Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-04-08

UCat Llu4C W lid S4A6AA6 OA"
tin box, so in spite of a life OF ne
elect he got a little JOY now and
then."-Youth's Companion.
ITALIAN CHILDREN.
How would you like to get up at
5 o'clock, while it was still as dark
as pitch, and with only a big roll OF
hard bread for breakfast, go off to
school at half-past 6? Not very
much; now, would you? But just
heaps Of Italian children do that
every day, the mes who are lucky
enough to go to school at all.
For some Of them have to help their
fathers in the orchards, or their
mothers in the house. Some of them
drive. the goat herds from house to
house all day, and some-oh, a great
many-have to sing on the streets or
even beg for money all day long.
So you see, they aren't nearly SO for
tunate as American children, even
the ones who have the best f:thers
and mothers. -
OF course, their schools are very
strict. and they never have very long
holidays. At Christmas, when they
have ten days, they must go back to
school every third day during AGA
ton, for that is the italian law. And
their parents make them go to bed
very early, so they don't have such q
good time at Christmas as our chill
dren. But they are very ha -)py, just
tho co ond coepa IN horyo x1av%vy -
fun, playing and dancing on the
streets. Italian children are very
fond of bicycle riding, too, and use
wheels a great deal more than we do
in America. They often make up
parties and go off for a holiday in the
country OF their wheels, for they
have few games and have to invent
most of their amusements. But they
do have fine bathing beaches and
enjoy a good swim nearly every day
during warm weather. The Nea-
politan boys are, as a rule, splendid
divers, and do all sorts Of difficult
tricks in the water. Some Of them
swim like seals, some turn somer-
saults and some swim great distances
under water. OF course, they have
to make the most of their amusement.
because they have no snow or ice,
and the winter sports such as we
have are unknown to Italian children.
There is no skating nor shedding, no
hockey nor tobogganing. But they
are very fond of gymnastics of all
sorts and are experts in many ways,
especially in turning handsprings.
which they like to do best. It is al
most like going to the circus to see
some of the street performances of
the Italian boys.
They eat a great deal, though not
such things as American children like.
At every. meal except breakfast they
have macaroni, which they like best
of all, and then rice and garlic in
great quantities and cooked chestnuts
and aniseed cakes; never any turkey
nor cranberry sauce, nor ice cream,
no indeed. And very seldom do they
have candy. Few of them have ever
tasted soda water, and they never
heard of chewing gum, nor, indeed,
Of baseball. Think of that! They
like to go to the theatre and to cine.
matograph shows, but they seldom
see a circus, because they are very
rare in Europe. All Italian children
love music, however, and are fond oil
the street organs, which are much
more musical than the hurdygurdies
in our country.
And some Of them have to work
very hard, so that they cannot go tt
school and learn everything, but grow
old very oon They go to churcl
every day, and the priests watch t,
see if they are good children, ant
make them say a great many extr'
prayers if they are not. So, you see
altogether they don't have nearly S.
good a time as American children, TO
often their parents don't pay mucl
: attention to them; except to kick o
slap them when they are bad. And
think ever Santa Claus doesn't trea
them as we'll. Just think of all b
brought you at Christmas, and
Italian children get one present mos
Of them think they are lucky. Any
way, I would rather be an America
q boy or girl, even IL I was kept afte
: school or sent to bed without an
dinner. Wouldn't you?
DOLLY'S QUEER BABIES.
I want to tell you a very Quee
s. incident that happened in the cou1
II try n summer. On the farm whel
If we were staying there was a fir
n large cat called Dolly. She ha
three young kittens, which she ke]
y in a box at the border of a pir
grove, near the farm house. Ever
q. morning we went out to see them.
n Finally, as we thought they wei
d old enough to be fed from a bow
a we started out one morning wit
~ some nice fresh milk for them. B,
of to our surprise, instead of seeing IL