The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-05-08

he, so he informed me, see MS nOrSeS.
The road from Naples to Vesuvius was
the favorite haunt of the brigands at
this time, and the uncanny hours for our
drive were usually chosen for their opera
tions.
My coachman eXpostulated: 'Rob-
bers! Thieves! Williams! Murderers Alb
duction! imprisonment! Torture!
DEATH" His mouth became veritable
volcano eruptive with explosives. But
| was memorable in spite of his horrible
prophecies.
1t was about ii o'clock when we left
the trattoria half way up Vesuvius. The
night was warm, and here and there we
could see feeble yellow lights battling
with the blacbness through windows of
vineclad cottages clinging to the noun
tain side. Once, near Gigli, | heard the
distant notes, high and clear of some
serenader, some giovinotto doubtless,
fiinging kisses in song-O baci dolcissimi
to his divine inamorata.
All had been so peaceful that | had set
tied myself back in the cushions of the
coach, feeling that nay ride was to be UNI
eventful, so far as encounters with the
bandits were concerned. But this reverie
was short lived, for suddenly, as if ris-
ing by magic out of the ground man
glided, rather than walked, between the
wheels and the body of the carriage. He
thrust revolver into my face and, with
a voice which / can never forget, he fair
ly Missed!
Money. Money! Be quick!"
Involuntarily | knocked the revolver
from my face and would have seized my
assailant by the throat, but at that mo-
ment pair of strong arms from the OPP
posite side of the carriage dragged me to
the floor. In the meantime the horses
had stopped and l was completely at the
mercy of the scelleratti
Again money was demanded, though
no effort was made to rifle my pockets,
and 1 said: 81 am poor! For the love
of God search me and be convinced"
''But you are an American, even if you
do speak Italian and have an Italian
l was then convinced that they had
read my register at the Hotel Diomede
and had followed me from Pompeii.
"Yes."
"Then you have money. All Ameri-
cani are rich"
NO! Search mel" But this they re-
fused to do.
But you are Signor Rockefeller, and
you can get money"
This remark aroused me to keen
sense of danger 1 had not thought of be-
fore. Having been taken for the young
American multimillionaire, and having
been found without funds, the many
plans of Imprisonment for ransom which
might be resorted to came to my mind.
was quite sure if they believed they
had taken man of so great wealth they
would not give him up for less than a
small fortune. How to convince them of
their mistake was the controlling thought
with me. In vain L denied that L was
and protested against being
taken for the young American.
The team was whirled back toward
Vesuyius by one of the bandits, who had
leaped to the box and seized the reins.
In a moment we were flying at break
neck speed, whittier | could not tell
could only sit there with visions of cave
prisons and other fortunes while some
lugh ransom was exacted for my liberty.
was just resigning myself to my fate
when [ was startled by the hurried clat-
Lering of armored hoofs. Suddenly my
team was stopped and my captors leaped
from the carriage and disappeared in the
darkness. But scarcely were they gone
when | was surrounded by a troop of
italian soldiers-soldati di cavalleria.
Caught at last, you william" cried the
officer in command, Caught at last!"
l tried to interrupt him, but in vain
"Ah, Messilina, the papers all over the
world will ring tomorrow with the news
Of your capture, and many a mother will
say: Blessed be God!' And the null
titudes will hiss and thunder: Ven
geancen And |. Pietor Vincenza, will have
the gratitude of ali men, not excepting
our good King Humbert and the Holy
Father. Come, speak up, Tomaso, tell
me how many crimes have you commit
ted"
"Signor," said 1, Il am an American
gentleman
At this he roared with laughter. "Can
you speak English" he said with fine
scorn.
"les," L replied, and in proof of it
poured out torrent of indignant pro-
tests against the treatment | was re-
ceiving At last one of the soldiers
thrust a lantern in my face, peered at me
ntently for a moment, and then exclaim-
I'd:
MANY times have | seen tnis gentle
man on the Via Toledo, in the Galleria
Reale, and at Monte Oliveta!"
Then another soldier advanced, and,
after scrutinizing me closely said: