The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-17
ENRICHETTA AND The FLAG.

Chicago Post.
When Mrs. Morland returned home
from Florence the three most valued pos
sessions brought by her from the City of
Flowers were wonderful old ivory cruel
fix, silver candlestick, which might
have been designed by Benvenuto Cel-
lini, and-Enrichetta.
Enrichetta had been 'cameriera" in
the pension on the Via Pandolfna. She
was SO beautiful that Mrs. Morland
whose own face was plain, was never
tired of looking at her, and when she
said 'Felice notte' upon leaving the
American woman's room at night En-
richetta's voice was as soft as the first
: trembling trill of the nightingale.
Il must take Enrichetta home with
me-" said Mrs. Morland, who, blessed
with plenty of this worlds goods, was
in the habit of gratifying every caprice.
And it was not difficult to persuade the
girl to sail for the far-on land over the
sea, especially as the kind American lady
had promised to bring her home again
within two years should she become dis
satisfied This thought comforted Enrich
eta many winter night when she sat
at the window of her little room look
ing out upon the snow and sleet and
tearfully thinking of her native skies.
She was hungry for the companionShip
of her own people and she pined for
the sound of her own musical language,
which she heard from none but her m s.
tress, who spoke it with a decided Amer
lean accent.
A devout Catholic, Enrichetta attended
the nearest church, but there she met
cny Irish and Americans. and she mis- Sc d
the sweet face of the Madonna Addolora-
ia in her church at home, a face always
associated in her mind with the half-re-
membered countenance Of her own I'M
happy mother.
But when fine weather came and the
grass was green and the birds were
singing. a vegetable vendor stopped at
the back door one day and spoke to
Enrichetta in Italian The two talked
happily together, and he told her OF "A
church where their own people worship
ped and from that day the great city
was less lonely for the young Florentine.
AT that church she met Luigi, who,
Enrichetta thought, had the kindest eyes
in the world. and whose teeth were as
white as milk Luigi owned a fruit store
and had laid by 10000 lire, which would
be considered a fortune by his FRIENDS
and acquaintances on the other side.
The fourth of July was coming, which.
Luigi explained, was great day in Amer
lea, and was always celebrated with fire
works after the manner of San GtoYan-
mis- day in Italy, only with lar greater
amount of boom and snap and crash.
He told her he would come in the evening
and take her to a certain spot on the
lake front where there was sure to be
a splendid display of rockets.
Enrichetta sung merrily as she went
about her work. and then she began to
think seriously Of what she would wear
on that night, so sacred to this great
United States. She would have new
waist, something gay and SNOWY; then
she bethought herself Of the contents of
a box given to her at housekeeping time
by her mistress. Here, Enrtchetta." the
latter had remarked, this box is marked
Odds and Ends; you, may have it; |
want to get it out of the way"
In the bottom of tho box, beneath scraps
and remnants of goods, was a silk flag
about three yards long. 1t was torn at