Cuore (Heart): An Italian Schoolboy's Journal

AUTHOR’S PREFACE This book is specially dedicated to the boys of the elementary schools between the ages of nine and thirteen years, and might be entitled: “The Story of a Scholastic Year written by a Pupil of the Third Class of an Italian Municipal School.” In saying written by a pupil of the third class, I do not mean to say that it was written by him exactly as it is printed. He noted day by day in a copy-book, as well as he knew how, what he had seen, felt, thought in the school and outside the school; his father at the end of the year wrote these pages on those notes, taking care not to alter the thought, and preserving, when it was possible, the words of his son. Four years later the boy, being then in the lyceum, read over the MSS. and added something of his own, drawing on his memories, still fresh, of persons and of things. Now read this book, boys; I hope that you will be pleased with it, and that it may do you good. Edmondo De Amicis. Table of Contents AUTHOR’S PREFACE OCTOBER. OUR MASTER. AN ACCIDENT. THE CALABRIAN BOY. MY COMRADES. A GENEROUS DEED. MY SCHOOLMISTRESS OF THE UPPER FIRST. IN AN ATTIC. THE SCHOOL. THE LITTLE PATRIOT OF PADUA. THE CHIMNEY-SWEEP. THE DAY OF THE DEAD. NOVEMBER. MY FRIEND GARRONE. THE CHARCOAL-MAN AND THE GENTLEMAN. MY BROTHER’S SCHOOLMISTRESS. MY MOTHER. MY COMPANION CORETTI. THE HEAD-MASTER. THE SOLDIERS. NELLI’S PROTECTOR. THE HEAD OF THE CLASS. THE LITTLE VIDETTE OF LOMBARDY. THE POOR. DECEMBER. THE TRADER. VANITY. THE FIRST SNOW-STORM. THE LITTLE MASON. A SNOWBALL. THE MISTRESSES. IN THE HOUSE OF THE WOUNDED MAN. THE LITTLE FLORENTINE SCRIBE. FOOTNOTES WILL. GRATITUDE. JANUARY. THE ASSISTANT MASTER. STARDI’S LIBRARY. THE SON OF THE BLACKSMITH-IRONMONGER. A FINE VISIT. THE FUNERAL OF VITTORIO EMANUELE. FRANTI EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL. THE SARDINIAN DRUMMER-BOY. THE LOVE OF COUNTRY. ENVY. FRANTI’S MOTHER. HOPE. FEBRUARY. A MEDAL WELL BESTOWED. GOOD RESOLUTIONS. THE ENGINE. PRIDE. THE WOUNDS OF LABOR. THE PRISONER. DADDY’S NURSE. THE WORKSHOP. FOOTNOTES: THE LITTLE HARLEQUIN. THE LAST DAY OF THE CARNIVAL. THE BLIND BOYS. THE SICK MASTER. THE STREET. MARCH THE EVENING SCHOOLS. THE FIGHT. THE BOYS’ PARENTS. NUMBER 78. A LITTLE DEAD BOY. THE EVE OF THE FOURTEENTH OF MARCH. THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES. STRIFE. MY SISTER. BLOOD OF ROMAGNA. THE LITTLE MASON ON HIS SICK-BED. COUNT CAVOUR. APRIL. SPRING. KING UMBERTO. THE INFANT ASYLUM. GYMNASTICS. MY FATHER’S TEACHER. CONVALESCENCE. FRIENDS AMONG THE WORKINGMEN. GARRONE’S MOTHER. GIUSEPPE MAZZINI. CIVIC VALOR. MAY. CHILDREN WITH THE RICKETS. SACRIFICE. THE FIRE. FROM THE APENNINES TO THE ANDES. SUMMER. POETRY. THE DEAF-MUTE. JUNE. GARIBALDI. THE ARMY. ITALY. THIRTY-TWO DEGREES. MY FATHER. IN THE COUNTRY. THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES TO THE WORKINGMEN. MY DEAD SCHOOLMISTRESS. THANKS. SHIPWRECK. JULY. THE LAST PAGE FROM MY MOTHER. THE EXAMINATIONS. THE LAST EXAMINATION. FAREWELL.