From 8-year old Hilda’s diary:
This morning was lovely. All of a sudden there was music and right outside the parlor window was a man with a hand organ and with the darlingest monkey. The monkey was dressed in a little green suit trimmed in red and gold. All the children on the block came running and we gave the monkey nickels and pennies. He then took them in his little hands and put them in his pocket and every so often he would tip his hat, which looked like a tiny round box upside-down and it was green and gold too with a little red feather stuck in it. The man then sang a very beautiful song called “Santa Lucia” and it is an Italian song. People sing in gondolas. Gondolas are very special boats that are used in Venice and while the boatman sings the people hold hands and kiss. Venice is a city in Italy that has no streets and no streetcars and you have to ride in boats through water canals to get from place to place.
