How A Dear Little Couple Went Abroad

  CHAPTER VII.

  THE DRIVE TO THE HOTEL.

  AS the hotel to which the Darlings wished to go was located on one ofthe city heights, commanding a fine view of the bay and famous old MountVesuvius (about which our little couple had been told by Papa), thedrive there from the dock was of course long enough to let them see agreat many funny sights on the way, and you may be sure they weregreatly impressed by them all.

  They saw men and women in queer costumes of gay colors--the womenwithout hats or bonnets--going about the streets, and sunning themselvesin the doorways, combing their children's heads or their own untidylocks; they saw them hanging out their washing on the backs of chairsright out in the street; they saw a _woman and a cow_ together pulling abig wagon; they saw a wee bit of a _donkey_ harnessed with an _ox_, andboth tugging at a cart as placidly as though they weren't a funny pair;they saw a cow, a horse, and a donkey, all three harnessed before avegetable-cart, on which sat a driver "not even as old as Teddy," thechildren were sure, though he may have been older than he looked, as somany of the poorer class of children in Naples are stunted in growth;they saw a wee little bony donkey pulling a wagon which carried six bigmen and women in it, and they didn't think it was a bit cruel to put soheavy a burden on such a little beast. But our dear littletender-hearted couple thought it so cruel that they could not even lookat it after the first glance.

  They saw lots of little children in the street going about with greatbeautiful bunches of flowers--red, red roses and Italian violets intheir dirty little hands, running after carriages, and holding theirfragrant wares up to the ladies and gentlemen who were driving about tosee the city. Polly wondered why the people didn't want to keep theflowers, but kept shaking their heads _no_ all the time. She knew _she_would keep them and say: "Thank you," very politely if any little girlor boy offered her any.

  And presently a small boy ran up to the carriage and held up his roses.Now, it chanced that Mamma and Papa were very busy at that momentsearching for certain information in their guide-books, and so they didnot notice the little flower-boy, nor hear Miss Polly's delighted thanksas she took the flowers in her eager hands. The carriage was going veryslowly, and the expectant little Italian trotted alongside waiting forthe coin which in her dear innocent heart Polly had no idea was wanted,for she was whispering to Teddy: "I think these Napelers are very kindand polite to us, don't you?" And she gravely proceed to divide her giftwith her "chum."

  "_Una lira! una lira!_" whined the impatient lad outside, and at thatMamma looked up and discovered Polly's funny mistake. How she laughed,and Papa too! How red Polly's cheeks grew! Redder than her roses, whichshe thought had been a polite gift to her.

  "What does he mean?" Teddy asked, "saying all the time'_ooner-leerer_'?"

  "He means that he wants _one lira_ (which means twenty cents of ourmoney) for his roses," replied Mamma, "and I will let you give him themoney, dear," passing it to Teddy, who felt very much like a grown-upman as he leaned over and dropped the price of Polly's beautiful rosesin the outstretched and very dirty little hand of the Italian.

  "I don't think Napelers are so polite and kind as I did," said Pollysomewhat crossly, for, you see, she felt so astonished and so ashamed ofher mistake that it did make her a little cross with herself and thecircumstances.

  "A small boy ran up to the carriage, and held up hisroses."]

  However, when Teddy sweetly and with great gallantry pinned one of hisshare of the roses to Polly's jacket, she smiled her crossness out ofsight, and everything was cheerful again. As they drove along thechildren saw many other curious things, and stored them away in theirmemories to talk over together and tell to their little friends at home.Finally they arrived at the hotel, and were shown to their rooms, whichoverlooked the bay.

  Old Vesuvius, which had been through a state of fierce eruption (you allknow about volcanos, of course, and must have heard about MountVesuvius, so that you will know what a volcanic eruption means, and Ineed not explain it here) some time before this, was now settling downinto quite a calm state again, but that night after the sky had growndark our little couple noticed the dull red glow on the crater's head,and saw little thin streaks of fire down upon the side of the mountainnearest the bay; and Papa told them all about the famous old mountainand its bad habits, and promised to take them to the ruins of the oncebeautiful and ancient city of Pompeii (I shouldn't wonder if my littlereaders had studied about it in their geographies), and tell them of theway old Vesuvius went to work, long, _long, long_ ago to destroy thecity and its inhabitants by throwing lava and hot ashes down upon it, ona day when everybody was happy, and careless, and little dreaming whatwas coming to them all.

  After looking out upon the shining waters of the bay, and seeing thepretty reflection of the stars in them by-and-by, and listening to thetwinkling music of mandolins and the tuneful voices of the Italianstreet-singers awhile, our little Teddy and Polly went sleepily to bed,and never even had a dream, their slumber was so sound.