On reaching Nice he evidently decided to proceed to Turin,
as his passport shows another visé, dated Nice, September 5:
'Indorsed for Turin by way of Genoa,' and finally the words:
'Porta Nuova, Seen, Turin, November 8, 1849, No. 78, the
guard, Chiala.'

Crispi reached the Piedmontese capital almost if not entirely
destitute of pecuniary means, his journey from Palermo having
exhausted the supply of money his father--who was not
wealthy, and who had four other children besides Francesco--
had been able to give him. He must find work, and that
without delay.

As good fortune would have it, he had not been long in
Turin when Lorenzo Valerio took him on to the editorial staff
of La Concordia. But the journal was already in financial
difficulties, and on January 2, 1850, Valerio wrote to him as
follows:--

DEAR FRIEND,--It is with pain that I obey in-
exorable necessity and tell you that La Concordia can
no longer continue to pay you the poor wage which
you drew monthly from her. I write you this because
I cannot bring myself to say it to you, and I can
only hope you will still be a friend both to the paper
and to me.

Some time passed in fruitless efforts to obtain work, and
amidst many privations. Bad news also reached Crispi from
his own country.

On the evening of January 27,--[he wrote, to
illustrate to the Piedmontese the spirit in which the
Bourbons were exercising that clemency they had
promised Sicily],--a demonstration was organised in
the Fieravecchia, in which the best elements in the
city were to take part. . . . It was intended to give
the lie to the government, which had spread the
report that Palermo was satisfied with its condition.
. . . The police were furious, but being too cowardly
to attempt any arrests in the face of the people,
they waited until the crowd had dispersed, and then

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