CHAPTER XXXV.

THE BEAR LEADER.

Is

September 13.-A fanfara in the distance, a beating of drums and sounding of music! the world coming up to invade our mountain retreat?

We look from our windows. No advancing army is seen on the broad high road; yet the sound of drums approaches. It is already in the village street; the children rush to the courtyard gate. Strange forms are coming up the village street; everybody shouts; and we are also constrained to go and see what it is all about.

The mother half shrieks as she arrives at the gate, for there is her hopeful son Harry dancing round a huge brown bear, who is looking hungrily at the bread in the boy's hand; and there is a solemnly comic monkey perched on the hump of a camel's back. The villagers run to the piazza by twos and threes till the place is full.

Harry is mad with excitement, wants to ride

the camel, is barely restrained from pulling the bear's tail, and altogether keeps the mother in an agony. The independent baby loses her selfdependence, and flies to her nurse's arms, while the little girls take hands three in a row, and stand awestruck just within the gate.

It is a scene of the olden days,—the amusement of the men, the half-frightened look of the women as they hold their children tight by the hand, the very friendly look of the bear, and the extremely ferocious air of his human leader, are all like a quaint old picture-book. They ask for bread, and I don't know who is the most hungry-the bear, who growls because he only has half; the man, who takes half before giving any to the bear; or the monkey, who springs on the man's shoulder and snatches the last mouthful from his hand. The poor camel stands patiently, and would get nothing did not one of us take especial care to feed it.

The man shows off the bear's docility, which seems doubtful at times when the stick is freely used. He makes the camel kneel to be laden with the monkey; then gives a dissertation on the habits and peculiarities of the camel, to all of which Harry, with his hands in his knickerbocker pockets, responds with the insolence of extreme

youth, "I knew all that before; perhaps Jacopino did not, though, because he has not been to a kinder-garten." Jacopino is a tiny contadino of eight years old, who is Harry's devoted slave.

After a time the strange quartette-bear, camel, monkey, and man-departs, the drum sounding fainter and fainter in the distance, and we return. to ordinary life again.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A VILLAGE TRAGEDY.

September 14.-The pretty Maria is drawing water from the Narcissus fountain just in front of the house which Luigi built, and while the copper vessel is being gradually filled, Luigi leans against the wall talking earnestly to her.

"To-morrow is the festa of the Holy Cross, Maria," he says; "will you and your mother come with me to see the fiera and fireworks at San Marcello?"

Maria blushes, looks confused, says, "Grazia, Luigi; ma (but)–

LUIGI (suspiciously).—“But you do not care enough for me to go; is that it?"

MARIA. "No, it's not that; but we have already promised to go with-with some one else."

LUIGI (flushing).—“I hope it is not with Carlino of Gavinana. I know he wanted you for sposa.

MARIA- And you know I refused him; you might be sure I should not go about to fairs with a man I had refused.”

LUIGI (with a penetrating glance and face white with feeling)." Then you are engaged to the one you mean to go with?"

Maria, in her confusion, plays with the stream of water from the fountain, and sends it in all

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directions over the plump fingers, instead of into the vase.

LUIGI." Well, you do not answer me."

MARIA." I suppose I must marry some time; a girl cannot live always on her parents."

LUIGI. "You might have waited for me; you know I love you better than any one else ever can."