Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-29
sunday in Venice.

sunday in Venice.
When we again reached the room of the
Scotch PRESBYTERIAN Church." the minister
was reading the first hymn. The room was
small, with three chintz-eurtained windows
opening into green and sunny garden. We
sat down just outside, in small ante-room. of
which one door opened wide into the sunny
garden, and the other on the Grand canal In
the garden, on my right, birds sang riotously;
on the canal l could see gondolas and great
black barges constantly going up and down.
Just as | had fairly delivered myself up to the
enjoyment of the whole scene was touched on
the shoulder, and an elderly man, having some
what the bearing of western congressman,
said, Madam, are these the American ser
vieesP" There was an emphasis on the word
American" which suggested that he had the
Fourth OF July-stars, stripes, eagle and all-in
his pockets. l strangled wicked impulse to
reply, even under the ministers very face, that
| did not know what american services were,
and answered, "a only know the sign above the
door is Scotch Presbyterian Church.
In lower resentful whisper he reioined: ~
was informed that the American services were
held at the house of the American CONSUL All
this time his family stood waiting in the rear
mother, two young misses, a boy, fifteen, and
dear, sturdy little baby-bOy, possibly three years
old. | replied again, as gravely as | could:
"There is no American consul in Venice at
present. The English church service is held in
the house of the English clergyman" He
turned away and strobe ont the family process
sion following. No worshipping under foreign
flags wonld this patriotic family do. The Amer
lean service or none! The earnest young min
lister went on with his Bible-reading, and ! had
almost forgotten the interruption, when 10! a
stir at the door, and there they were again, the
discounted patriots returning crestfallen, after
knew not how much research and consultation
ready at last to make the best of Scotch
Services" since American could not be found.
The mother had, | thought, a sweet and gen.
10 fapa and ~ : 10 no hxy in hnr Ion I
prepared myself for an hour of delight in watch
ing them. Alas, what a mistaken hope! The
baby was restless. Who would not be for that
matter, with the tempting garden and singing
birds on one hand, and the fairy spectacle of the
boats and the water on the other? Moreover,
the mercury stood at eighty degrees or higher;
only by help of much tanning did the grown-up
people keep still. What was baby to do? OF
course, he tried to slip down and run out; and
of course, before long, he began to fret and
whimper. AT last she rose, took him by the
hand, and walked into the garden. My heart
gave a bound of joy. 90" thought |, 'kind,
sensible mother She will sit in the garden
with him, and let him play"
90 mamma, me be good, me be good r came
down the garden alley in those unmistakabe
tones of terror which are never heard from the
lips of any children except those whose nerves
have had the shock and the pain of blows. All
the sunlight seemed to die out of the fair green
place But said to myself, "Poor darling. He
will escape one whipping at least. She will
never dare to whip him here" Mistaken again.
In less than minute there came from the dis
lance that sharp, quick scream which means
but one thing; once, twice, three times-then
all was still. In few minutes more they re-
turned; the poor baby subdued into a sort of
hySterlca silence, worse to see than violent cry
ing, his cheeks crimson, and his ewes full of
tears ! buried my face in my hands, and tried
to take comfort in remembering how many
friendly diseases there are which carry little
children 10 heaven. The words of the sermon
sounded to me like inartculate murmuf; now
and then came the refrain, Bear We one anoth-
er's burdens How wished | could bear that
baby's For perhaps one half hour he
sat perfectly STILL but at the aye of
three, memory is short and animal life
is strong. He had a splendid physique, full of
nervous overflow; it was simply physical i'm
possibility for him to sit still long. He began
to make struggles and impatient sounds. Again
she took him up, this time with Impotence and
irritation in her manner, and led him into the
sunny garden. Louder and more piteous came
the cry, 80 mammal me be good, me be goodH
and the poor, sturdy little LEGS held back with
all their force as she dragged him down the
walk. | could bear no more. | fled through the
opposite door, and Sprang into our gOndola so
quickly that LUCIA came running up with
alarm and inquiry on his rugged face. In my
excitement and Indignation / found even Italian
language enough to tell him what had driven
wonder the signora could not bear it. Now he
(Luigi) had four children, one little girl only
year old; and never, no, never, did he strike
them. He always talked with him; never
blow,-O no!
All, polite and courteous Luigi! Six months
observation of Italian fathers and mothers made
it hard for me to believe that his children led
lives of such exceptional peace. The Italians
never grow up" themselves; and they are with
their children as much as children are with kit
tens-affectionate and cruel by turns. But it was
at that moment an unSpeakable comfort to me
to hear Luigi tell his sympathzing lie.
When the services were ended, watched with
morbid eagerness to see the baby once more.
As the gondola of the patriotic family rowed
away, l saw the poor little fellows flushed face
lying, weary and listless, on his fathers Shout
der. could not shake off the fear, so well do
know that type Of parent, that he had, after he
reached the hotel, third whipping-such a one
as is called, in iendish satire, "a good whip
piugp Poor baby! Three whippings and a
Scotch Presbyterian service in one forenoon |!
And he is only three years old, and has at
least eight or nine years more to live under the
lashl Poor baby Bits Of TraUel, By II. II.