The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-12-16
Giovanni and
The Princess
........By ANNA CASE
Copyright. 1904. by Anna Case
Copyright. 1904. by Anna Case

ton lay just beyond. This excavation
had been Il source of annoyance to the
great city for many months, but Clio
vanni had prayed that it might never
be filed in, first, because so long as he
waved the little red flag hewould draw
81 day, and then had come the prin-
cess.
TO be sure. back in sunny Italy he
had dreamed of different things. He
had no conception of the noisy, Shrek
ing city whose streets were filthy by
comparison with the hard white roads
of his Ncapoltan home. He had dream
cd OF cities paved with gold and of a
good voices. but he had found the OPP
era season closed and his grandmother
slIeptical Of the commercial value of
fresh, unframed voices. she had been
in America five years, and Of the little
red flag and the dollar day she was
sure.
Even Of the princess he ut times felt
n bit uncertain, for he thought it odd
that princess should walk by his cor
ner every morning with portfolio I'M
der her arm. There were other young
men, better versed in American ways,
who also thought the princess should
not walk and carry portfolio, but
the princess would not ride in their
carriages nor allow them to carry her
portfolio. She had gone in for art and
the young men interfered with the re-
allzation Of her ambition.
In Giovannis mind, however, there
was no question about her royal blood.
1t showed in her carriage, in her pa
triclan features and her proudly car
ried little head, in the fit of the Won
derful gray gown she always wore and
i'll the viOlets ut her belt. In time the
young Italian was glad that she did
not ride in carriage, else it had not
been given to him to see that she got
safely across the street on his side of
the tracks and to turn her over to the
more Stalwart policeman on the other
side.
Giovanni did not tell his grandmoth-
er about the princess. Old Marie ran a
and constant intercourse with these
men and the struggle to get her board
money each week had rather killed sem
timent, but under her vehement fault
finding her love for Giovanni burned
clearly and steadily.
Spring came and the academy closed,
much to the regret of Kate Cameron,
n
becoming interested in painting from
life, so she persuaded her father to fit
up Il studio in the attic of their town
house, though she knew full fell that
in less than Il month the whole fam
ily would fit to their country place
ono Of The professors at the academy
agreed to call occasionally and criti-
else her work, and there remained only
Ito question OF models. \ half dozen
young men who heard her talk about
it at Il fashionable tea Immediately Of
forcd to act in this capacity, but She
lau9hcd aside their suggestions. They
were sadly lacking in the artistic tenn
por9mcut. she said.
The very next morning she stopped
at Gi0vanni's crossing. He had not
seen her for nearly week, and he was
clad that broken dray barred the
passage Of both vehicles and pcdcstri-
ans. The princess carried no portfolio
this morning. but little silver mount
ed memorandum book Fl % with the
addresses of models. WI she saw
Giovanni sic lost interest in the memo
randum book. she had noticed him
before rs graceful, 1.-THE lad despite
his rough garments. and now his eyes,
glowing with delight at sight of her,
his beautiful white teeth showing as
he smiled. and the graceful gestures
with which lie continued to wave the
flag, despite the fact that vehicles
could neither come nor 60, caught and
held her interest.
Being young woman of impulse,
she then and there asked him to pose
for her. Giovanni said, Sure" one of
the few American bywords he had
picked UP, and he said it so softly that
it became almost q verbal caress. His
voice was the last touch. Miss Cam
eron was sure now that no other mod
cl would do, but unfortunately Giovan-
nj had not understood word she had
said. He would have said "sure' to
any request the princess made of him,
and this much he had gathered from
her words-the princess had need Of
him and his services. The girl looked
puzzled, and n fellow workman, who
understood both Italian and English.
stepped forward and offered to act as
interpreter. The young lady desired
the services of Giovanni at her home
the following day. Giovanni regarded
it as a royal command, but, alas. there
were his grandmother and the ineXo-
rable Job"
Then suddenly his face frightened.
Two days more and there would be q
fete day--what you call ii, Decoration
day ?-and there would be no work on
the streets or anywhere in the great
city Would that suit her eXcellency
as well? The princess graciously as
sented TIC interpreter took the adj
dress, and the interview was over.
After the girl had gone the inter-
prefer i'm fluent italian informed Clio
vanni that he was lucky dog. The
young lady had agreed to pay him for
the days work, five times as much as
he earned waving the flag. "a good