Cruelty to Birds 221 



" If your priests," I said, with intense indignation, 

 " taught you kindness of heart instead of your gabbling 

 prayers at the foot of that image, it would be better." 



The scene was positively tragic ! 



Neither did I speak without knowledge. 



I had been present in the previous year at a 

 " Canistra," which is the harvest festival of the Roman 

 Church. At a "Canistra," every possible sort of thing 

 is brought to the church of the village, in kind, as an 

 offering for the benefit of the parish priest. 



It was at Lenno, a little village touching the shores 

 of the beautiful lake of Como. 



A hot Sunday afternoon in September, and the 

 people had gathered in a picturesque crowd on the 

 level grass of the church piazza. 



A procession of maidens veiled in white, and carry- 

 ing lighted candles, wended their way through the 

 open doors, from which the wheezy organ, fitfully 

 played with dance-like music, made itself heard. The 

 congregation was swelling within, and the lights on 

 the altar, with its tawdry lace and artificial flowers, 

 were shining in the semi-gloom of the building. 

 Every moment men, women, and children were 

 arriving, each with an offering. 



Some carried cakes, others live geese, tied tightly 

 down into roomy baskets, and ornamented with 

 numerous ribbons ; others bore plates of fruit, and 

 sweetmeats ; others, vegetables. 



Presently there came by a little girl, her head half 

 draped in a bright-coloured shawl, her dark eyes 

 sparkling with excitement, and in her right hand, held 



