each one wiping off a l