The Sunbonnet Babies in Italy Read online

  Produced by Katie Hernandez, Jason Isbell and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was made using scans of public domain works in theInternational Children's Digital Library.)

  Transcriber's Note:

  Bolded are represented like =this=. Italics are represented like _this_. Spaced words are represented like +this+.

 

  There's a far-away land, where the sun ever shines That is set in a sea of blue, Where song-birds are singing and flowers are springing The summer and winter through.

  We're off for that land, fair Italy's land, To share in its song and its play. The Sunbonnet Babies shall be our guide-- Our own little Molly and May.]

  THE SUNBONNET BABIES IN ITALY

 

  _The_ SUNBONNET BABIES IN ITALY

  _By EULALIE OSGOOD GROVER_

  _Author of "The Sunbonnet Babies' Primer," "The Sunbonnet Babies in Holland," "The Overall Boys," "The Overall Boys in Switzerland"_

  ILLUSTRATED BY

  BERTHA CORBETT MELCHER AND JAMES McCRACKEN

  RAND McNALLY & COMPANY _Chicago_ _New York_ _London_]

  _Copyright, 1922, by_ EULALIE OSGOOD GROVER All rights reserved in all countries

  _To the many little friends of the +SUNBONNET BABIES+ who have shared in their happy journeyings_

  THE CONTENTS]

  PAGE THE ARRIVAL AT NAPLES 9 THE FIRST DRIVE 18 SEEING STRANGE SIGHTS 26 A VISIT TO THE MUSEUM 40 AN AFTERNOON IN THE PARK 48 THE BURIED CITY 60 A LONG DRIVE 70 PIRATES 82 THE HUMPBACKED ISLAND 96 IN THE CITY OF ROME 116 THE STORY OF THE TWINS 132 TRAVEL ADVENTURES 142 THE CITY IN THE SEA 158 THE GONDOLIER'S HOME 172 _A Letter to the Boys and Girls_ 185 _Pronunciation Guide for Italian Words_ 188

  The Arrival at Naples]

  _A map showing the places the Sunbonnet Babies visitedin Italy_]

  THE SUNBONNET BABIES IN ITALY

  THE ARRIVAL AT NAPLES

  "See that smoking mountain, Molly! Look! I believe it is a volcano. Itis Mount Vesuvius. Yes, I know it is Mount Vesuvius!"

  May, the Sunbonnet Baby, was talking with Molly, her little SunbonnetBaby sister. They were standing on the deck of a great ocean steamer.They had been sailing on the steamer for days and days. They hadsailed more than four thousand miles away from their home in America.Now they were almost at the end of their journey. They would very soonbe in Italy.

  The big steamer was moving slowly up the beautiful Bay of Naples,straight toward the busy, noisy city of Naples. Rising from theshore, not far away, was the smoking mountain of Vesuvius, about whichthe Sunbonnet Babies' father had told them such strange stories.

  He told them that Mount Vesuvius was like a great kettle full ofboiling rock, that sometimes the fire under the kettle becomes so hotit boils over, covering the mountain sides and even the plains withmelted rock and hot ashes. Such mountains, he said, are calledvolcanoes.

  Molly and May stood on the deck of the steamer eagerly watching thesmoking volcano, wondering if it would ever boil over again.

  "I almost wish it would boil over now!" cried Molly. "Wouldn't it bewonderful to see red-hot rock come right out of the top of themountain and fall down all around it!"

  "Yes, it would be wonderful," said May, "but I am sure I don't want tosee it. The hot ashes might even reach us here on the steamer."

  "Father says he will take us to see the old city of Pompeii, which wasburied by Vesuvius nearly two thousand years ago. Men are diggingaway the ashes and cinders now, so we can see just how the people usedto live."

  _"Pompeii must be right over there," said May_]

  "Pompeii must be right over there near the foot of the mountain," saidMay. "Isn't it strange to think that those trees and farms may begrowing on top of an old, old city?"

  "Look at the big city just ahead of our boat!" cried Molly. "It isNaples. We are almost there!"

  "Why, the city is the shape of a big, new moon," said May. "It curvesright around the shore of this lovely, blue bay, and climbs upthe hillside to meet the blue sky. Our boat is sailing straight inbetween the long points."

  "O May! Do you suppose it is snowing at home to-day? It seems likesummer here, but it is really the middle of March. The trees and thegrass are all green. And there is a boat full of oranges and lemonsjust being unloaded."

  "See that basketful of beautiful roses! I hope we can go ashorequickly. I want to buy a lovely red rose for mother to wear."

  Not many minutes later the happy travelers were hurrying from the bigsteamer. There were other travelers going ashore, too, and a crowd ofnoisy, jolly people seemed to be waiting for them. Most of the womenand little girls were bareheaded and wore gay-colored dresses andaprons. They were very much interested in the strange travelers,especially in the two little Sunbonnet Babies.

  A smiling, brown-eyed Italian girl ran along beside them, peeping atthe two happy faces hidden under the big sunbonnets, and talking veryfast in a soft, sweet voice.

  _They knew she liked them because she smiled sosweetly_]

  The Sunbonnet Babies could not understand one word she said, but theyknew she liked them because she smiled so sweetly.

  If it had not been for this kind little girl, Molly and May mighteasily have been frightened. A great many men and boys were standingclose about them shouting and swinging their arms, trying to getpassengers for their carriages. Even the Sunbonnet Babies' father didnot quite know what to do, so many men wanted to carry his bags forhim.

  _She took Molly and May each by the hand_]

  The little girl, seeing his trouble, looked up with a smile and askedhim to follow her. She then took Molly and May each by the hand andled them through the crowd to a long line of carriages. In a moment asmiling, brown-eyed man was beside them, bowing and offering to drivethem to their hotel.

  The little girl called the man _il padre_, which means "father," andhe spoke to her as _Tessa mia_, which means "my Tessa." Indeed, thelittle girl looked so much like the brown-eyed man, it was easyto guess that she was his own little daughter. They had the samebright smile, the same soft voice, and the same kind manner.

  _They each took a big brown penny out of their bags_]

  The travelers gladly stepped into the man's low carriage and told himwhere to drive them, saying a pleasant _grazie_ to the little girlwhom they were leaving behind. Yes, they did something more than justsay "thank you." They each took a big brown penny from their bags anddropped the pennies into Tessa's hand.

  Then they all three said _grazie_ again, and laughed and waved theirgood-bys. The driver cracked his long whip, and the horses dashed awayup the busy street.

  The First Drive]