The Sunbonnet Babies in Italy — A Closer Reading

They had been sailing on the steamer for days and days. They had sailed more than four thousand miles away from their home in America. Now they were almost at the end of their journey. They would very soon be in Italy.

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

He told them that Mount Vesuvius was like a great kettle full of boiling rock, that sometimes the fire under the kettle becomes so hot it boils over, covering the mountain sides and even the plains with melted rock and hot ashes. Such mountains, he said, are called volcanoes.

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

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

"Yes, it would be wonderful," said May, "but I am sure I don't want to see 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 was buried by Vesuvius nearly two thousand years ago. Men are digging away the ashes and cinders now, so we can see just how the people used to live."

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

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

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

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

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

Not many minutes later the happy travelers were hurrying from the big steamer. There were other travelers going ashore, too, and a crowd of noisy, jolly people seemed to be waiting for them. Most of the women and little girls were bareheaded and wore gay-colored dresses and aprons. 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 at the two happy faces hidden under the big sunbonnets, and talking very fast in a soft, sweet voice.

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

If it had not been for this kind little girl, Molly and May might easily have been frightened. A great many men and boys were standing close about them shouting and swinging their arms, trying to get passengers for their carriages. Even the Sunbonnet Babies' father did not quite know what to do, so many men wanted to carry his bags for him.

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

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

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