little page who was selling popcorn. At the first opportunity Buffalo
Bill came, preceded by the boy. He said he "remembered us perfectly." I
introduced him to the Duke, who, after having complimented him on his
"show" and laughed over the awkward attempts of _his_ boys, asked him
if we might see the camp.

No gentleman from the court of Louis XV. could surpass Buffalo Bill's
refined and courteous manners. He said if we would wait until the
performance was over he would "show us about."

We did wait, and went all over the camp with him, and saw everything
that was to be seen, and smelled the different fried things which
lurked in every corner. Buffalo Bill beckoned to some of the cowboys to
come forward and named them to us. I think they were delighted. They
had such good, honest (and even handsome) faces. My heart warmed to
them.

One said to me, "Why, you talk English as good as an American!"

"That is not wonderful," I answered; "I am an American."

"Is that so?" he asked. "Well, America's a pretty good place, ain't it?
A good sight better than over here--that is what I think," and,
pointing to the Duke Sermoneta said, "Is that gent American, too?"

"No," I answered. "He is an Italian. Those were his horses you tamed
this afternoon."

"Is that so? Well, I would not like to tell him that them boys of his
can't ride worth a cent and the horses ain't worth their hide."

I hoped that Duke Sermoneta had not overheard this conversation.

Buffalo Bill showed us a young Indian woman who had had a baby a few
days ago.

"It was baptized this morning," he added. "What do you think it was
called?"

"Is it a boy or a girl?" asked the Duke, looking at the brown, wizened
face of the little thing, which was swaddled in an old shawl.

"A girl," answered the young mother, in English.

"Then I suppose you called it Roma," I said.

"No," said Buffalo Bill. "It is the custom among the Indians to give to
the baby the name of the first thing the mother sees after its birth."

"Then they must have named it Tent," I said.

Buffalo Bill laughed. "No, you must guess again. It was called Saint
Peter's."

"Poor little girl!" said the kind-hearted Duke, and put a gold piece in
the ready and delighted hand of the mother.

ROME, _1890_.

Dear ----,--Signor Sonsogni, the promoter of music and art, gave
several librettos of operas to different composers in Italy, and
promised a large reward to the victorious competitor.

S