Chapter I: Part 1

THE HEART OF AN
ORPHAN

BY
AMANDA MATHEWS

ILLUSTRATIONS BY
W. T. BENDA

New York
Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.

Copyright, 1912
By Desmond FitzGerald, Inc.

TO
MY GOOD ANGEL
ADA HENRY VAN PELT

CONTENTS

PAGE

THE HEART OF AN ORPHAN 9

THE TRANSLATION OF GIOVANNA 24

“LITTLE SISTER IN CAGE OF GOLD” 37

THE MERRY CHRISTMAS OF GIOVANNA 53

GIOVANNA’S ITALIAN RENAISSANCE 78

GIOVANNA’S FIRST REMEMBERS 105

GIOVANNA AS THE WRONG PRINCESS 123

GIOVANNA’S COMMENCEMENT 143

ILLUSTRATIONS

“Dear Mother of my hart,----” _Frontispiece_

FACING PAGE

“I ran for the letters and put them in your hand” 14

“You took me on your lap like I was a little orphun” 20

“I put on my sylum dress and pined on my hanky” 34

“Dolly’s grand idea was for the Eggsloosifs to give the
orphuns of the sylum a Christmas” 54

“O the teeny gold watch with G on it” 66

“I must hold my horny hand at my back for politeness” 110

“I pulled again and there was the real hand of a man” 156

THE HEART OF AN ORPHAN

_Dear Mother of my hart_,--

I hope you don’t mind my putting that name on you when I aint nothing to you any more than some little cat you patted once. I don’t know where you are at and you don’t know where I am at so it don’t matter much what I call you.

We aint all hole orfuns in this sylum. Lots of us is halfs and the halfs write to their whichever they got left every wensday. The holes can write too if they got anybody and a stamp. I am a hole and I aint got the stamp or anybody so I will take my pen in hand to let you know I am well and hope you are the same.

This letter will surprise you only you won’t never get it so it can’t surprise you much. I aint seen you for so long about 3 years I gess. I was a little girl then do you remember me in the Busy Bee Sewing Club at the coledge setelment? I sat at the end of the row and got tangels on purpus so you would come and lift them out. You had a smile on you like anything and I loved you. So did the other girls but not like me. I always knew in my hart when it was the day to sew in the Busy Bee Club.

O I would I had a picksure of you dear one and swete but why do I say that because I have your picksure in my head. You were not old or kidish or tall or sawdoff you were just right.

Do you remember that day you went to my house that was a better day than any since. We laughed because you sat on the busted chair by misssteak. Do you remember how my mama she coffd and coffd something awfool. Well she died in 1 year and 3 weeks. There was Tony and Isabella and me. Tony died in the ospittle poor Tony. My papa died. It seemed like we had the habbit in our family. I said I wunder if me or Isabella will die next time. I do not care much for to be an orfun is a hard life for anybody but I did not die.

Me and Isabella come to live at this sylum but Isabella was pretty and little so a kind lady took her for her own. I cried and cried and said to the maytrun O keep her till I get big enufh to adop her myself but she said no you are too yung. I beged for them to let me see her not awfun but some times 2 or 3 in a yere but the kind lady said no I want her to forget you and all her passed. I no not where the kind lady has her or if she is dead by this time.

Nobody wants to adop me because I am long and black in my hair and eyes. They do not like orfuns to be long and black. I know because I heard them say when they never knew I did. Can I help that mama and papa was daygoes? I guess not. But Isabella the kind lady said was a little brunet buty so she took her for her own.

Dear Mother of my hart, I heard the maytrun tell the halfs it is not polite to write about me and nun about you but what can I write of you when you went away before my mother died and I know not where you may be.

O dear mother what can I call you more than dear and swete? O dear dear dear mother I love you for papa and mama and Tony poor Tony and Isabella the kind lady took her for her own. When a family is only 2 like me and you mother we must love very much don’t you think? I will close with 9,000,000,000 kisses and some more.

Your long black dawter,
Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Mother of my hart_,

You will be glad to hear your dear dawter is treeted first rayte in this sylum. It is a Christian sylum, we have prayers every day and py on satterday. The peaces are small but what does that matter? I would not like to be a beggar on the street.

There are 95 orfuns counting holes and halfs. The maytrun is not mean but O I want some person to love me. The maytrun can not do that no wuman can love 95 orfuns how could she?

We have school but not satterday and sunday for the Lord said let us take a rest so he hollered it. I like reading but not rithmetick, what is the good of xampels about money and apples and orunges when you have nun? I like to draw and sing. I usto hate goggerfry but now no more for when I study of any place I say who knows but the mother of my hart is there? When the teacher tells point E. and W. and N. and S. I say which way do I point at my dear but I get no ans. My teacher does not like me too much because my temper is bad so is my writing. We must be as neat as we are able and never speak when at the table.

Why I made some potry I never knew I could.

Mother of my hart I hate my close. I know that is very bad but how would you like to look like 95 orfuns? so nobody could tell which one you are. I am long and black like I said and blue is not my culler. I feel my legs like any thing and my arms too but I think it is better than rags. I am thank full I am not a beggar on the street. So I am great full to the maytrun and the ladys of the board.

I sleep in a dormit I can not spell it with 20 orfuns no 19 it is no fare to count myself. The girls wash the dishes and spred up the beds and we have a bath in the tub 2 times a month and our neckeneres washt ever week.

Sunday afternune is for visitors only nobody comes to visit me. It aint that candy is not swete to me as to others but a loving word would give me much more joy but that is not for me. I did not cry last sunday like I awfun do because I thot of you mother dear dear dear tho far away. I played you come in the door in your pink dress the same you usto wear. A lady said onct but not to me she came to stair at the Busy Bees when we sewed. She said you hadn awt to wear a dress we could never hope to own but what is the matter with hopeing any thing? It dont cost nuthing even an orfun can hope. You come in like I said and when you see me you cried out why if here aint my little Giovanna and you set down on the bench by me and I lened over to you with my head and the maytrun says Giovanna have you gotta crick in your neck and you don’t like her to say that so you go away.

If you love me as I love you no nife can cut our love into. I didn make that a girl told it to me.

We say our prayers at night kneeling by our beds every body at once like a big song up to God. I prayed Lord bless my dear mother but the girl next she is a half and she said shut up you hole you aint got nun so I slapt her good for I got you darlling even if you dont know it.

All the orfuns are putting up their pens and I must do the same.

Your loving long black dawter,
Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Mother of my hart_,

Since I rote last I had a hard time. I have been out in the cold crule world. Give me a sylum every time. There was a wuman looking over the orfuns and she wanted a big one and she found falt with me for not being bigger now what do you think of that? She wanted some body to help with the dishes and such she called it light work and the maytrun said if she would send me to school and not work me hevy she could have me.

I didn like her looks but I thot praps she would do for sorta plane mother not the sunday mother of my hart so do not be jellus dear one I love but you and that is true and our secret.

When I got to her house I never saw such a durty kitshen and she made me clean it good and her mop was something fearce it smelt like garbige. I gess she hadn washt her dishes most never. I washt and washt and I washt and her dish rag it smelt the same.

She had a little boy and he walkt on the floor when it was wet and I told him no and he kickt me and I slapt him good and his ma slapt me gooder on the eres.

Finely she said I could go to bed and the sheets was durty and I cried for back at the sylum but it was far on 2 street cars so I didn know the way. I cried and I cried but I said whats the use she gotta take me back if am bad enufh. I will be bad like--no I didn say it out loud so it was no sware.

The next day I busted dishes like anything I sast her fearce and all I dun was misssteaks and such. Her little boy was much a frade. She said she would brake me but she coodn. She said much more I must not write for it was sware and I can not spell it anyway. She slapt me 100 times on my head and eres but I would not cry. I bit her good and she screamed. Finely she said you durty brat I take you back where I got you and I was glad but I said nuthing for fere she wouldn.

The maytrun was not mad on me for she told the wuman I was not vishus when treeted well. The wuman wanted to trade me for a better orfun but the maytrun wouldn let her goody!

I seem more near to you mother of my hart now I am back at the sylum. I lost your picksure outa my head when I was bad. I will be good for you, darlling, so you can be proud of your dawter. If I have thinks of you allways praps the thinks will fly to you like little birds. I will pray God to put wings to them.

Goodby with fond regards, Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Swete mother of my hart_,

Was it a dream you was here today? You lookt a little older and your dress was gray trimmed in pink. How funy I was that I could not speak. I guess you said she is a quere one. I was like a dum orfun they took her off to an other sylum. I was so full inside there couldn nun of it get out so you thot I did not remember you as if that could be.

I can not forget any word you said to me. You told you was happy which makes me glad you bet. You said you had thots of me and ast and ast till you come where I was. I bleve that was because I had them thots of you and God gave them wings like I prayed. I am writing all so you won’t think I am dum like I ack.

Now you are a goner and praps aint coming back for you didn say nuthing but I ran for the letters safe and tite under my matres and put them in your hand and you stuft them in your little bag made of silver chanes and you kist me goodby that is no dream.

Maybe praps you will write me a letter O there wont be a orfun in the wurld happy same as me! I won’t be eggspecting it and Ile play I aint watching for the post man and when he comes and gives letters to the maytrun and she speaks my name Ile play I aint sure she menes me and Ile say did you call me maam and Ile run with the letter and hide under my bed in the dormit I can not spell it and Ile read and read. O you will write wont you dear dear darlling dear mother of my hart or I guess I will die I want you to so bad.

Your big old long black dawter,
Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Mother of my hart_,

I got spots all over me from bunting in to the furnishure when Ime trying to know is it true or not. I can’t never tell you how I felt inside when you took me on your lap like I was a little orfun and my legs hung down most to the floor and I am too hevy for you.

You said to think you had a dawter like me and you never knew it and I was awful chokt and couldn find my hanky and you gave me yours and you needed it too and had to swipe up your tears on the other corner.

I said I guess you will write me a leter and you said letter nuthing I was your own preshus dawter and should go with you and I cried so hard you ast me didn I want to go and I was scared for fere you would leve me agen.

You said my letters was full of puns. I am sorry but I don’t see how it could be for the maytrun is very care full and kepes dope to kill them dead.

When ever I think of you down on my knees I flop and I think so awfun it would be cheeper to just walk round on my knees but it would ware out my stockings and the maytrun would be mad at me and I can’t bare to make anybody mad when I am so happy.

O I will be good to you mother of my hart. When you are poor I work for you. When you get sick I sit all night by your bed. I get crazzy with the clock and I like nights best for I can sleep or eles ly on my pillo and make picksures of you in my head.

O don’t be long gone dear angle mother of my hart and don’t let me be ever away from you one day all my life any more.

Your own dawter,
Giovanna.

THE TRANSLATION OF GIOVANNA

_Preshus angle Mother_--

yes I will be payshunt not to come live by you. I awto be satisfide when you are somewhere loving me and I am somewhere loving you but I gotta sorry spot inside that you must be gone so far and long from me.

I usto hate my sylum close but now no more for its gotta pockit to keep your darling letter in. All day I love it with my hand and all night with my cheek. It makes a wisper in my pockit and I wisper back to it. I must be alright with God for him to let you come to me but I do not see how that can be for I am awfun nawty in my temper.

There is a hole orfun in this sylum with big moufh and little sents and stufs all in it like a baby. She grabt your letter and I grabt it back. I most slapt her but it ain’t 2 weeks since I was an orfun my own self and she gotta be it all her life for a big moufh and little sents is wurse to adop than long and black like me and I didnt slap her.

My burthday usto be lost but now I gotta new one and its the day you took me for a dawter forever and ever Amen. But does that make me now a baby squawling on my cot? No it is the day when happyness sprowted in my sowl which the preecher says we all got one to be lost if we are wicket.

A new big orfun sleeps in our dormitory the maytrun spelt it. She wears a pompydoor on a mouse she made outa the maps in her joggerfry. She keeps a flurt book and a whiches dream book under her pillo and learns the girls of nights to dream and flurt but they cannot flurt much for their hankys are pined to their close and gloves fans and parysawls orfuns has nun. I put the sheet in my ears not to lissen because I know you wouldnt like me to. I could write how I love you on all the paper in the wurld and not have enufh.

your feckshunate dawter
Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Angle darling Mother_--

I leve the sylum tomorrow for the boarding school like you want me to. I am yours to put where you pleaze.

I will tell you all that past today. I had a bath tho it was only the middel of the week. We allways walk 2 and 2 and we reech all down the block but this morning it was me with the maytrun and no more. I was much afrade the orfuns would brake themselves outa the windos where they lookt and wigled their hands to me.

P. S. They didnt.

We went to a big big big store and I lookt in a glass where I seen myself all of one peace for the furst time. I guessed I was humly but not like that. I scrooocht down for my dress to fall more on my legs but it wouldnt.

A lady made a shampoo on my head and a manycure on my nails. I felt cheep to let her do for me like I was a baby and I thankt her all I could and I felt awful nice and funny when it was finisht. The maytrun smiled and smiled like I never knew she could and she put dear on me as nobody does on orfuns.

O the close and close she bawt for me with your preshus money! White pettys like angles must wear and button shoes with tassels. O my toes wigle wigle how glad they are and I bleve I could go anywhere in 3 jumps. And a red silk dress that wispers wispers all the time like your letter in my pocket. Mother of my hart dont think I love you more for the close because I loved you the most I could all ready. I got so much love for you in me there aint hardly room for my brefh.

I ast the maytrun to let me take my orfun close for a remember what I usto wear before you took me.

The orfuns lookt and lookt and her of the big moufh and little sents put her finger on my red dress and I let her. I am not glad for going. Orfuns is not the wurst compny and this is where you was at 2 times with me. I will be awful good at the school so you will not be mortyfide on me.

your obeedyent dawter
Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Angle Mother of my hart_--

this is the night of my furst day at the Eggsloosif School where you got me put to learn manners and gramer.

I will write some good to prepair you for the wurst. The dining room is butyfull the lights is in red flowers and the plates is deckrated with roses and the glasses is made of diamons and there is pink babys stuck to the ceeling. The Eggsloosifs wear rings and lockits and bows. They laff laff fast and happy all the time. I lookt at them very much and was glad you put me so high by your love.

Orfuns pass the food but talk not. Eggsloosifs talk but pass not. A lady with teeny aprun must tote the food all round the table. The Principle sits at the end. If anybody is bad she does not speke it out for Eggsloosifs has tender sowls. She writes it on a peace of paper and the lady with the teeny aprun gives it to the girl on the quiet. She brung me one and I thot it must be lessons at dinner so I read it out loud and it said for me to look how the other girls ust their spoons and they all lafft and lafft at me to read it out. O it was no fare! It was no fare! They was mean to laff wasnt they Mother? I never knew it was on the quiet and I never knew my spoon must fall backward in my soup. I didnt feel my red dress no more. I felt all scrooocht down like I had on my orfun close. I was full of cry but I wouldnt let it out.

Then the lady clered off the table and set it agen with us looking and not helping nun. That seemed mean. I thot she did so for brekfas but no it was to ete some more. I couldnt so I wisht the orfuns had my shair. I tried so as not to be quere but my swallo wouldnt ack.

I never seen when the lady come to me with gravey and I hit it with my elbow and it spilt on a girls dress and I pollygized the best I could but she was mad and she said the ideah of you being goose enufh to adop me and think you could make a lady outa me. I said I aint nuthing but she is and you let her be. I slapt that girl good on the cheek. When you slap poorness she will slap back but richness has histerick awful for her mother never gave her no spanks so this was her furst blow.

The Principle called me ungreatful protee jay to you or I wouldnt a dun what I dun. I ans. no mam I am a greatful jay to her no matter how I ack and she sorta chokt and sent me upstairs to think it over with my conshents and my conshents will ever say the same it was my falt to hit the gravey but the slap was not on me it was on her to put that name to you. When this letter flys where you are at there will fly the letter of the Principle to tell how bad I was all ready. I don’t care! I don’t care! O its fearce how I dont care and I got tear spots all over my red dress.

I guess its no use mother of my hart. I am not worth you should have such pains on me and thats the true. The ways of poorness is not the ways of richness the ways of badness is not the ways of goodness. I aint no more fittn to be your dawter than the orfun of the big moufh and little sents. But O write to me that you do not hate me in your hart. Write that I am not all misssteak to you. Write how you kinda like me a little nawty and unfittn tho I be.

your awful sorry
Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Preshus goner angle Mother_--

it is now the night of my furst week at this school and you aint sent no ans. to my letter.

The Eggsloosifs say I am low to slap a girl so they got tayboo on me. They never speak to a tayboo cept they have to before a teacher and if anybody was good to that one they would put tayboo on her the same. They made a line with chak round my desk that nobody must cross to come by me. Then they talk how low I am like I had no ears. The class pote says I am a weed in the middel of the flowers. I never cry because I wouldnt do them that much good. I just hate them with my eyes. What’s the good of a Jim suit when the music dont say nothing to your toes? I am so sorry all days that no lesson can stick to my mind.

But tayboos and such is not my big wo. I know in my hart you are sorry you took me for a dawter. I see now the kind you want like these Eggsloosifs but I got no good start to be that class. I was not made to be a parlor dawter to you Mother of my hart but let me be a kitshen dawter. No dishes would be greesy if I wash for you. No floors would be big and durty if I scrub for you! O dear dear mother dont throw me away for no good but keep me for a kitshen dawter.

your back door
Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Dear lady what usto be my Mother_--

today I was in the class of gramer and the teacher said Giovanna what is chair and I ans. chair is a noun on which to set and the girls lafft and I had much mad and shame. I heard out on the street some one to cry potaytoes potaytoes.

It was the voice of Luigi a daygo he peddels by the sylum and he usto be frends with my father. I run out of that school awful quick. Luigi did not know me in my Eggsloosif dress and he ast do you want some potaytoes Miss? Then he knew me and I clum upon the wagon and I said go fast I wanto lope with you back to the sylum for I hate this school and all contaned. He whipt the horse round the corner and then more slow for it skun the potaytoes and I told him all and no lies. He ans. lopes was no fare to you so he stopt the wagon and down I clum and a teacher of the school come running and she held me by the hand like I would lope some more but I wouldnt. The girls lafft very much and teezed me till I felt sick with shame and mad. The class pote made a song.

see how low daygoes
run for potaytoes.

I hate that class pote I do indede. I hate all the fokes I got and I lost all the fokes I love. I will go now and put on my sylum close so as to be ready for back when the Principle will say you want me to. That dress would be alright with me if it only had an angle letter from you to wisper in the pockit but now no more so my good days are all dun. I guess God knew I was not good enufh to be your dawter for that he let me to spill the gravey and slap the Eggsloosif so your love to me all friz up in your hart.

her which usto be your dawter
Giovanna.

P. S. I put on my sylum dress and pined on my hanky like I usto and I come where the girls was and they lookt and lookt and I said I wear the kind of close like what I am. I hate you all give me tin spoons and no tayboo. The girls lookt and lookt some more and lafft not. Then they was took with much shame on themselves and they pollygized for what they dun to me. They said I was darling and we cried some and lafft some and huged and kist very much and all said they ast me furst to borro my sylum dress for to ware in a play and we huged more and now I love Eggsloosifs same as orfuns.

O but the best was to get your dear dear dear letter. O to think it was just a storm mussed up the railroad and you love me ever and allways the same!

Xcuse the funny spots my tears made them when I thot the chane between us 2 was busted. Now we can play they are laffs I am so glad!

G.

“LITTLE SISTER IN CAGE OF GOLD”

_Mother Mother Mother_,--

When I make the start with that precous word I do not know to stop. O I love how you make G on envelops. I allways kiss that G I do indeed.

My new beautiful duster razen tailer soot came in a box today. If God had not dyed me so Daygo brown at first, Mother, I could look just like the Eggsloosifs of this school in that duster razen tailer soot. I cannot help my color but I would be no more Daygo inside because you are not. This is not mean to my dear parents for they are all dead and Tony got T. B. in his joynts and died in the ospittle poor Tony. Isabella was a little brunet beauty and a kind lady took her for her own and I know not if she is dead also but I think yes for that is like our famly.

I have a sorry spot in me for what past today. Luigi--you know the man of fruits and potaytoes who was friend to my father--came to see me but he never because the maid called the same teacher that ran behind me the day I loped with Luigi back to the sylum because the girls put tayboo on me. That teacher has bad ideahs of Luigi that are no fair because Luigi didnt stand for lopes atall but she wouldnt let him make more talk in the door but shut it tight.

The class poet name Dolly was sent to the office for wispering which is by the door so she heard all. She is a real poet because she cant help it no more than a fitty orfun we had once at the sylum she ran the maytrun most crazy. Dolly had to write the poetry on Venusses back or she said it woulda been lost to the world and what a pity. Venus is a little white saint in the office. Dolly has a nawty way not respeckfull of her betters but she says when she acts like badness it is only jeenyus in the fire. Here is the poetry. I dont like it for not respeckfull of Luigi.

The Daygo shook his earings gold
And begged he might the child behold
The Teacher froze him with her glasses
Sir you keep me from my classes
Avaunt thou son of garlick do!
Giovanna flys too high for you!

P. S. Dolly says such was not the words of that teacher but you cannot write the true in poetry or it will not stand right on its ends.

O I have a fraid Luigi will believe I am grown hawty and how could I when I would be a whole orfun in the sylum this minute just the same like I was if you hadnt took me out by your love.

Your ownest ownest
Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Dear Mother Mother Dear_,--

I guess it was God who got me sent to the office not for badness but 3 pencils. The Principle said listen Giovanna all days that old fruit peddler friend of yours makes one same song up to this school when he goes by on his waggon. I listened and shook and shook for it was Luigi and he made no song but only to play sing in Daygo talk “I know where is one little bird name Isabella in cage of gold.” He did that way to tell me because he got such scare on that teacher he hadnt dare to ring the bell. I beg the Principle please xcuse all shakes because Isabella usto be my sister and she was a little brunet beauty and a kind lady took her for her own.

The Principle sent the maid quick to run behind Luigi which she done and he had a fraid to whoa but he did and sat on the big black chair in the office and the Principle was not hawty but treated him grand like he was a payrent of this school.

Luigi tell of sell the orange and the apple in one street of rich. He tell one house most big and wide and high and wonderfull. He tell the curtains like vail of Virgin in church of Italy where his madre do kiss that vail in its corner. He tell one little miss come put back curtins with her hands to look--little miss dressed in pink silk all ruffledy like biggest doll in Christmas window. Little miss got long black curls and face of Isabella. No he not make catch the mistake for didnt he see her since bambina to play with his own bambinas? Was he old to have eyes of blind beggar? No it was Isabella--he say Isabella till he die and no mistake. Then Luigi went away.

The Principle said Giovanna Saterday a teacher will take you to see your sister. I answer that cannot be for the kind lady wished her to forget me and all her past. She will never let me in. The Principle said real hawty but not at me “you got a Bennyfactor now good as her and a teacher of this school will company you. That is enough.”

So I went back upstairs and the teacher said where are the pencils? I answer please what pencils? The teacher saw my looks and she thought I was sick but I wasnt. It was just my thinks of Isabella jumping round in me. Soon we were dissmist and I ran quick here to my room to tell you all.

Today is Wensday and I got to live Thursday and Friday before I can get to Saterday. For it is a rule of this school not to make visits in the middle of weeks.

O but 3 days is not so long as perhaps never and to think my darling sister is not dead in her grave like I expected. When God made the start to be good to me He dont forget a thing.

Your adoring Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Angel Mother of my life_,--

It is my joy that to-morrow is Saterday when a teacher will take me to visit Isabella. Can my little sister forget me in one year? Can she forget how I held her on our doorstep at the tenement and how I made curls on her and washed her dress and licked any kid that would teeze her and ate myself the most spoiled sides of apples which Papa gave us that could not sell? He was a man of fruits like Luigi but more stile for he had a stand and no waggon. Can she forget how she slept with me and the bannannas and I all times put more blankit to her and not to me? But if she has gone and forgot all I will not have mean feels at her because she was little.

But O Mother the Eggsloosifs all say that kind lady was crule and selfish to separate 2 sisters like she done and its the true. She was jellus that Isabella would love anybody else but her. Now perhaps my baby sister has gone and lost her love for me out of her heart and all by the fault of that kind lady. The priest says on Sunday that hate is wicket but I cant help to hate hate hate her hard and fierce. If she has woe I care not for look at the woe she made to me. I didnt ask her to adopt me the long brown old thing nobody could want but you and I dont know how you did but I begged her only to let me see Isabella 2 or 3 × in a year because God put her to me for a sister but she wouldnt. I have no sure she will let me in for I know her hawty and jellus as she is but she cannot help I should walk by her house and look for Isabella at the window. But I hope in no window to see that kind lady for the hate I got on her.

Now I will shut her out of my head and only keep in my thoughts of Isabella.

It is bedtime but my eyes dont want to sleep for my thinks of Isabella and they do too so I can get quicker to Saterday. When I say my prayers and my goodnight to you by my bed I will say also goodnight my baby sister in cage of gold. I love down to Isabella Mother like I love up to you. I pray God will not let her feckshun for me get lost out of her.

Your O so happy Giovanna.

* * * * *

_Only Mother of my Soul_,--

We found the place me and the teacher. It was a palace that house but O mother by the front door was big bow of black. I know what means black bows for we had them all times in our famly not so big but 25 dolars is no cheap funrals and must make stile for the naybors and the man takes the bow the minute the cawfin is gone out of the door but for funrals of 15 dolars he wont lend his bow to nobody.

I shook and shook and say I might a known Isabella would be dead for my family is like that but the teacher answer it would not be so black and big for a child. I said no she was little and curly and I felt some better but queer for it is sorry anybody must die. The teacher rang the door bell and the maid came and her eyes were pink with weeps. She told that the lady didnt want to see nobody because she was dead. The teacher asked could we speak to the child Isabella and the maid said no she was asleep after much crys but she let us in a room by the door with gold chairs and talked like wispering.

She told how Isabella was to that lady her apple in the eye and never did she want the child one minute not by her side and Isabella was all times fechshunate with her and sweet in her temper. The lady bought her clothes always to put her beauty in other dress like a doll. The little girl sing like bright angel up in the sky and the lady have every day expensif teacher of voice to come. Upstairs was big room of prettys just for her to play and the lady usto take her to stores and when Isabella point her finger to anything it got bought awful quick.

O Mother the shame I felt in me to think of my wicket hate and her so good to put Isabella like a princess in the green book you gave me.

The maid spoke more to wisper as she tell how the lady went dead in the night when Isabella didnt know and in the morning she which her name is Vicktoria led the child to look fairwell and Isabella cry and cry with grief and kiss her Bennyfactor and beg her to wake up and speak but the lady couldnt for she was dead. Then Vicktoria took Isabella away and she cry very much but now she sleep her nap and forget her woe.

The teacher said “letersleep.” She said also “This girl is her sister name Giovanna.” The maid looked surprised like she seen a booger man in the dark. She tell how she got some words the lady gave her for me before she died. “Vicktoria find that girl of hungry eyes sister to my Isabella and beg her forgive a selfish woman who was so lonesome she wanted some person to love her most and not love worse a sister or anybody.”

I chokt and chokt and reached for my hanky. I said “O tell her for me--” but what was the good to say anything with the black bow on the door and her deadngone? The teacher said better for us to go now and we so went.

Mother I wish you could hold me on your lap tonight like I was little as Isabella. I got such shame on my hate of my sister’s good Bennyfactor seems as if it will burn me up. O if I could just beg her please excuse my nawty hate all gone! Look Mother how I hated these darling Eggsloosifs at first. But this is worse for the Eggsloosifs are not deadngone.

Now Isabella is back to orfun and I spose they will send her again to the sylum. She must have forgot all her orfun ways like ugly dress and no cake and nobody to call dear on you. It will be better than for her little hands to reach for breakfast in cans of garbige but she will not have those thinks of comfort. She will have thinks instead of the princess she was in the house of her Bennyfactor. I have a fraid she will die of grief and differents. Mother I know in my conshents what I ought. It is to go and be her in the sylum so she can come here and be me. That is my duty. I am a mean selfish pig sister if I dont and her so little and tender and no more ust. I can stand to give her my shiny bed of brass and my deserts and my duster razen tailer soot. I can stand to give her the Eggsloosifs dear though they be to me and Dolly my precious chum and the teachers and the Principle. But when I think to give you to Isabella, Mother of my heart, O how can I do that? All of me just holds tight to you and dont want to let go never!

Please write very quick and say your good thinks what I must do and perhaps by that time I wont mind quite so awful.

I know God dont want no prayer tonight out of any person wicket like me to hate that Bennyfactor lady so I will make none.

Giovanna of the bad heart.

* * * * *

_Wonderfullest Mother in the big world_,--

Today I was doing my practice and to think how that piano is full of scales and will the postman bring your darling letter and when can I see Isabella. The maid came and said company in the recepshun room and I told her Mary you mean another girl because companys I never do have in my long life but she said Miss Giovanna it is 2 company to ask for you. So I went.

O the feelings that did jump in me when I see it was Isabella with Vicktoria! My sister is longer in the legs and curls. Her dress black for sadness but plenty of stile and no hanky pinned on. Vicktoria was dressed in sadness also. That is a way of richness. Poorness is just as sorry to lose a piece of the famly but must cry in same dress red or pink except to borrow of naybors black vails and skirts not to shame the dead one at its funral.

I looked and looked and Isabella looked and looked. Vicktoria said Miss Isabella kiss your sister and she did very polite and we looked more and more. A teacher came and said the children need lonesome for break the eyes. Giovanna take her to your room which I done.

We never did break our eyes like that teacher said but we made the start and Isabella let me hug her like crazy and she was glad and loved me the same like she usto. I showed her your picture and told her of your goodness and she said that was just like her Mama and her pretty face all fussed up to weep but I kissed her and talked her back past the sylum to the doorstep of the tenement and she remembered how a mean kid squoze his orange in her eye on purpose and how I whailed that kid and she laughed. She did not want to go so soon with Vicktoria but Vicktoria said it was time.

I never knew how anybody could make wills for people to mind when that person is deadngone. That Bennyfactor lady make a will about Isabella to go to a school in other city where the Principle of that school usto be girls with her and that Isabella have lessons to sing and bynby sail to Italy for the best. So Isabella will be some lost to me again but not bad for now we can have stamps.

And O Mother Mother, I have no duty to give you to Isabella and go back to the sylum! I got a glad in me big as a house for that! I have no duty not to be the same

Long brown Giovanna of your heart.

THE MERRY CHRISTMAS OF GIOVANNA

_Mother of my thankful heart_,--

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and the Principal said in chapel for us to count our bennyfits up to God. That was easy like anything because when he gave you to me seems like he said “Giovanna, here is all your bennyfits in one package.”

Our school turkey was big as a little ash barrel and the dinner so many courses it was like a week of meals tied together.

I fell awake in the middle of Thankful Night and first believed me to be back in the sylum for the many girls in white nightys. But when I saw those nightys all embroidery and my shiny bed of brass and one girl to toast marshmallows on the steam heat I knew the difference and was glad. Dolly my poet chum now rooms with me by both our wish. Dolly stood on her bed making her arms act like the priest’s and whispered a speech most out loud to say she had been taken with an idea in her sleep very grand even noble.

The Eggsloosifs laughed much and whispered “Here! here!” and sat on our beds and floors to listen and passed chockylet creams. Only one was sleepy and said pickle that idea but the rest put shame and pillows on her. I asked “Dolly, is it a new poem?” and she answered “no but better for a poem is just litteryture and this idea is all true izem.” I asked “What’s izem Dolly?” but she never explained. She made more speech but low for teachers wake easy. She said there is us pampered darlings of our doting parents and there’s orfuns who are Miss Fortune’s wafes and poor things. Her grand idea was for the Eggsloosifs to give the orfuns of the sylum a Christmas like they never dreamed could be in this world. The girls jumped themselves up and danced in their bear feet for glad of my chum’s noble idea and I never loved Eggsloosifs quite so hard as that minute.

Dolly put me in her speech to name me cyclopede of orfun lore who must understand their habits and for me to all times speak up.

One girl said the orfuns could use her tree the next day after the day after Christmas. I said did they truly want the cyclopede of orfun lore to speak up? They answered “Yes, lay on mack duff.” I shook some in my bed but lay on like they said and explained how orfuns must be ever grateful for trees but all years to have Christmas not on the hollyday but after other persons have finished tastes like cold potatoes to their souls.

The girls said this must be no cold potato Christmas. They decided to beg their parents to sellybrate their presents at home Christmas Eve and to let them eat early Christmas Day so as to fetch the orfuns to the school before dark and all so promised except one girl that lives far off in the geography.

Another girl said “Lets give the orfuns turkey dinner before the tree,” but some complained so many relayshuns wait for presents they could not put that much allowance onto orfuns.

But an Eggsloosif named Bessie made to answer “Lets ask the Principal if we have no deserts on our dinners from now to Christmas perhaps she will give us turkey dinner for the orfuns.”

The girl of sleepy replied “That is easy now to say when we have just finished mints pie and plum pudding and cake and ice cream and raisins and nuts all in one Thankful dinner but a month of no deserts would be terrible and must reduce us all to skinnybone.” The other Eggsloosifs made laughs on her and more pillows and said no deserts was allright with them for orfuns’ sake.

Dolly poeted when she never knew she was going to.

“Dear cyclopede of orfun lore,
O wont you please to tell us more?”

So I told how the presents of orfuns are most times the same for all. You look at your present and then 3 or 4 dozen orfuns hold the same in their hands and if you let go of it you can tell no more if it is really that one except yours was not broken and the one you now got is so.

The Eggsloosifs had serious looks on them and said all gifts must be different. They sang to me Dolly’s poetry.

“Dear cyclopede of orfun lore,
O wont you please to tell us more?”

So I told that if not the same then orfun presents must be already busted prettys of richness. In my sylum Christmas one time I got a doll like I prayed by my bed very beautiful except she missed one foot and one hand and one eye and a crack in her cheek. I tried to think onto her all that was missed but I never could so I played instead how she had been whaled by a cruel father but was now a whole and adopt by me to love better for her misseds and whales.

Dolly hugged me and all promised no gifts must be busted and sang Dolly’s poetry at me again to speak up more.

I answered “This next is too much for orfuns but O the ache I usto have in me for a present tied in tisshoe paper with a red ribbon! I ached and ached and ached for that like a pain to take medicine with a spoon for cure.”

All exclaimed tisshoe paper with red ribbon must be wrapped round the gifts like for relayshuns or anybody.

I said I must wear my orfuns clothes for them not to see me that usto be orfun now in dress of richness. Dolly made her arms act like 6 priests for telling all to wear orfun dress same as me and look like wholes. The Eggsloosifs cried “O lets! lets! lets!” and the girl who lives far in the geography said she would write her family to let her stay and have cold potato Christmas at home after all had finished so she could wear a sylum dress.

But I said that is no fair because orfuns want to stare at pretty clothes and not come here to see like their own selves in the lookinglass.