Little Tony of Italy

by Madeline Brandeis

  CHAPTER X

  FEVER, FEAR, AND TROUBLED SLEEP

  The next thing Tony knew, he was in ancient Pompeii. He was in theburied city before it had been buried!

  "How could this be?" you ask. "A person cannot live in the past!"

  Ah, but Tony had arrived upon a queer ship. The name of the ship was_Fever, Fear, and Troubled Sleep_.

  Tony really and truly lay upon the ground dreaming. He lay where he hadfallen when we last left him. But, in his dream, he was in old Pompeii.Old Pompeii appeared to him just as Anna's father and the guide hadtold about it.

  Tony believed that he lay in a corner of the Forum, the main square ofthe town. It was night, and a group of beggars slept beside him. Tinacuddled snugly in his arms.

  All about him slumbered Pompeii with the smoke from Vesuvius curlingabove in the black sky.

  Tony looked up at the fire-mountain and, all at once, his heart seemedto stand still. Why, that volcano was going to destroy Pompeii! It waswritten in books of history! Everyone in the modern world knew it!

  But here nobody knew it. How could they? They were ancient people. Hewas living in the past. Tony, the beggar boy, was the only one who knew!He must tell them!

  He stood up. He saw those beautiful homes and gardens he had heard somuch about. Tomorrow they would be in ruins!

  Tomorrow? How did he know that the end would come tomorrow? Tony couldnot explain. But he did know. Dreams are like that.

  OLD OLIVE OIL MILL: POMPEII]

  He woke the beggars. He warned them of the coming terror. Franticallyhe tried to explain to them the danger of what was about to happen.

  "Vesuvius will erupt and destroy Pompeii," he said.

  POMPEII]

  But the beggars laughed at him.

  "Stuff!" said one.

  "Liar!" cried another.

  Then they went back to sleep.

  "You must believe me," cried poor Tony. "Run away before it is too late!"

  "Stop your silly talk," said one of the beggars. "If you do not let ussleep, we shall have you arrested as a mad sorcerer!"

  Tony stole away with Tina under his arm. There was only one thing forhim to do. He must wake the town.

  Soon dawn would come. Then the mountain would begin to shoot flames andthe whole city would rock.

  He knocked at doors and tried to arouse the people. But angry, sleepyvoices told him to go away. Nobody would believe him.

  Tony began to wonder whether anyone would ever believe him again. He hadlied so often. And now he was a thief besides!

  He thought of little Anna. He had lied to her and he had stolen her pet.He would be punished by the fire-mountain for all his wickedness!

  SORRENTO _Photo by Courtesy of Italian Tourist Information Office_]

  But he and everyone else in Pompeii could still be saved if they wouldonly listen to him.

  He began to cry out in the streets and to run back and forth. A youngPaul Revere!

  "Awake! Awake! Vesuvius will erupt today! Pompeii will be buried! Runand save yourselves!" he cried.

  "Go home to bed, stupid boy!" growled the people.

  But Tony would not go. He screamed louder and louder.

  "To jail with him," said someone. "He must have an evil spirit!"

  So poor Tony and his dream were thrown into jail in ancient Pompeii.

  Morning came. Over the top of the volcano hung a dark cloud. The leadensky frowned down. Tony kicked at the bars of the jail. He screamed. Hepleaded. He cried.

  "Quiet, foolish child," said one of the prison guards. "If you keepyour peace, you will be free tomorrow."

  "There will be no tomorrow!" wailed poor Tony. "Oh, believe me and letus all run! Run from Pompeii!"

  "Ha! Ha!" laughed the guard. "You are only a lying little beggar! Nobodybelieves lying little beggars!"

  "But I am telling the truth!" insisted poor Tony. "I am! I am! You mustbelieve me!"

  But it was useless.

  As time went on the black cloud grew larger. Suddenly, a great rumblingstarted. An immense wall of fire-red stones came crashing down themountain, destroying everything in its path.

  The city was plunged into darkness. People began screaming and runningfrom their houses. Everything rocked back and forth.

  "Let me out!" cried Tony. "Oh, save me! Madonna mia, never again willI lie or steal! Oh, never! Save me! Save me!"

  He held Tina tightly. She wriggled and tried to break away. All atonce she began to squeal. He had never heard a dog squeal like that!

  Stones came hurtling against the prison wall. Some entered through thebars and hit Tony in the face. He closed his eyes. He put up his armto ward them off.

  Then the roar of the mountain ceased and the quaking of the earthstopped. But that strange squealing went right on. A few small pebblesstill came flying.

  He opened his eyes. The sun was shining. The sky was blue overhead.Grey ruins lay all about him. Old, old ruins! Tony was in the modernworld. He had awakened from his dream!

  But what was that something squirming to break away from him? It wasnot Tina. It felt fat and slippery and.... He looked.

  He was holding, by one leg, a frisky, pink pig! Its piteous shrieksfilled the silent, ruined city of Pompeii.

  Where was Tina?

  Just then, a shower of stones from a near-by wall hit him. He turned.There was Tina, standing upon the wall, digging with her two busy,front paws. She was scattering ruined Pompeii in Tony's eyes as fast asshe could scatter!

  He freed the pink pig. It hurried off to its neighboring farm, a wiserbut sadder pig. It would never again go sight-seeing!

  "Here, Tina!" he called.

  She stopped her morning's work. She looked at her master.

  "Good-morning," wagged her tail.

  She jumped down into his arms and started to lick his cheek.

  "Oh, Tina, Tina," he sighed, as he hugged her close. "All this time Ihave been asleep! I have been dreaming about old Pompeii! It was nottrue. It was a dream. Dio mio, how happy I am!"

  CHAPTER XI

  TONY, ANNA, AND TINA

  Tony sat up and stretched. He felt very weak but the fever had passed.The day was young. Nobody stirred in the streets of Pompeii. It was tooearly for the gates to open.

  Tony arose. "Come," he said to his dog. "Let us go. We can crawl throughthe fence. We shall have breakfast. Then, I know what I shall do."

  It was all so simple. It had come to him quite suddenly. He must be athief no longer! He must take Tina back to Anna. Tina was Anna's pet.

  He bought some food for the dog. But Tony himself could not eat. Hisheart ached. He was going to lose his dear little friend.

  But it was the only thing to do. He saw that now. He shuddered as herecalled his horrible dream. Why, perhaps if he had been a truthfulboy the ancient people might have believed him!

  If they had believed him, think how many lives could have been saved!

  He suddenly laughed aloud.

  "It was, after all, only a dream," he reminded himself. "But I shallalways remember how terrible it is not to be believed!"

  All morning he walked. Several times he would have liked to stop, forhis head felt curiously light and his legs trembled. But he was goingto bring Tina back to Anna. He could not be happy until he had donethat!

  He approached Anna's house. It looked so new and shiny. The flowers andtrees made a pretty frame for it. How different from the ugly housesin the poor section of Naples where he lived.

  It would be pleasant to wake up in the morning and smell the fieldsand the Bay. Not the horrible odors of narrow streets. Dust and dirtand cooking things!

  TONY TRIED TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING]

  He must go bravely to the front door and ring the bell. He must confessto Anna's father all that he had done. He was ready to take hispunishment like a brave soldier of Italy!

  "Good-day."

  The front door opened. Anna's mother stood there with Anna closebeside her.

  When Anna caught sight of
her pet, she cried out, "Niki! Oh, I thoughtyou were lost! I thought the naughty boy had stolen you! Come to me,Niki!"

  She held out her arms. But Tony drew Tina away from her. Why did histhroat feel so full and queer? Why did his nose tickle and his eyesblur with tears?

  No! No! He could not give up his Tina! Anna had everything and he hadonly this little dog! It was not fair.

  He planted his poor, wobbly legs as sturdily as he could. His dark eyesflashed at the little girl.

  "Do not touch her!" he cried. "She bites!"

  Anna shrank back, afraid.

  "She is a bad dog!" continued Tony. "It is not safe for you to keepher. She has bitten me."

  The mother went forward and gently touched Tony's sleeve.

  "Where has the dog bitten you, my poor boy?" she inquired.

  "Er--on my back!" lied Tony.

  "Turn around and let me see," said the good woman.

  But Tony did not turn around. Instead, he fell upon his knees andclutched the skirt of Anna's mother.

  "I have lied again! Oh, forgive me!" he sobbed. "What I just saidwas not true. Tina does not bite. She is the gentlest little dogthat ever lived. And I am the greatest liar!"

  He was sobbing so that the woman could hardly understand him. Hetried hard to explain everything that had happened to him. But hefelt weak and could barely talk.

  Anna's mother raised him to his feet and led him to a bedroom. Here sheundressed him and prepared a bath.

  At first this frightened Tony. There were no bathrooms in the housewhere he had lived! But somehow, he felt that this kind woman would nothurt him. He allowed her to bathe him and put him to bed.

  He soon found himself tucked between clean, cool sheets. The woman wasoffering him something to drink. His eyes were closing. Then he wasasleep.

  When he awoke it was late afternoon. The window shades were drawn andthe room was fairly dark.

  Tony lay gazing up at the smooth, white ceiling. He felt well and strongnow. He thought that he loved the mother of Anna better than anyone hehad ever known. Yes, better even than Tina!

  How could he have lied to Anna again? After promising himself that hewould change. After that terrible dream! Oh, surely that would be hislast lie! Surely!

  As he lay with his thoughts, the door slowly opened. Anna peeped in.She held Tina in her arms. When she saw Tony's eyes open, she came intothe room.

  "I thought you would like to have Niki," she said.

  She approached his bed. Tony held out his arms for the dog.

  "Her name is not Niki. It is Tina," he said.

  The little girl smiled.

  "It is Niki," she repeated.

  "Tina!" said Tony.

  "Niki!" said Anna.

  She was laughing now. So was Tony.

  "Very well," he said. "Let us call her 'Fido.'"

  "Fido" is taken from an Italian word meaning "faithful."

  So Anna put "Tina-Niki-Fido" into Tony's arms and sat down beside him.

  "Papa says you are to stay here with us," she said.

  TONY, ANNA, AND TINA-NIKI-FIDO]

  Tony shot up in bed. A look of fear came over his face.

  "But your papa will discipline me!" he exclaimed.

  "No! No!" said Anna. "He says that you must not be afraid of him.Discipline does not hurt. It will make you happy to grow up good."

  Tony's eyes grew wide. So Anna's father, with the deep voice, wanted tomake him happy!

  "Papa has just been to see the Marionette Man," went on Anna. "He toldhim all about you, poor little boy!"

  "And will I have to go back to Guido?" asked Tony.

  "No, never," replied Anna. "You are to live with us, and Papa says youshall join the Balilla."

  Join the Balilla! Live in Anna's pretty house! Never again be partedfrom his beloved Tina! Oh, it was almost too good to be true!

  "But your father will punish me," he said, suddenly. He could not seemto forget the gentleman's severe words.

  "No, no," said Anna. "He says he thinks you have been punished enough.He thinks you will obey now and never lie again. Will you promise, Tony?"

  Tony hung his head. "I promise," he said.

  "Papa always wanted a little boy of his own," continued Anna. "He willbe so proud to have you march with the boys of Italy. And I ... I wouldlike a brother."

  "Have you never had a brother?" asked Tony.

  "No," she answered, solemnly. "But I once had a monkey!"

  * * * * *

  So Tony remained with Anna. He joined the Balilla and he never lied orstole again.

  Well, _almost_ never. At first Anna's father had to talk with him veryseriously to make him understand the beauty of truth.

  When Anna grew a little older, she joined the "Piccole Italiane," thegirls' legion.

  Tina-Niki-Fido did not join anything. At least, I do not think she did.However, if there is a "Bone-and-Biscuit Dog Scouts" in Italy, you maybe sure she became one.

  She now belonged to both Tony and Anna. Still, it was Tony who caredfor her, fed her, and slept with her.

  You see, between Tony and Tina it had been love at first sight!

  THE END

  PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY

  Amalfi ae mael'f[=e]

  Avanti ae vaent'[=e]

  Balilla b[)a]l l[=e]'l[=a]

  Bella signorina b[)e]l'[.a] s[=e]'ny[+o] r[=e]'nae

  Benito Mussolini b[)e]n [=e]'t[=o] m[=oo]s's[+o] l[=e]'n[=e]

  Campanile k[)a]m'p[.a] n[)i]l

  Cimabue ch[=e]'mae b[=oo]'[=a]

  Colosseum k[)o]l'[)o] s[=e]'[)u]m

  Dante d[)a]n't[+e]

  Dio mio d[=e]'[=o] m[=e]'[=o]

  Doge d[=o]j

  Felicissima notte f[=a] l[=e] ch[=e]'s[+e] m[.a] n[=o]'t[)e]

  Fontana Trevi f[)o]n tae'nae tr[)e]'v[=e]

  Genoa j[)e]n'[+o] [.a]

  Giotto jot't[=o]

  Giuseppe Verdi j[=oo] s[)e]p'p[=a] var'd[=e]

  Grazie gr[.a]tz'i [)e]

  Il Duce [=el] d[=oo]'ch[=a]

  Lucullus l[+u] k[)u]l'[)u]s

  Mia m[=e]'[.a]

  Milan m[)i] l[)a]n'

  Niki n[=e]'k[=e]

  Palazzo San Giorgio p[)a]l aetz'[=o] saen j[+o]r'jy[=o]

  Piccole Italiane p[=e]'c[=o] l[)e] [)i] tael [)i] aen'[)e]

  Stromboli str[+o]m'b[+o] l[+e]

  Tina t[=e]'nae

  Torrone tor r[=o]'n[)e]

  Viva Italia v[=e]'vae [+e] tael'yae

  Transcriber's Notes:

  1. Passages in italics are surrounded by _underscores_.

  2. The list of illustrations with their page numbers have been addedafter the table of contents.

  3. Images have been moved from the middle of a paragraph to the closestparagraph break.

  4. In this etext, a letter with a diacritical mark is enclosed withinsquare brackets. For example, diacritical marks for letter 'e' are shownbelow:

  [)e] represents 'letter e with breve above' [=e] 'letter e with macron above' [+e] 'letter e with up tack above'

  Similar representation is used for vowels other than 'e'. The followingtwo also appear within this etext:

  [.a] represents 'letter a with dot above' [=oo] 'letters oo with combined macron above'

 

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