Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-24

'The Generale," he says ''Come quick
come; run fast after me. I am going TO ash
him."
He flies, and his 'sboucles blondes" stream
after him like yellow silk banner, hii
shining sword dances, and the Generate
sees him and smiles, as people always DC
when they see Signor Bebe.
And Imagine how the Generate looked
and how his smile grew as the little figure
drew up before him and bestowed upon him
most military salute. Q
| "Generale, says the Illustrissimo boldly,
81 told my mamma would ask you. Do
| you ever wear petticoats and long curls?''
"Petticostsi Curlsi my dearP ex-
claimed the old officer
ST knew you did not: I have told my
mamma. How can soldier wear, curls and
petticoats. How could he fight and use his
sword. am soldier. am going to be a
Generate like you. And pretty Generate
I should be with curls and frocks. My
mamma must take them of. You do not
wear them, do you?"
'No," said the Generate, bending over
him, smiling. 81 do moi"
"Then must not No Generate does.
You never wore them, did you?"
"Well," admits the Generate smiling
more than ever. 81 think perhaps I did
when was as young as you.
81 am 6, cried the Illustrissimo ,grandly.
"Sixp
"when you are 49, said the Generate
patting mis- small hand he had taken, and
nodding his head consolingly. ''Your curls
will be cut off and your will not wear sot-
tanir'
can imagine the CONSERVATION Of poor
Margarethe when she reached the field of
action and her tremulous "Scusi scusi, Sig
nor Generale," as she dragged her ges-
ticulating, expostulating charge away.
1t was after we had left Florence that
the great decision was made that the Illus
trissimo Signor must 60 to school. It
must have been a decision arrived at with
no small misgivings and with no trivial
discussion in family conclave. 1t was not
an Insignificant matter and there was
always one serious point to be considered.
His papa and mamma, his grandmother
and godmothers, might decide that he
should go-but what if his decision did not
accord with theirs? What if Illustrissimo
Bebe decided not he would not? can imagine
how carefully the subject was broached,
how automatically it was dealt with, and
what a specious military air all scholastic
training was given. I should have wished
to have been present on these occasions
also, but this too was a joyful experience
denied me. I only heard that somehow
military training skillfully interviewer with
the alphabet and spot hooks and hangers"
themselves in tine Illustrissimo's mind,
finally prevailed. There was a delightful
legend that he required his mamma to go to
school with him, and that this very charm
ing and yeracioUs young person dutlfully
accompanied him daily to the seat of learn
ing and learned the alphabet alzo-but this
seems really too delicious to be true, so
have always preferred to believe IT, without
inqulring into it too closely.
At any rate 1 know that at this time ths
despised sottani were finally cast aside with
other unmilitary trivialities, the boucles
blondes were cropped of, and armed to the
teeth nlustrissimo Siguor Bebe went to
school He never went without a sword,
Sometimes he took also gun, and as many
stilettos as could be stuck in his belt. L.
appears that he regarded the field of letters
as o field of battle only to be entered in full
pnnoply.
Where is my sword?" he used to say at
o'clock as other children say 'Where is
my spelling book?"
We used to be entertained from time to
time with animated descriptions of his edu-
cational progress. This, it appeared, was
magnificent
'fYou will be charmed to hear" his
BeDe brings home always des diplomes de |
Diplomas for good behavioN)
1T is rather a mystery, butt is NO less
true that he gains them"
We were charmed and also rather sur |
prised. For myself, rejecting upon past |
anecdotes, was little Inclined to think |
that in the case OF the Illustrissimo the pen |
might not be ,nightier than the sword. I |
to "Cara Luisa' that perhaps the |
sword induced the pen to inscribe these |
certificates.
"Bebe gets always his diplomes de ga
gesse," wrote another friend of his family |
"We don't quite understand why-as he |
stays at home from school whenever he is
inclined to-which is generally"
1t was at this time that the wonderful |
letter was written, which stands +
framed on little table. 1 was thinking
then of returning to- revisit Florence, and |.
Cara Luisa" spoke of this in answering the
letter and said that she would take to the
Illustrissimo a veritable sailor costume of
'un vero Capitano Inglese" From this mo-
nent until We reached Florence every WIS.,
tor who entered the house was greeted at
he door with the ecstatic and excited pro-
,lamation that '.La Luisa-La Luisa.-"
vas coming back and was bringing him the
costume OF real "Capitano Inglese" ella
1uisa" took it-collar and anchors and
,ords and whistle, gold banded cap and cut
ass and all. Among all his other uniforms
le had never possessed this one. When she
vent to call she asked the servant politely
or Signor Roberto, and she was sitting
lone in the salon when he entered
He had grown and lost his plumpness, he
Fore a little coat, and his curls were CROP
,ed close TO his head and his hair was no
onger golden. But he was still as ever
llustrissimo Signor Bebs He approached
er holding out his hand to shake hands in
he proper English style, In Difference to
er foreign sojourns.
"High do you do?" he remarked trium-
hantly. High do you do, La Luisa? Do
ou spik English? I spik English And
aving exhausted his vocabulary he poured
orth yolley of his native italian, the
oint of which was of course his desire to
ut on Immediately the costume OF the real
English Captain. His mamma thought she
ad taught him to say GLOW do you do" ,
ut the fact that it became "High do YOU
o" when he reached the salon was OF small ,
He felt himself perfectly at ease ,
n his character of Enguist. ,
sand how about the diplomes de sapese.
3ebe?" asked his visitor "How do Won
et them when they tell me that you stav
t home so often, and scarcely 60 to school
all"
He made fine sweeping gesture of tri- ]
mph. I
YES" he said. ''You see! There are |
ONE of those others who 60 every day and
o not get any. And II who stay at !
ONE so many days can still get one every q
me-" ,
This, it was suggested later by q subtle i
lind, was perhaps an excellent reason-tbe {