The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-01-10
THE GRAPE GIRL.

In Italy there once lived WICKED
man named Borgo, who owned miles
and miles Of beautiful vineyards, bu'
who would not pay the peasants work
ing in them enough wages to enable
them to buy food.
You may be very sure that BorGc
was not loved by the poor men and
women and little children who tolled
during the long, sunny hours in order
to fill his baskets with cluster upon
cluster of the beautiful purple fruit
But Borgo did not care whether they
liked him or not, so long as he con-
tinued to grow richer every year.
Among the peasants in Borgo's vine
gard there worked little girl named
Bettina, who was compelled to sup
port her poor old mother by gather
ing the grapes. Nobody knew better
than she how hard it was to live on
the miserable wages which Borgo
paid. One day, emboldened by her
mothers suffering and her own hun
ger, Bettina went to 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, to their scant wages.
Borgo laughed aloud at Bettina, and
told her the vineyard workers were
well enough paid, and that he should
soon reduce their wages still more.
The poor child went away full Of
sorrow, and impaired the news to the
others, whereat they all began to weep
and pray that the saints would soften
Borgo's misery heart
That same evening as the peasants
took their way home over the green
fields, they noticed an old woman sit
ting beside the wooden cross at the
roadside. The vineyard workers often
paused before this cross to say a
prayer on their way to and from their
labor, but they did not stop this time
because the old woman had one arm
outstretched as though asking for
aims, so they all went by and pretend.
ed not to see her.
Only Bettina waited a bit, for the
woman looked hungry, and Bettina
knew just how that felt. Presently
she went up to her and she saw then
that the old woman's trouble was quite
of another kind. On the ground be-
side her was an overturned basket OF
beautiful grapes, and as fast as the
dame tried to put the fruit back in
the basket it all fell out again.
Let me help you, Signora," cried the
little girl, and bent over to assist her;
but the old woman called out shrllly:
Go away, 60 away! l know what
your helping means. You will want
me to repay you when you have re-
placed the grapes. know-I know
how selfish everyone is"
Bettina shrank back at the cross
words, but her kind nature soon
prompted her to offer her services
again, which she did, explaining mean
time that she asked no 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 now she
spoke.
"My child" she said and her voice
had changed suddenly to the sweetest
of tones, my child, / thank you for
your assistance. You are dear. un-
selfish little girl, and you have made
1t possible for me to aid the peasants,
although they nearly forfeited my help
by their refusal to do a kindly act.
Know that l am not an old woman at
all. am the Fairy Grapetta, and /
watch over the vineyards.
Bettina had never heard of her be-
fore, but she was sure she must really
be fairy, for as she spoke her ragged
garments fell away, and she stood
there clad in long gown of purple |
silk, just the very color of ripe grapes.
Her face was quite young now, and
her hair fell about her shoulders like |
a silver shower. In one hand she held |
a long wand twined about with clus-
tiers Of grapes and their glossy, green
leaves.
"Now," continued the Fairy Grapetta,
hold out your hand, and | will give
you the power to make the wicked
Borgo repent" Bettina held out her
right hand and the fairy slowly low.
cred her wand aud touched the fore.
fnger and the little finger with it.
whenever you please" she declared,
you can touch the grapes with your
end they will fill with rich.
,st wine."
Bettina looked surprised, but she
was petite child, so she tried not to
show that she doubted tho fa,rc,s