Italian Characters in the Epoch of Unification; (Patriotti Italiani) by the Countess Evelyn Martinengo Cesaresco (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1901. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... THE CAIROLIS ON the 24th of October, 1875, the little Italian village of Groppello assumed an air of unwonted excitement; public men, known for their championship of the most opposite political opinions, members of Parliament, officers of the army, municipal authorities, university professors, together with the delegates of many patriotic societies and artisans' associations, formed part of the crowd collected in the small piazza. Groppello is so obscure a place that it will be as well to indicate its locality. From the heights of La Superga, whence north-western Italy may be descried, spread out like a map, the silver ribbon of the Po is seen running eastward along the face of the great plain of Piedmont; carrying the eye to where the course of the river bears to the right, it surveys a district called the Lomellina, and in this district lies the village of Groppello, not far from the Lombard border. The cause of the notable October gathering was the uncovering of the statue of a lady, seemingly bowed with years, though of gracious presence--on the base of which might be read, amongst other inscriptions: "A Cairoli-Bono Adelaide. . . . Benemerita del Comune colla Fondazione dell' Asilo Infantile." The statue stands in the grounds of the Home and School here mentioned; when the veil was removed, a troop of little children came forth from the adjacent building, bringing flowers to lay at its feet. But the monument meant something very different from the mere acknowledgment of an act of local benefaction. Adelaide, eldest daughter of Count Benedetto Bono of Belgirate, was born at Milan on the 17th of March, 1806. Count Bono had adhered from the first to the order of things which replaced the hated supremacy of the Austrians. Napoleon went before the Lombards as a ...