Tessa, Our Little Italian Cousin

The vegetables and fruits must be gathered; the donkey fed and saddled; Tessa's hair must be ca

Her father and Beppo had told her so much about the wonderful sights there, and now she was going to look at them with her own eyes.

ALKED BY

s she looked in her tiny mirror. She did not dream how

ietro's back with her legs hidden by the bags of fruit. Beppo walke

e up and doing. As she passed along, Tessa nodded good morning

d his way among babies tumbling over each other in the

the family washing. Every one had a good word for Tessa, and wished her

High stone buildings that were hundreds of years old stood on each side. Perhaps in far-away times they had been f

in your geography at the map of Europe and find the oddly shaped peninsula that stretc

wever. She has never studied geography. In fact, she can't eve

essa ever since they were born. He has tried to make it possible for these chi

ry poor, and every one in the family had to work hard to earn enough to save them from starving. Something had been the matter nearly all the time, yet the

er mother's words as she rod

must tend during the day. It was an easy life, but very tedious, and the boy wished he could go to the city, too. He had been t

feet were so sure that Tessa had no fear of his stu

his little rider as

eemed to have come to him. It was time for rest and a lunch. Look at those nice tufts of grass by the roadside. The

budge. It was only when his master turned back and snappe

ew near the city that was once the greatest in the whole

passing?" Tessa asked her father a

ago in this loved country of ours. They

is a house built on

ple have not kept them

rs ago. Think of that, Tessa. Thousands! It cost vast sums of money, and was made to bring the water to the city from the distant mountains. In those da

ve, my boy," he said. "Look at that poor old man tending his flock

ath. Beppo saw the shadow pass across his father's face, and

babbo. Tessa and I will soon be able to let

yes, babbo, your work is nearly do

a model made her feel as though she were a young woman alrea

gloomy. And there were beggars here! They looked poorer and more ragged than any people at home. Here was an old blind woman holding out a plate

to our artist's house. It is grand inside, and there is a court in the middle of the building with fountains and statues and

in front of a tall building. It was se

ver make mistakes of that kind, if you do like to nibble the gras

s morning, but his family live on the fourth piano. Good-bye, little ones. Be good ch

floors, or pianos, of one building. In this old palace, which Tessa and Beppo entered for the first time, very poor and dirty families were huddl

on him. It did not trouble him that poor and dirty people were below him, because the walls were high and t

re they came to the second piano; and still they must

of breath, and then, too, I am scared just a little bit. Bepp

her with loving words. But at last the studio was reached,

to see us," Beppo grew bold enough to say when a pleasant-faced

re. This is Beppo, I believe. I have seen you before. And here is the little sis

w beautiful the little girl is! She will do finely. The tw

But it was a long day. To be sure, the children had a delicious lunch which a servant brought up to th

f an hour at a time. And all the while the strange gentleman's

need only one of you at a time. But I like to have you come t

Then he rang the bell and told the servant to call his own children up to the studio. He would not ha

id to himself. "My wife will be pleased, for Lucy and Art

were heard and the Gray childr

en curls of Lucy and the fair, sweet faces of her brother and herself. B

talian," she whispered to Beppo. "I

ican," her brother answered. "I am

arn fast. They wish to know you and Beppo. I told them you were coming. They would like to play with you, but as yet they cannot talk much Italian

eart beat quite fast when Lucy stretched out

w spoke to his young visitors for the first

. They did not stop until they found themselves on the ground floo

her breath

ain," she cried. "And see the lov

the words and

told father that we may come here and bring our frie

PALAC

ice the statues and the beautiful plants b

in bloom, although it was late in November. Beyond, were stone walls over which

him creeping along that stone wall? He's a littl

tten his shyness now. "I will charm

hole, raised his head and looked toward the children in deligh

lizard crept nearer. And now he stretched hi

y long," said the boy. "It is queer, isn't

way the toes swell out on

But it isn't the only reason, for a sticky substance oozes out, and tha

y make that queer

"They are ugly little things, aren't they? But mother won't let me kill th

king now between two

-stairs and put them on father's and mother's heads. I pretend I am crowning them as the heroes in Italy were crowned long ago." Lu

nd tried to explain. He was older than his s

se you know that your cou

, yes, and he believed it

attles were fought; great books were written; great palaces were built. Well, in the olden times, whenever a person ha

will be waiting for you. I didn't n

ster. It had been a fine day. The fruit was all sold for a good price, an

very happy," said Tessa. She said this softly as she leaned over the

seem to notice my bare feet and darned frock. She he