New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-17

In Italy there lived a wicked man named
Boreo. who owned miles and miles of beautiful
vineyards, but VINO would not pay the peasants
working in them enough wages 10 enable them 10
buy food
You may be very that Borgo was not loved
by the poor men and women and little children
who toiled during the long. sunny hours, in order
10 iii his baskets with cluster upon cluster of
the beautiful purple fruit But Borgo did not care
whether they liked him not. so long as he con-
tinued 10 grow richer every year.
Among the peasants in Borgo's vineyard there
worked a little girl named Bettina, who was COM
PEELED TO support her poor old mother by gathering
the grapes Nobody knew better than she how
hard II was TO live the miserable wages which
Borgo paid. One day. emboldened by her mothers
suffering and her own hunger. Bettina went 10 see
the wicked old man. and asked him to do better
by the peasants. TO add a few more copper coins
which he could readily spare. 10 their scant wages.
Borgo laughed aloud Bettina and told her the
vineyard workers well enough paid and
that ne should soon reduce their wages stiIl more
The poor child went away fun Of sorrow and
impaired the news 10 the others. whereat they all
began TO weep and pray that the saints would
soften Borgo's misery heart
Ihat same evening, the peasants took their
way nome over the green fields they noticed an
old woman sitting beside the wooden cross at the
ROADSIDE The vineyard workers often paused
before this cross 70 say n prayer on their wav
10 ana from their labor. but they did not stop this
ume because the old woman had one arm OUT
'neo' IS though asking for aims. they all
went By and pretended not TO see her
Only Bettiua waited a bit for the woman looked
hungry. and Bettina knew just how that felt
presently. she went up TO her and che saw then
mat the old woman's trouble was quite OF another
KIND On the ground beside her was an ovar
turned basket Of beautiful grapes. and as fast as
the dame tried 10 put the fruit back into the
basket II tall fell out again
let me help YOU Signora - cried the ,,t,.
girl and bent over 10 assist her. f,,, the ola uo,
called out shrilly:
20 away. 90 away I know what vorr heIn,ns
means fo1 will me TO repay Won when
YOU have replaced the grapes know-I know,
how selfish every is
Rettna shrank back al the cross words bat her
KIND nature soon prompted her 10 offer her ser
vices again. which she did explaining meantime
that she asked reward
Soon the grapes were piled carefully into the
basket and Bettina turned TO go. The old woman
had watched her silently as she worked but nov,
she spoke.
nay child she said. ard her voice had changed
suooeniy TO the sweetest Of tones my child
thank you for your assistance You are a ae,r
nnseinsh little girl and you have made IL NOS
einie Tor me 20 aid the peasants although they
nearly forfeited my help by their refusal "a do
kindly act Know that ] am not an old woman
At all am tho Fairy Grapetta, and I watch over
the vineyards
vas sure she must. really be a fairy for as she
spoke her ragged garments fell awav and sh,.
stood there clad In long gown OF purple stlk
Just the very color OF ripe grapes. Her face was
quite young now, and her hair fell abou, b,r
shouioers IKE silver shower. In one hand she
held a long wand twined about with clus,ar. q,
grapes and their glossy. green leaves
Now continued the Fairy Grapetta ..bo,s ,.,,
your hand and will give you the power "a max.
the wicked Borgo repent"