The National tribune., 1882-11-09

upside, downside. outside, every way but inside
Then he shifted and shifted and shifted till it
seemed as if he would draw his little pug nose
inside his head, and till the passers-by wondered
what strange perfume that bright-eyed ragaz-
zinc carried in paper parcel
q wish I could open the package just the
uesntiest, teeatiest bit" he sighed; I'm sure
mamma wouldn't care"
Suddenly a curious expression came over the
boys face. He stopped short half way across
the Piazza di Spagna "She would never
know" he said, as he looked almost stealthily
around. "She viii never know" he repeated
as he turned slowly around, and climbed heav-
lily, step by step, the Scala di Spagna. At the
top Of the stairs he hesitated. He shifted and
shifted and shifted at the parcel. He turned
his back upon home and fastened rapidly to-
wards the gardens, where he could eat the
doughnuts if lie would and nobody see him.
In the garden he sat upon stone bench from
whence was a glorious view over famous old
Rome, its picturesque red-tiled roofs. its SWELL
ing domes and soaring spires, the Tiber in the
distance, and beyond the green Campagna, the
mist-vciled blue and golden hills. The Italian
sun shone warmly. Gay nurses in floating
ribbons brilliant shawls quaint caps and full
short skirts, played about them with their lit
tie charges. Here staggered an Italian officer,
all silver and blue. There Ioitered a equity
cardinal, leaning on a servants arm. Statues
cleaned among the trees, pretty ladies walked
to and fro, or with laughing children fed the
floating swans in miniature lake; and the
tinkle Of water sounded like drops of silver
body seemed happy save little foreign boy in
an ulster and blue berct, who sat gloomily re-
garding two circular golden-b brown objects in an
open paper upon his lap.
a struggle was going on in that young soul.
1t was a fatefuI time for our little Americana
time in which this young nature was the bat
tle-ground Of good and evil; the scene of one
Of those terrible conflicts that we all of US have
known, and perhaps yet know, and the issues
Of which are mighty, no matter how trifing
their causes.
In this case two doughnuts were the cause:
the issue would be either that Charlie should
henceforth know himself liar and thief or
that he would henceforth be strong enough to
face any temptation.
He was quite breathlcss and pale The dough-
nuts went up to his mouth and his lips I'M
closcd-a moment and the battle would be
decided and the victOr-ah! which would it
be? Alas. the little white teeth thrust them
selves into the crisp, sweet morsel, and the
tempted little American has his first taste of a
good oId-fashioned Yankee doughnut.
Just then a troop of black -petticoated, pale
faced schoolboys filed slowly past him, follow
ing a grave priest Instantly comes into his
>
for these continually watched Italian boys who
would have been, Charlie thinks so much hap
pier and healthier had they been born in his
own free, far-away country.
Instantly, too, q scarlet blush covers Charles
face from his white collar up to his drab hair,
and before one could have said " Jack Robin
son" Tor Giovanni Robansano," as it might be
in an Italian mouth the doughnuts were re-
wrapped in the tissue paper, and Charlie was
flying Off hcmewards just as fast as his almost
outgrown ulster would let his youngs legs fly.
ooh mamma, mammal" he cried, as he
burst breathles5 into the studio where his
mother sat, "I-almOst-st Ole-em-but-I-
didn't-quite just-'cause -sOme-er-those-
Recommendations -made-faces-at-
me-and -I-'membered i n-time-what-
you told me -they-are-always-
cooped up-to - keep 'em - away from
temptation while-we -Merican -feIlers-
are-left- free-to-fa face temptation-and-
bust-it-"
What more he might have said will remain
forever unknown. For just at this point his
tongue was paralyzed by the discovery that his
mother had visitor whom he recognized with
Il great shock to be no other than Mrs MILAN
herself.
"And wasn't so sharp as I thought I was
when kept saying mamma will never know"
he thought with spasm of mingled terror and
delight.
\ year after that Mrs. Norton was one bright
day busy packing her trunks, while Charlie
capered about her like an insane daddy-long-
legs.
II declare I'm most afraid I'll break right in
two with ticBle!" he cried. "Icertainly should
if could really believe that we start for Amer
lea next week.
AT that moment Mrs. Norton opened paste
board box which had been carefully packed
away for months. As she opened it one could
see that it held a solitary brown crumbly,
dried something. Charlie caught sight of it.
"HalIoo, what's" He broke short of
Mrs. Norton smiled down tenderly on the
crimson face Zone Of my treasures. dear I
keep it in remembrance of Great Victory
Hide Awake.
If you are bilious, take DR.. Pierce's Pleas
ant Purgative Pellets" the original Little