THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



153 



Photograph from Alice Rohe 



STONE) QUARRIES BENEATH THE ANCIENT WALES OE SAN MARINO 



The twentieth century Sammarinesi follow assiduously the occupation of their fourth cen- 

 tury patron saint. Stone is carted to Rimini, Forli, and neighboring Italian towns. 



Church. Their religion is interwoven 

 with their law. Here the religious mar- 

 riage ceremony is legal and the only one 

 performed, while in Italy the civil cere- 

 mony is obligatory. 



Monasteries and convents there are, 

 where the simple communist idea of 

 primitive times seems also to prevail. At 

 Serravalle, an ancient custom exists 

 which preserves the early habits of the 

 religious orders. The little hospice is still 

 open where in olden times wayfarers 

 could find a haven and where foundlings 

 were left. The grain from the little farm 

 owned by the hospice was made into 

 flour and distributed among the poor on 

 Christmas eve. The unchanging customs 

 perhaps reflect the reason for the peace- 

 ful life of the Republic. 



THE RECREATIONS OE THE PEOPLE 



The quiet recreations of the Sammari- 

 nesi are picturesque to the outsider. 



During the summer months on Saturday 

 nights, band concerts are held in the 

 Piazza della Liberta. On these evenings, 

 when a full moon hangs over the dark 

 outlines of distant mountains, the picture 

 is reminiscent of those medieval squares 

 as reproduced in our grand operas. 

 Couples walk back and forth about the 

 statue of Liberty, or they seat themselves 

 on the walls separating the steep street 

 from the piazza, or lean against the para- 

 pet which overhangs the depths below. 

 Others gather about little tables before 

 the age-gray cafe, all living pictures of 

 days that seem long past. 



In winter, life is a different story. The 

 little mountain Republic is so cold and 

 such deep snow fills the narrow streets 

 that the people practically hibernate. The 

 climate, which in summer is especially de- 

 lightful, changes from warm to cold early 

 in October and remains cold until April. 



The dwellers in the capital, bearing 



