. . .body would ever have guessed from that, what their real names were. M[Pg 34]aria is pronounced Mahrea in Italy; so that was the way she came to be called Rea for shortness. Jusy gave himself his nickname when he was a baby, and it had always stuck to him ever since.

It was enough to make anybody's heart ache to see these two poor little things, when they first got strong enough to totter about after this fever; so weak they felt, they could hardly stand; and they cried more than half the time, thinking about their papa and mamma, dead and buried without their even being able to kiss them once for good-by. The King himself felt so sorry for the little orphans, he came to speak to them; and the kind Queen came almost every day, and sent them beauti[Pg 35]ful toys, and good things to eat; but nothing comforted the children.

"What do you suppose will become of us, Jusy?" Rea often said; and Jusy would reply,—

"I don't know, Rea. As soon as I'm. . . Read More