Little Tony of Italy Part 10

"Yes, that is true," she said. "There was St. Mark's lion, the bronze horses, the pigeons, and--and--oh, yes, the fish!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: JULIET'S GRAVE: VERONA]

"You have forgotten some of the other animals we read about in the stories of other cities," said her father.

Anna looked puzzled.

"Don't you remember the crickets of Florence?" asked her father. "And that fly which Giotto painted on the nose of Cimabue's painting!"

"Oh, that was a nice chapter," said the little girl. "Now some more."

Her father began to read again:

"The greatest playwright in the world was Shakespeare. He was an Englishman. He wrote a play called 'Romeo and Juliet.'"

"Was it about animals?" asked Anna.

"No," smiled her father. "It was about two lovers. It is a very famous story and the scene is laid in Verona, an Italian city.

"In Verona there is a beautiful little grave where they say Romeo and Juliet are buried. The statue of Shakespeare stands over it."

"But how can they be buried if they were only book people?" asked Anna.

"That is a good question," said her father. "Of course, it cannot be true unless such people really lived."

[Ill.u.s.tration: WASHING CLOTHES]

"Maybe they buried the book which Mr. Shakespeare wrote!" decided Anna.

Just then there came a queer, m.u.f.fled noise under the window. Tony had sneezed! Anna's father, turning the pages of the book, did not seem to hear it. But Anna, who had been thinking of Tony, did.

She wanted so much to tell her father about the poor boy. She really did not think that her father would be unkind to him. Yet she had promised to say nothing, and she must keep her word.

"Papa," she suddenly asked. "If you had a little boy who told stories and did not obey, what would you do to him?"

Her father hesitated a moment. Then he answered, "I would try to teach him the beauty of truth and I would discipline him."

His voice had a very severe ring. He continued:

"There are too many lazy little beggars in the streets of Naples, like that lying young son of the Marionette Man. They have never been properly trained, and they are a disgrace to a beautiful city. They should be taught. They should be made to obey!"

Upon the word "obey," his hand came down with a bang on the arm of the chair. It made Tony jump.

CHAPTER VII

STATUES, MUSIC, AND CHEESE

Tony, under the window, squirmed unhappily. He was everything that Anna's father had called him. Lazy! He begged! He did not always tell the truth.

He was a disgrace to beautiful Naples!

But he did not want to be disciplined. He did not want to obey. He was afraid of Anna's father with his ideas of discipline.

He shivered and huddled up closer to the house. It was growing colder, and his nose felt stuffy. How warm and cosy it looked inside!

Anna's father found the page he had been looking for.

"Now," said he, "we are going to hear about a strange mixture of things.

Statues, sailors, music, and cheese!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: A FISH MARKET IN GENOA]

Tony forgot the cold. He even forgot Anna's father except for his deep voice.

"The city of Genoa," read the deep voice, "is Italy's chief seaport.

Its streets are lined with palaces. It seems that everything in Genoa takes place in a palace. Even schools are sometimes found in palaces!

"The city is surrounded by forts and strong walls.

"The Palazzo San Giorgio is the oldest bank in Europe. Here there is a curious collection of statues.

"They are the statues of men who have given money for public good. If you see a seated statue, you will know that this man gave a large gift.

"If a statue is standing, it means that the gift was not so large. No doubt, they wish to make the generous ones more comfortable.

"Genoa might be called 'America's Cradle.' Do you know why?"

Anna did not know. But Anna was an Italian girl. You, who are Americans, surely know that Genoa was the birthplace of Christopher Columbus.

[Ill.u.s.tration: COLUMBUS' HOUSE: GENOA]

"Christopher Columbus used to play about the water front when he was a little boy," read Anna's father. "When he grew up, he sailed off one day and discovered a new country--America!

"Genoa possesses one of the largest theatres and one of the finest cemeteries in the world!"

"I would rather go to the theatre!" declared Anna.

Tony agreed with her.

So did Tina. For, at that moment, she gave a rumbling grunt, yawned, and went back to sleep.

Anna's father read on:

"In 1813, in the Province of Parma, a baby by the name of Giuseppe Verdi was born. One year after this, a terrible battle took place in the village.