They sleep wherever night
finds them, sheltering themselves from the weather as well as
they can."
"But how do they get through the winter? should think they would
freeze."
"Nature has bestowed upon Italy a mild climate, so that, although
they may find the exposure at this season disagreeable, they are
in no danger of freezing."
There was another engraving which Frank looked at curiously. It
represented a wagon laden with casks of wine, and drawn by an ox
and a donkey yoked together. Underneath was a descriptive phrase,
"Caro di vino."
"You don't see such teams in this country," said Mr. Morton,
smiling. "In Italy they are common enough. In the background you
notice a priest with a shovel-hat, sitting sideways on a donkey.
Such a sight is much more common there than that of a man on
horseback. Indeed, this stubborn animal is found very useful in
ascending and descending mountains, being much surer-footed than
the horse. I have ridden down steep descents along the verge of a
precipice where it would have been madness to venture on
horseback, but I felt the strongest confidence in the donkey I
bestrode.
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