The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
BUYS BELLS FOR
SWISS VILLAGE
Waiter Sends $500 Across
the Sea to Help Out
a Poor Church.
LEFT THERE DECADE AGO
Villagers Send Him Letter of Thanks.
Festivities at Blessing
~ of Chimes.
LEFT THERE DECADE AGO

NJ, York. Sept 6.-Battista was a
happy man YESTERDAY, for had he not re-
ceiyed a letter signed by twenty-seVen
Of the foremost citizens Of Preonzo. ex-
pressing their thanks for the wonderful
Eift Battista had made his native village
and had he not in mind the ceremony
that is apt TO take place any day now III
the parish church, when people VIII sa!,
to one another: 'Battista did this; is II
not wonderful that he gave US this
present. And then the priest will pray
the good God to bless Battista in far-or
America.
II YOU do not know Battista-he is a
waiter at the Imperial this city, VINO is
always so soIicitous about your appetite
as he bends over your chair.
Have you got a big appetite this
evening"" asks Battista, and you feel
that upon your answer depends much
more than the size of the dinner you
are going to eat Battista gives the
impression of having a real human
interest in you, and his question mani
tests a real concern for the state OF
your health.
1t has been ten years since Battista
came to this country, and he has been
at the Imperial all that time. OF a
frugal and thrifty disposition-Battis-
ia is a Swiss-he has saved his money
and his affection for Preonzo, which is
near Ticino, Just above where the swift
flowing Mesocco finds the upper end of
the Lago Maggiore, has often mani
tested itself For instance Preonzo
has a nag, and the people vie with
each other in the size and Splendor of
the town banner that they can dis
play. Battista has one that is finer
than anybody elses. 1t is made Of
silk, woven in Lyons, mind you, just
for this fag-and how Battista does
ell IL
in his hands, Just now the flag of
Battista is in PreonEo, for a towns
man wanted to borrow 1t for a fiesta
that was coming, and wrote for il, and
Battista takes Just as much pleasure
from the others f1inging it 10 the
breeze as If he were there at home
himself.
Wonderful Old Church.
But as to the gift, Battista always re-
fers to Preonzo as his village, and there
is a wonderful old church, which must
be 800 years old. For a hundred years
or more the villagers have been attempt
ing to fX up the aged edifce. and now,
since a new priest has come to PreOnZo,
il has been accomplished. There was no
real floor in the buildings when the priest
came, and now one is there. At last all
was complete, except for the Shimes
Two bells had been purchased, and then
the money gave out. and SO Preonzo had
10 hear all its summOnses to mathis in
two keys only. The priest had done his
best, but the village had no rich men.
In the extremity presented by the de-
sire of the village for a full set of
chimes somebody wrote to Battista. BY
the next mail he sent back a money or
der for $500. which he had drawn from
ms bank, and by the last post came the
letter conveying the thanks of the com
munity.
Now Bsttista is dwelling on the scene
that will attend the blessing and installa-
ton Of the bells he has bestowed. He
knows there will be festivities, and he
sees a table in the aisle of the church,
covered with flowers and moss, upon
which the bells will rest, garlanded. All
the women OF the village will turn out to
besutify the interior of the building. A
procession of little girls, carrying flowers,
will walk up the aisle, and everybody
will admire the bells. Then there will be
a service, and at the end the priest will
bless the new bells, and then they will
be hoisted mp to join the others in the
Eteeple, and the organist will play the
new chimes, and the villagers will stop
and listen as the mellow notes follow |
them over the hill And that is why
Battista seemed so very happy yesterday. |