Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-04-26


answer I can find IS .-:Ht b. mi"1t
take tha place CT Il cAild VINO had
passed away"
"Ioony as can he" murmurod Jack
as we alighted and went to look up
the newspaper flies.
The joke was that Rogers found the
only notice of the sort we were look
ing for.
II find that Lorenzo Orsati and
Rosa, his wife, lost their six-year-old
son Oh the 18th of July" said Rogers
sheepishly
We looked up the record of the Or
salts and found that they were a
wealthy Italian family, the father en-
gaged In the importing OF olives. They
lived in fashionable apartment house
uptown.
The next morning we made our way
uptown to the apartment house where
the Orsatis lived. AS usual, Rogers
took the initiative. and when we
reached the vestibule he suddenly or
dered me about face and said he had
an idea.
Come to the park first. and if you
see any dago looking children say So"
There's the genuine article, Jack,
| whispered Hear 'em rattle off the
Italian"
Sure enough" And with the fas-
cinating smile which has brought him
no little success when he aims to win
confidence Jack approached the olive
skinned nursemaId who was chatter
ing to the dark eyed children about
her
Mr.. Orsatis little boy is not here
todayY' he inquired graciously.
She shook her head. displaying mag
nifcent teeth. Then she sighed. sc
sad, signor. The little one is dead!'
Rogers started. no, no." he said
quickly. II mean the new boy-the
one they have taken to fill his place
She shook her head with n puzzled
glance. but one of the children who
had been listening eagerly evidently
understood enough English to rrasI
the trend OF questioning and spoke Il
her in fluent italian. Her pretty face
showed surprise. incrcduIitr and tAcf
| pleasure.
Little Nina says it is t"uo-the poor
| parents have adopted lille 10y Il
ill the place>of their beloved one. Il
IS said that the boy cries all day long
| 1t IS so sadr'
Rogers pressed thanks upon then
and dragged me away. Harley, ole
man, please be careful not to lose
your head. It's Invaluable to the firm
Of Harley & Rogers"
II always said So" admitted mod
estly.
At the Orsati apartment we fount
it difficult to gain admittance. At last
Rogers went out and telephoncd t
| them that he had come after the boy
| Leonardo MoZio, and they must be pre-
pared to give him up ut once TO hi:
proper guardians.
Well, the upshot Of it was that w
did gain possession OF little Leonardo
Mozio, who was tearfully 'resplenden
in a sort of Lord Fauntleroy suit 0
black velvet, in which he looked Elor(
| like q brigand than anything else. IL
was weeping noisi!y when we rescued
him after promising Mrs. Orsati tina
| 4rrr nd Gn, Inu a n
this pattern whom they could legal,
adopt.
1t Is needless to describe the joyous
scene when Leonardo was restored t
his happy mother. He was her onl.
child, and she was a widow. Leonardo
was the center Of an excited audienc
when he told Of how he had wandered
uptown after supper that Monday nigh
and how a beautiful automobile hat
stopped and a lady and gentleman haC
questioned him If lie would like to liv,
with them and be their little boy.
Leonardo had said he would, an'
they took him at his word. Afterwari
he repented bitterly, although the.
treated him royalty.
The upshot Of this matter was w
did find a child for the Orsatis, ant
the check that we received for ouI
services was as an oasis in trackles:
desert Moreover, the Orsatis took al
interest In the Mozios, and Mrs. Orsat
found work of better sort for Mrs
Mozio, who was discovered to be {
maker Of exquisite lace. Then in time
they moved into better quarters, ant
Leonardo Mozio has the promise Of {
Job in the Orsati offices when he grows
big enough.
And the funny part of the whole
business is that they all look upon
Rogers and myself Us benefactors.