The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-25
though it had been memorized for the

silence. Again the question was put
But the face of the traveller was blank;
he was evidently at the end of his Ital-
ian.
-Four tickets to Rome; how much?'
he repeated, and the line behind him
grew larger and more important.
First, second or third class? Sbriga-
tevi!' snapped the agent, muttering
something about children without
nurses. The shot was lost on the child,
though the natives seemed to enjoy it
hugely In despair the agent held up
first one finger, then two, then three.
A light seemed to dawn on the embar-
raised buyer. He held up four fingers!
then, pointing north, said: Rome
Since no one but royalty and fools
travel first class, the agent, convinced
of the mans title to the latter descrip
ton, gave him four first-class tickets
and blandly asked for double fare.
Where the extra money went is an open
question.
Out through the gateway the four
made their way until a burly facchino,
the leech of Italian stations and ho-
tells, stopped their wild flight for the
express.
1.-The baggage, signori: you must have
it checked" an old trick, but too often
successful.
THE DEVIL" shouted the four in uni
son. Then the smallest of them, re-
| Numbering the potency of money In
Italy, put some money into the mans
| hand. Presto with bows and smiles
| and gratitude he carries the heaviest
bag and sees them safely in third
| class carriage. For ways that are dark
the Neapolitan is not far behind the
celestial trickster Of Bret Harte.
| 1t was quite dark when the miserable
express drew into the central station at
Rome Here the four uismounted. A
Of Ina
them, fighting joyfully for the prey:
After helpless display of gestures and
brave attempts at the native language
they made a bargain with one of the
men to take them to pensione on the
Via del 'Tritone. They gave him the
address and bade him drive on, ana
drive on he did.
For full hour that wagon ratified
along alleys and streets finally pull
ing up at short corner. There the
driver told them he could find no such
place, but if the signori would give
him an extra fare he would take them
to an excellent hotel. This offer was
fatty refused, and the four dismounted
for further council The usual crowd
gathered to enjoy the quandary of the
| Americana Then came relief Ger
! man student who spoke English, push
| ed his way into the circle and after
| few words took charge of the dis
gusted young men. They were within
minutes walk of the pensione.
Thither they were led and left in the
care of a voluble, polite Frenchman.
The gentlemen would have two large
rooms. certainly Clean. comfortable,
charming. Then, In burst of en-
thusiasm and Italian: Santissima!
none better in the eternal city and
surely none more reasonable. three
/ dollars each, signori; surely worth So.
| lwa On Or
Americans-so like ourselves, the
French The incident was closed for
| the time being. the Frenchman evil
IDENTIFY having in view a fat revenue
| from his gulieless guests.
In the Piazza Polli stands a small,
home-like hotel. kept by an English
man. 1t is only a stones throw from
the pensione. The hostess was dark
| eyed Roman A billiard parlor opens
| on two streets; ii is very cool and in
viting. Here, on the following after
noon, were the four arrivals playing
| quiet game.
The landlord, ever on the watch for
! trade, found by dnt of carefully plac-
ed questions where they were staying
| and the terms of their accommoda-
| ton. Before an hour was gone he had
prevailed upon them to quit the pen
| stone and to transfer themselves to his
| care. They were surely paying triple
| fee to the Frenchman. 1t was rank
| imposture He would furnish them
| better lodging at one third the price.
| AS for the luggage, he would send his
| porter for it. There would be no diff
! culty-none whatsoever, They would
come. then?. All! he was glad of that
| If they cared to see their rooms, they
would kindly follow him-and he led
them up to the first floor. The place
| certainly excelled the pensione.
| cOuncil was held. and the largest
| American was sent to acquaint the
| Frenchman with their change of resi-
dence. The Frenchman, while to al
appearances satisfied, must have been
storing his wrath for another hour, as
| proved to be the case
! That evening, while the mellow moot
of the chianti sat upon the four like
benediction, they began their week
| ly correspondence home. In the street
below their wondows was hardly g
sound, for after the ringing of the Ave
the Roman day is practically ended
But the exterior quietness of that houl
was as nothing to the peace that ho
vered over those four scribes. The
light of four candles put to rout some
of the darkness, AMI cleaned with rich
red flames on the refilled decanter
Then across that evening idyl clashed
the brazen note of war. The hallway
was filled with shouts and blows, cpl
tHpIS anu CURSES. Anu Tie lang ud6t
which at first was in the native tongue
suddenly swerved into French and En-.
glsh. There was minute or two OF
this, then silence. Into the room burst
| a scared looking camerierse, begging
the signori for love of heaven to come
down stairs to the master. In wonder
and doubt they followed.
At the foot of the steps was the
wreckage of war, chairs overturned
mats and rugs upset, the swinging ligh
gone into chaos, and in the doorwa!
were two policemen and a detective. II
their grasp was the excited Frenchman
On a lounge within the Office the hostes!
lay. with a cash across her forehead
which a doctor was rapidly bindnt
with linen. The Englishman. quite calm
with victory, was watching the process
1t was some time before the sequenc,
of cause and effect became plain to tn,
Americans. The Frenchman, who was
only head waiter in the pensione, thu
proprietor being away In Frascati. wa:
angry at the loss of his guests. To re