Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-10-30
META AND HER SUlTORS

"ioS buSiCI'd tlduSSI III HSf Work,
Meta wants TO get married.
Meta was their little Italian maid.
Married" said Miss Lucretia.
"Why, she's only IL"
20, know that, but she might be
30, she's so cool about it. never
told you before, but she refused the
1knife-grinder when she was 10, the
banana man at IA, and now it's an
organ-grinder
The three Miss LIS" as they
were called, looked at each other in
silence.
why don't you tell US all about
it2" said Miss Lucretia, TRANQUILITY.
How do we know what to say until
we hear the story?"
Story" shifted Miss Lefty. 'T'n
have Meta in to tell her own story"
and she rang the bell sharply.
1t was frightened little face
which appeared, but lovely one.
did you ring, Miss Letitia?" said
the softest of voices.
Eyes" was the reply, and Meta
entered.
She was small, but a plump lit
tie creature, and the lines OF her
figure were almost matronly. No
one spoke. Suddenly Miss Lucretia
laughed
"Come, here, child" she said.
whats tbs hear2 You want to
get married. Nonsense Turning
to her sister: Look at the size of
her and fancy it, she said.
Meta spoke quickly, flushing bril-
hantly. Smaller than, me does it,
and I'll be l6 come the feast of San
Giuseppe, and Giovanni says"
Meta, said Miss Letitia stern
ly, though the corners of her mouth
twitched little, tell my sisters
what you want to do. :"
Meta stammered: Get married.
"What for?" demanded Miss Luz
cretia.
II don't know" she said at last,
'Tell me all about it, Meta" said
Miss Lavinia, encouragingly.
II do not like zee men, Mees La
vinia. ley are too rough. But,
Mees, a girl must be married-at
least, my people must. An so I
sink I marry Giovanni He play re
organ. He asked-a me only one year
ago. l tell-a heem no. He has
only haf re organ, an Toni Guzzi
haz re ozer half-zey both have
asked-a me, but l say always mo-
re one who gets re whole organ,
heem will l marry. ley hate each
ozer very much. ley quarrel and
work, and zen Toni falls seeck, vair
seeck, He play fair and give re one
half Of each days moneys to Toni
does Giovanni But at night he
play not re organ, he stand at re
fruit stall and turn peanut roast
for Carlotta Tiretti, whose man is
seeck. So Giovanni he gotta more
moneys. Now he have re whole
organ, 1t plays six tunes, 'Sweet-a
Maria, and beautiful tunes, and he
Say SIdl4 lldl uSCIh o.
''Do you love this person."
IT know not, Mees Lucretia.
Ikea heem so well as any"
A council of war was held when
she went away.
Meta was told that if she married
Giovanni then she would have NTH
ing. If she waited until she was 16
they would give her new frock,
wedding supper and a present.
There was, however, to be no be-
trothaL Giovanni was summoned.
He proved to be a swarthy Italian
with shock OF black hair and blue
eyes-by no means an ideal lover.
He agreed to all with equanimity,
and for a time tranquility reigned.
Alas! it was of short duration.
In a month there was yet another
claimant for Nettas hand.
Miss Letitia again held family
council Girls, she said, Meta
has another oDe! This time it's
second trombone. O, dear! Let's
marry her to somebody and be done
with it"
"a second trombonel How alb
surdp' said Miss Lucretia.
IF you pleas-a, Mees Lucretia,
said a timid voice as Meta az
peared, "he ees really a harper, but
he has not re money for harp"
Then where is his money for. a
wlfe?"
20, he get-a more all re time. He
play trombone at night, an in re
day he push cart for Fracastie ct
Gle. An Mees Letitia, Michaelo an
Beppo are come.
''For heavens sakel" cried Miss
Lefty, wringing her hands, 'let
them all form a procession, from
bone, hand-organ, knife grinder and
Jhupananan flo mast tho door orJ