Little Tony of Italy
I found a copy of this 1934 children's book in an old-stuff store and found it really amusing. I enjoy things like this. It also contains some amazing photo illustrations that I have reproduced.
Little Tony of Italy by Madeline Brandeis is a saccharine tale about a Neapolitan beggar boy orphan named Tony, a dog he befriends which he calls Tina, and the rich little girl who is called Anna. For a time Tony works for Guido, the owner of a marionette theatre. "Dark and oily" Guido is impressed with Tony's beggarly tactics, how this boy can cry himself into people's hearts and strangers' wallets.
A friend urges Tony to join the Balilla, a Mussolini-era Boy Scout organization, but Tony is reluctant to abandon his pet. One day a young girl, daughter of rich parents, spots Tina and recognizes the pooch as her own dog, Niki. She rides off in dad's car with the dog. Tony follows and sets up house, listening through the window to the father's stories about the wonders of Italy and being close to Tina/Niki. Anna brings him food as he camps outside in a little tent...which the father never seems to notice!
Much of the book uses the story to exalt the wonders of Italy's great treasures from Florence and Venice to Pompei and Rome as Papa talks about the nation. Papa speaks also of Benito Mussolini, "the great chief of Italy."..."He founded a new system of government called Fascism....'Obedience'...this is what the Fascist teachers believe. Their moral is: 'Be strong to be pure. Be pure to be strong.' Il Duce has taught our people this wonderful lesson."
The book demonstrates how this boy learns this 'wonderful lesson.' A series of disheartening episodes, including a bout with fever and delirium in Pompeii, where he runs off with the stolen dog, leads the lad to re-assess his life. He restores the pooch to Anna. And he is taken into Anna's family by a dad who needs a son. The father promises Tony that he will join the Balilla and "march with the boys of Italy." Tony will never steal again. Anna too will do her part, joining the Piccole Italiane and become a little Fascist girl scout. Joy will reign in the family. Tina/Niki will be renamed Fido. We are told that she would become a member of the "Bone-and-Biscuit Dog Scouts" if such a canineship existed.
(photos cross-posted to vintagephoto)