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

4
tive-worshiped baby who understands hi
privileges and is not averse to using them
Illustrissimo Signor Bebe was not in th'
least averse and had fully appreciated hi
position from the first.
In the first place he was a marvelou
! besutv, in the second he had a will of iroI
braced with steel, in the third he had a beau
tiful and brilliant mother who adored him
| and father who adored her, and in the
fourth he had taken prompt and decided
possession of his entire family and their re
sources from his first hour
He had two brothers who were unusually
fine and clever, but Signor Bebe considered
them merely as adjunc:s which at time:
! might be made useful They were compare
lively grown ur, and they had merely the
accomplishments which could gain then
4; admiration and prizes at school. They hat
| short hair and wore ordinary clothes, and
| when they spoke only commanded ordinary
| attention. They were not attired in bill.
lows of lace under mantles of crimson plush
passerH-by did not exclaim at the mere sight
| Of their beauty; the moment they deigned
to express an opinion or to make a little
dramatic gesture, they did not find them.
selves attended by an enraptured and
ecstatlc audience.
81 est a croquer Get enfant," people ex-
claimed. "JoH CONNIE un petit Amour
avec ses tongues bouches blondes ct ses
grands yeux ncirs." Gle is pretty enough
to eat, or to cruGeh between ones teeth
like ''bonbon." To translate more ex-
actly: That child. He is as pretty as a
little love, with mis- long blonde curls and
his big eyes.)
Signor Bebe heard great deal of French
spoken and spoke little himself, but it
must be confessed very little. But this
fact did not prejudice him when he desired
to be sufficiently sweeping in his remarks to
his poor, long-sufering, much-trampled-on
German nurse.
81 speak only italian, French and En-
glish," he said ''No German. L hate Ger
man. 1t is ugly and stupid. The Ger
mans," with n scathing glance at poor
Margarethe, 'are all stupid and ugly, too. I"
Margarethe knows nothing but German,
and did not in the least understand italian.
1t was said to he rather q touching specta-
Gle to see her calmly beaming and delighted
countenancs when the Illustrissino 'chivied'
her 'brutta, imbecille, ssuDida, Ted
escscie, while she broadly smiled,
imagining eoE6d;ngly, i. was said, that
he was lsVishing eadeRrnepts upon
her. She was q coed, stupid soul, and was
always ready to be his slave 1t was she
who dressed him laboriously, inserting one
kicking, dancing foot into his sock, and
then heavily and seriously giving chase all
over the house, while he ran from one room
to another until she caught him and bore
him back to his bedroom TO put on the
other. She ran miles during the perform
ance of his toilet, and in warm weather
ended it mopping her brows and exhausted,
but still mildly beaming. 1t was she who
was called upon to be horse and to be en-
Enthusiastically and realistically beaten by
the Illustrissimo when he had placed the
chairs in row 10 make a coach and plav
co3chman himself It was she who must be
drilled and march with an umbrella or poker
over her shoulder, while the iilustrious Gen.
eral Bebe rated her vigorously for the lack
of promptness and soldieriy grace IN her
naneuvers.
1t has never occurred to the Illustrissimo
that the whole world. and the fullness
thereof were not created solely that he
might dispose of them for his own amuse-
ment do not think be ever asked for
ANYTHING. EVERYTHING was given to him
before he had time to ask Apparently
people sat up e: night 10 invent things to
give hin. Superb play:hings we're Law
ished on him on every side. Wonderful
uniforms, swords and guns and lances we're
made for him and sent by doting god-parents
and lnsatiate adarers III various cities. He
was an officer Of infantry, of cavalry, of en-
gineers; he was barsagliee with broad low
hat and floating plumes; he was a cuiras-
sier, Uhlan, and, believe, even a napal |
guard; everything military and bloodthirsty |
and brilliant IN accoutrements was Iliustris- |
simo Signor Bebe. When a military idea |
to him ne simply ordered his |
nearest relatives to assist him to carry it |
out.
'To-day saw an officers funeral. he |
would perhaps announce in the middle of |
lin Ter. There were soldiers marching and |
here were drums They went like this. |
Buom, buom, buom?" humping solemnly |
,n the table with the largest spoon he could |
"There were flags and guns. |
rife soldiers marched like this" scrambling |
lown from his chair to illustrate with |
'uneral dramatic action. "Papa, Godfredo. |
1scarino-come and march. And we will |
nave an officers funeral Papa carry the |
ire screen for a funeral banner, Godfredo |
larry the poker and Oscarino the tongs. 1 |
will be the music-buom, buom, buom.
That's the drum. Ira lira la That's the |
nusics"
And it was absolutely necessary that be |
hould be followed solemnly round the table |
n funeral pomp, while the soup got cold.
'At least show respect" he would say
to the brother who dared to giggle |
1T is Generate" I do not know what
vould have happened if this family had re-
used to form the procession and had firmly
ontinued eating their soup. used to feel
urious to know. But 1 never heard of
uch iconoclastic steps being taken.
But Notwithstanding the procession, the
and weapons, he felt there were
erious obstacles in the way of his military
areeT.
Soldiers" he said, "do not wear long
urls and petticoats. / have never seen
me- What would they do on the field of
attlel You," sternly to his mamma, shave
ever seen Generate in a frock and sash
18th curls"
''Well, no." his mamma was obliged to
dmit, reluctantly.
'The Generate who rides by with the SOL
iers in the morning has no curls," he elab-
rated. "And he does not wear petticoats
have noticed.
"But perhaps he did when he was your
ye," said his mother.
81 do not believe it. 1 shall salute him
nd ask him the next time see him on the
ung Arno." And he walked up and down
le salon gesticulating dramatically. "Bel
'ldato. che porta le sottane jiriccioli"
pretty soldiers who wear petticoats and
lrls). "Ma 81 Signore! quando vedo il
enerale-glielo voglio proprio domandare
Yes, sirs, when l see the General 1 will in
led ask him)."