Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-06-03
Young Italy.

Anne Brewster, writing from Rome to
the Philadelphia Bulletin, says:
After had finished my little meditation
on the Quattro Fontane summit turned to
go home. After [ had walked a few steps on
l saw boy about twelve years of age
driving girl in front of him Driving
literally, for she did not wish to 90, and.
very naturally, she did not like his mode
Of driving. He had two sharp sticks,
which were wedged into her back They
We're poor children; had on few and rag
ged clothes; consequently the sticks hurt
her. The girl did not cry out, but she
WINGED and Rugged the wall. Such sur
~ little brute as the boy looked, and what
beast-like pleasure he seemed to take in
pushing those sticks into the girls back!
He set his teeth together and lowered his
eyebrows most willfully and viciously.
Obelisks; Imperial and Papal Rome;
memories of great architects were swept
out of my mind in the presence of this bit
OF modern injustice. Of course [ stopped
and, wOmanlike, demonstrated with the
young tyrant. He shrank away from me
as if he expected blow. When he saw
that no corporal punishment was inflicted
he peeped back at me shyly and seemed
good deal surprised. A broad grin spread
over his face when he found that he had
so harmless an individual as l am to deal
with. / saw that he was not such a bad
looking little fellow after all He had
rOguish, handsome eyes, curling brown
hair and rich olive skin, but he was
very, very dirty. The girl, however, was
not fair to behold in any way; she had an
ugly, fat, degraded face, and she was a
bold little mink With the feminine
economical instinct she began: Dammi
qualche cosa, Signorina, quattrina Signo-
ina no fame" GIVE me some money,
lady. l am hungry) But the boy
did not ask tor anything; he was
too sWperb0 for that. | gave Ceccho.
for such was his name, little
sermon, and after my "preach'' was over
| said to the girl: Yes, [ will give you
two soldi." Then to the boy: q will
give you only one, because you have been
unkind to your sister''-for they had told
me that was their relationship. l turned
and walked to my own n0rt0ne. After |
had taken few steps I looked back and
sawjust what [ expected to see: the boy
had taken the two soldi from the girl and
was menacing with his hand to keep her
from crying out. | walked instantly back
and said to him as turned his handsome
face up to mine: "Suppose another boy
should treat your sister in that way, what
would you do?" His dirty brown face
and neck grew brilliantly red; the blood
flashed all over, Or rather under, the skin,
like ruddy glow on the sky at sunset; he
grumbled out with shy laugh as he
slipped his chin away from my hand,
L'ammazzerei." I'd kill him. "YOu
think, then, because she is your sister you
have right to be unkind," I continued.
How mean! Why, she belongs to you.
She is part of yourself. You should pro-
tect her, and, instead of taking from her
what she has, you should give her part of
your own! Think she is part of yourself
the weak part. Nothing in the world
should be so dear to you as that little girl.
The boy slyly poked into the girls hand
not only her tWo-penny piece, but also his
own; then peeped up at me. OF course |
gave him three pennies to make him equal
with the girl; then [ took his dirty little
hand, turned his face again toward me,
and said: Ceccho, may never see you
again, but do remember always to be man
ly (gal0at 'uOna0); never treat girl badly,
and do be kind to your sister" The boy
put my hand to his lips with the inimita-
BILE grace that is so purely Italian; then he
raced off, his face all afiame, with his
hand over his eyes, which were running
over with tears. I'd like to know that
boys future. 1t is a marvellous nation,
this of Italy. Grace, poetry, art, are the
first natural instincts. No matter what an
italian may be doing, he is sure to throw
a charm over it.