The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-15
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The Coral Necklace
BY Grace E. Craig.

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@oh. Daddy LooEl There's vesuviusl And it
is really smoking, cried Fare Anterior, dancing UP
to her father the promenade deck of the 4Stmia.
ii The great liner was making her dgnihed way among
the hazy islands of the bay toward the city Of Naples
and all the passengers, having packed away their
steamer caps and listers were gathered on deck ready
for the landing
tanned now by the sea-breezes, and all alght with
interes her gray eyes shining and her soft brown cur
escaping from the huge bow which endeavorng TO
hold them made pretty picture in her wide brown hat
and brown corduroy travelling suit
Her father looked down her slingly as she clung
chattering, to his arm.
"See Daddy all the little boats coming out to meet
us! The people IN that one lave guitars! Oh! They
are going to sing! and look, look! Those men are
passing up punches of violets on the end of long
stickl May throw them some coppers? and oo--oo--
OH There are some little boys diving and coming up
with pennies between their teeth !"
Mr.. Anterior laughed heartily and followed his little
daughters hasty flight down the deck to point
the interesting urchins.
To Fare the voyage from Boston to Naples had
been delight. Her mother and Aunt Alice had been
just the least little bit ILL but Faire had suffered and
she and her father had never once missed meal in the
big dining saloon. They had played shuttle board and
deck
The blue-andgold days at sea were so glorious that
Fare was almost sorry when the steamer at last
reached the beautiful Azores and anchored in the har
Dor of the ancient city of Ponta del Garda, where
Daddy said Columbus stopped for supplies his first
voyage to the world
She had enjoyed her afternoon in the old town. how
ever. Everybody ashore in tiny boats rowed by
dark little Portuguese zen and hired queer carriages
drawn by pairs of pretty little donkeys for drives about
the island
At Gibraltar two or three DAYS later Fare had visited
that great rock fortress of the English crouching like
lion at the entrance of the Mediterranean, and in
Genoa Daddy had taken her to see the tail narrow
house in the dark narrow street where the great dis
9overer OF her own dear land first opened his clear
eyes.
And now at Naples the bella Napoli" of which the
musicians in the boat were singing the wonders were
not to cease
Mother motherp Faire cried as they drove up from
the dock to their hotel the hill do see the corals
The shop windows pink with them
Yes dear her mother answered, smiling. Naples
is the best place in Europe to purchase coras While
we are here to buy my little daughter really
fine necklace to take the place Of the baby chain she
is outgrowing."
ooh, Momsey! should like it above all things
and FARES eyes brighter than ever. "Ive always
loVed my tiny string of coral beads because Uncle
Charlie brought II to when baby but do
have to hold my breath when | put on now"
Fare missed the soothing rocking of the good ship
that first night on land after the two weeks voyage
and her sleep disturbed by dreams of Mount We
suvius spouting strings of coral beads which rolled
down his mighty sides toward the city Of Naples.
When she opened her gray eyes next morning, Aunt
Alice just ringing for the chambermaid The ring
was answered by very young girl in a neat, black
dress and white cap and apron, an extremely pretty
young girl with the soft lustrous eyes, dark hair and
hne skin so common in Italy Fare, sitting up in bed
with her brown curls falling around her, realized that
the little maid gazed at her rather wistfuy and then
with pang she that the lovely dark eyes and the
rounded cheeks swollen with weeping
:. mat nat girl can't be much older than | am Auny
you see?
These Italian girls obliged TO work very hard" and
Aunt Alice looked troubled for moment Then she
pushed aside the curtains and both aunt and niece
promptly forgot little Teresita Vesuvius was in plain
sight and the beautiful Neapoltan bay the fairest
picture in the whole wide world, lay just beneath the
window.
The happy days few BY on wings Mr. and MRS.
Atherton Aunt Alice and Fare went to Pompe, and
walked up and down the ancient and peered into
the houses which had BEEN buried under Vesuvius
ashes for many centuries to Sorrento that village
OF orange groves perched its bluff above the purple
sea; and finally drove across the mountains to Amahi
and stayed several days in the old convent which has
been turned into hotel where Fare often saw the
few monks who still remain there walking Up and
down under the orange trees, with bowed heads and
serene faces.
Daddy read to her Longfeow's beautiful poem while
they sat on the terrace overlooking the dreamy aler
ian bay with its sickle of white sand and 'the dim
discovered coast where Postum with its ruins lies
When they were back in Naples once more MRS
ton to the shops with the fascinating windows which
had so charmed Fare on her arrival and the little
girl looked forward joyfuly to becoming the proud
of of the dainty necklaces which were dis
played everywhere in such profuson. She was to
choose It herself and she could hardly wait To be
turned loose among the rosy corals would be bliss
indeed.
Fare sat in her room on the eventfui morning count
ing oyer the Italian coins which her mother had given
her the night before.
For the necklace, DEAR Mrs Athcrton had said,
and the keepsakes for the home people"
sOne hundred and twenty-five francs Twenty-Five
dolars!" the little girl cf1anted softly "Dearie met
What gorgeous things ! can buy"
Just then the door which Faire had left unlocked
opened and the small chanbermaid appeared with broom
and busters to arrange the for the day She
about to withdraw hastily when the American girl
called her. She had been weeping again n fact she
seemed to Be always sorrowful, and kind little Fare
felt that she must fathom these depths Of woe.
What IS the matter Teresita?' she asked, gently.
@You have been CRYING, know Won't you tell me
what troubles you"
Teresita spoke very fair English but for moment
she did not answer Then she said with little catch
nj her voice.