The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-10-17

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on the borders ot a large, fine vine
yarl. | Shalt nev,r forget the
scene. There women and children
il the gay gnrb Of the Italian
pea,antry We're all hard at work.
Some pllicking the fruit from The
still heavily laden vines, som car
rying heapng baskets Of The fra
grant clusters, aud others loading
Herewith the patient donkey.
All were working fast, for II WAS
late, nearly sunset, but there was
no lack ni merriment, and song
and laughter filled the air We
had stood there but Il moment or
Two looking on, when Il fine look
ing man, evidently the padrone,
came forward,
"The signorlni Inglise are vel
cnrie to my vineyard" he said,
with true Italian grace, "they must
taste The fruit. But he continued,
Il have something better and rare
to offer them than these grapes il
they will do me The favor to accept
them" And we smiled in return.
lie led the way through The vine
varc TO The other side where stood
large pear Tree fairly bowed
down with its weight Of golden
fruit. The coutadino shook one
Of the branches and several pears
fell t. the ground.
"lhere are no such pears as this
anywhere" he said picking them
up. "Will the Signorini accept
them p
Il will with pleasure" sad my
aunt, "if they taste as fine as they
look they must be delicious IN
depd.n
"You will find them So" said the
srithed padrone.
lie was right, the pears were de
licious, and he smiled approyiugly
at our evident appreciation.
Through all these years | have
never tasted anything like that
fruit. can recall the stong yet
delicate and half pungent flavor
now
Oar host insisted on our carry
lug away some with us, and moth
ing lolh we put some in Aunt
HrIen's bag, winch hung at her
waist. The bag was small and The
pears were large, 20 three or four
quite filed it.
And now we must CO." said my
aunt, see the sun Is almost gone
and we are a long way off.
"Ye,,they must soon stop work, ="
said the padrone, "but we have
done we'll to dav, Addio a reYi-
derrin
"Addio," we returned, and ieav-
ing tn busy scene, we turned
homeward.
We found them all at tea. I'VE
will keep he pears till tomorrow,
and surprise lhenr, said Aunt
Helen. So TO all questions we re-
piled that We had been on long
walk. l was childlShly delighted
with the mystery and felt very
important. AS soon as tea was
over put the pears on a pate,
and standing on a char put The
fruit on The tormost shelf Of The
dining room closet.
The first thing in The morning |
ran TO get the pears, TO have them
ready on the table for breakfast.
Pears were my fathers favurile
fruit, and | thought how pleased
he would be. | reached up and
brought down an empty plate.
Surprised and vexed that any
one should touch The fruit, look
ed in every possible and impossi-
ble place for il, in vain. l qnes-
toned the servants, they knew
nothing of it.
In much distress | ran To my
aunt, but found her as ignorant as
myself. BY this time the curiOSi-
ly of the family was awakened,
and we told of our wilt to the
vineyard and the gilt of pears.
"Never mind" said my mother
consolingly, you can go again aud
perhaps the generous padrone will
give you some more
And / was not satisfied TILL We
started for the vineyard. Hugh
came with us this time, and | en-
tertained him with an account Of
the little contadino and our dis
covery.
We walked long time.
s-''I don't see any hedge, children.
| didn't think 1t was So far" said
my aunt.
ut begins beyond the turn" /
answered, confidently.
"But we have passed one turn
and The other is long way of,
she persisted. ave walked so fast
Yesterday il probably made il seen
much shorter So we kept on,
but no hedcs, no cypress trees and
no vineyard.
Il helleve YOU are joking and
never went To any old vineyard or
got any pears y said Hugh he was
getting disguised.
~Oh, yes. We did" said Aunt
Helen. "we'll be there soon"
-Iookl' | cried, "there's n man
driving a donkey ; he's f-om the
vineyard, Of course; we can ask
him. But as we drew near We
saw the donkey was laden with
merchandise Of all kinds instead
Of grapes.
1 90 100 lisantlninIel 10 sneak.