Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-09-10
CHAPTER XVI.
A NIGHTS STAY AT TIvoLI.

an eminence overlooking the great plain
of the Campagna, which spreads around
the seyen-hilled city, extending from
the Sabine mountains to the shores OF
the Mediterranean Sea. Partly from
its picturesque surroundings, but more
from the many lions it can shew, Tt
voli Is visited by all travellers and tour
lists. In the neighborhood are the ruins
of mansions once inhabited by men
whose names are household words, and
have been for centuries-known to
every student of classics-to all who
have read the history of Rome. There
dwelt the rich Macaenas, friend and
patron of Horace; and nea by Piso,
Vopiscus, C~assius. Plancus, Propertius,
with a host Of lesser celebrities; while
on the plain below the town stood Adj
rian,s grand villa, almost a city in it
self, its site covering leagues of land.
1t is a steep uphill climb to the heart
OF the modern town, through a grove
of grand old olives; and as he enters it
through the gate of Santa Croce Henry
Harding feels sufficiently fatigued to
think of taking a short rest before pro-
ceeding further. as also some refresh
ment. The Hotel La Sibylla, the favor
lite resort of artists, standing neal the
temple of the Sibyl, and commanding
a view of the celebrated Cascatelles, is
pointed out to him as the best place;
and stepping inside it, he orders a light
lunch to be served him in all haste.
While eating it he is told by the
landlord of the hotel that the distance
to Val di Orno is not less than twenty
miles, and there would be no POSSIBLE
ity of his reaching it that night, even
were he mounted, since a horse could
make but little better time across the
mountain roads than a man on foot.
Moreover, the way would be difficult t.
find-indeed impossible in the dark
ness-unless guided by one knowing it
well. On again inquiring about the di-
rection he is pleased to find the route
correspond with that given him by the
piferari. For the Hotel Boniface hints
at dangers of the road as well as diff
ficulties-in short, speaks of banditti;
but in a lone of confidence, and with a
stealthy look over his shoulder. as
though he feared being overheard by
some of the gentry in question, or one
of their spies, suspected of being every
where.
Rejecting on the information thus
impaired, the young Englishman re-
calls certain speeches that passed be-
tween himself and the itinerant musi-
clans. If brigands in disguise-though
there was not much of disguise in their
garb-why should they have given him
directions he now discovers to be cor
rect, in all save the distance and the
time it might take him to reach his
destination? Besides, one of them had
not moderated this.
And, after all. the landlord of the
Sibylla might be exaggerating the diff
hculties of the route, to secure his longer
stay at the hotel.
Pondering the matter over, half ire
solute whether he will proceed on his
journey or remain overnight at Tivoli
and allow himself a whole day for com
pleting it, he finally determines to keep
on. There are yet several hours of af-
ternoon. He is rested and refreshed,
feels able for twenty more miles
of marching, be the road what
it may. In all likelihood the
landlord is deceiving him, and
he will find it neither so rough nor
SO long. His athletic training at Ok
ford has made him a pedestrian of the
&rst class, while a scurry through Wales
and a season of Devastating in the
Highlands of Scotland have Injured him
to mountain climbing. Enough! he
will continue his journey that day, scale
the steep sides of Gennaro and traverse
the scorza between. On to Val di Orno,
Thus resolved, he settles his score at
the Sibylla, then lighting his pipe-a
meerschaum, which forms no small part
OF his impedimenta-he re-shoulders
his knapsack, and is starting for the
door, when 10. through a little window
which looks out on a side street he sees
two pifferarii
Can it be they with whom he has been
conversing? He fancies them the same,
though he Is not certain. He has only
caught a glimpse of them as they cross
ed the side street, gliding rapidly, and
suddenly disappearing round a cor
ncr. lie may have been mistaken. fer
there are many pifferari traversing the
roads OF the Romagna, and encounter
ed in every Italian town. Besides, with
the exception Of their carrying musical
instruments. these men differ not so
much from ether peasants met along the
country road. Indeed, he sees several
sauntering through the town of Tt
voli. Still there was something
about the two who have just fitted
across the street which leads him to
suspect them as the pair of polite way
farers who so kindly directed him, and
gratefully accepted his piece of silver.
IL lit be they their falling of ON q