Chapter I: Front Matter

[Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic text is surrounded by _underscores_.]

TESSA

Our Little Italian Cousin

THE

Little Cousin Series

(TRADE MARK)

Each volume illustrated with six or more full-page plates in
tint. Cloth, 12mo, with decorative cover,
per volume, 60 cents

LIST OF TITLES

BY MARY HAZELTON WADE

(unless otherwise indicated)

=Our Little African Cousin=

=Our Little Alaskan Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet

=Our Little Arabian Cousin=
By Blanche McManus

=Our Little Armenian Cousin=

=Our Little Australian Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet

=Our Little Brazilian Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet

=Our Little Brown Cousin=

=Our Little Canadian Cousin=
By Elizabeth R. MacDonald

=Our Little Chinese Cousin=
By Isaac Taylor Headland

=Our Little Cuban Cousin=

=Our Little Dutch Cousin=
By Blanche McManus

=Our Little Egyptian Cousin=
By Blanche McManus

=Our Little English Cousin=
By Blanche McManus

=Our Little Eskimo Cousin=

=Our Little French Cousin=
By Blanche McManus

=Our Little German Cousin=

=Our Little Greek Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet

=Our Little Hawaiian Cousin=

=Our Little Hindu Cousin=
By Blanche McManus

=Our Little Hungarian Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet

=Our Little Indian Cousin=

=Our Little Irish Cousin=

=Our Little Italian Cousin=

=Our Little Japanese Cousin=

=Our Little Jewish Cousin=

=Our Little Korean Cousin=
By H. Lee M. Pike

=Our Little Mexican Cousin=
By Edward C. Butler

=Our Little Norwegian Cousin=

=Our Little Panama Cousin=
By H. Lee M. Pike

=Our Little Persian Cousin=
By E. C. Shedd

=Our Little Philippine Cousin=

=Our Little Porto Rican Cousin=

=Our Little Russian Cousin=

=Our Little Scotch Cousin=
By Blanche McManus

=Our Little Siamese Cousin=

=Our Little Spanish Cousin=
By Mary F. Nixon-Roulet

=Our Little Swedish Cousin=
By Claire M. Coburn

=Our Little Swiss Cousin=

=Our Little Turkish Cousin=

L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
New England Building, Boston, Mass.

TESSA

Our Little Italian Cousin

By Mary Hazelton Wade

_Illustrated by_ L. J. Bridgman

Boston
L. C. Page & Company
_PUBLISHERS_

_Copyright, 1903_
BY L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
(INCORPORATED)

_All rights reserved_

THE LITTLE COUSIN SERIES
(_Trade Mark_)

Published, July, 1903
Fifth Impression, June, 1908
Sixth Impression, November, 1909
Seventh Impression, August, 1910

Preface

MANY people from other lands have crossed the ocean to make a new home for themselves in America. They love its freedom. They are happy here under its kindly rule. They suffer less from want and hunger than in the country of their birthplace.

Their children are blessed with the privilege of attending fine schools and with the right to learn about this wonderful world, side by side with the sons and daughters of our most successful and wisest people.

Among these newer-comers to America are the Italians, many of whom will never again see their own country, of which they are still so justly proud. They will tell you it is a land of wonderful beauty; that it has sunsets so glorious that both artists and poets try to picture them for us again and again; that its history is that of a strong and mighty people who once held rule over all the civilized world; that thousands of travellers visit its shores every year to look upon its paintings and its statues, for it may truly be called the art treasure-house of the world.

When you meet your little Italian cousins, with their big brown eyes and olive skins, whether it be in school or on the street, perhaps you will feel a little nearer and more friendly if you turn your attention for a while to their home, and the home of the brave and wise Columbus who left it that he might find for you in the far West your own loved country, your great, grand, free America.

Contents

PAGE
I. TESSA 9
II. ROME 18
III. THE STORY OF ÆNEAS 38
IV. CHRISTMAS 52
V. SAINT PETER'S 64
VI. THE CHRISTENING 75
VII. THE TWINS 86
VIII. THE CARNIVAL 101
IX. THE BURIED CITY 115

List of Illustrations

PAGE
TESSA _Frontispiece_
"BEPPO WALKED BY HER SIDE" 19
IN THE PALACE GARDEN 33
IN ST. PETER'S 64
"WERE SOON IN THE MIDST OF A MERRY CROWD" 106
"IT WAS A STRANGE PLACE" 122

TESSA

Our Little Italian Cousin