Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-05-29
Old W0rId
And Nezv.
.......By ". S. ODLIN.
copwssAs. 1907. by Homer sprog,.e.

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HE looks as II he were one OF the
statues, just a part OF this wonderful
picture OF the old Italy and the new
rolled into one," unused Penelope Gar
diner He is really more than life
size-slx feet four II he is an inch"
Her aunt, Mrs. Hamme'l swung
around sharply.
who? Oh, that guard? IL /, his he'll
met. my dear child, and his high heeled
boots. Wouldn't you think he'd be
ashamed to pose like that at the head
Of the grand staircasel Did you ever
zee so much gilt braid and shiny ieath-
or on one human beingT
Mrs. Hammelrs voice had executed
4 gradual crescendo, and Penelope
reached forth a protesting hand.
Don't speak SO loud, auntie, dear.
he might understand"
But the great, square shouldered fg-
ure In glttering uniform stood as im-
passive as the knight In the old Gobe-
lin tapestry before which Mrs. Ham
nell stood enraptured, tholgh she con-
tinued to crlticise the kings guard.
That's just the difference between
our soldlery and what we see abroad.
Every one of our lads holds posslbili-
ties OF doing big things. Foreign sol
oilers are mere puppets"
Penelope replied with conviction:
IL don't agree with you. That man
has the face, the bearing OF one who
will some day do things that are worth
while. He makes me think OF that tap
sstry knight setting out to fight for his
true love-
Mrs. Hammell gasped and closed her
Baedeker with a snap.
my dear Penelope. | am amazed! III
you behave this way over the first
handsome man you see In uniform,
bow will you feel by the time we have
attended a few receptions and met the
real nobility. rising young diplomats
and all that sort OF thingT
Thoroughly Disguised. | prsume,"
said Penelope coldly, land l iope we
shall not go to any receptions where
Tiny men, with waxed mustaches and
mncing steps. will look through my
backbone to daddy's newly acquired
bank account 1t Is because that man
Is so big, so strong and looks as IL he
could move heaven and earth to
achieve for the woman he loved that I
was studying him. 1t Is so seldom that
4 meet a man whom | could look up
to- ended Penelope. with Sigh for
her five feet eleven inches OF graceful
sienderness. Il was considering him
only as an abstract quantity, a hypo-
thetical man, so TO speak"
81 should hope SO" was her aunts
indignant reply. why, these special
guards OF the king are gathered In the
north OF Italy solely for their height,
the guidebook says. and no doubt he
was found grubbing In some Vretched
farm or vineyard. la New York he
would be working In the sub
Penelope turned and starteo to cross
the great throne room where through
an open window the soft Italian sun
tight beckoned to her. The martial
figure at the entrance so close to the
Gobelin tapestry had not moved the
half OF an inch, but above the gold
braid on bis collar and rising up the
peak OF his helmet was an unmi staka-
BILE flush.
Penelope paused, frozen In her tracks,
but the man looked straight ahead.
She crossed to the window. resting her
head YEARLY on her gloved hand. Her
glance travelled over the great court
yard OF the palace, while Mrs. Ham
nell completed her tour OF the tapestry
hung walls.
HE understood English-ew word
We said. How intolerably stuI- Of US.
And suntie said he probably grubbed
on a farm. No wonder these foreign.
ers think we Americans are rude. We
are so secure and snug In our igno-
rance OF their language that we cannot
believe they understand ours"
The sunlight waned, and Penelope
knew that out on the Appian way ten
der amethyst shadows were settling
Why could not her aunt be satisfied
with Rome's beautiful outdoor life, Its
drives and walks? Why must she
spend days and days 10 musty churches
and hIdeously garish palaces? She
looked back into the room. Lovely
shadows softened the gilt frames and
furniture, red and blues blended into
purple. and the uniformed figure right
faced abruptly. He had dared to
watch her as she stood thus at the
window. Well, II served her right for
talking about human beings as " they
were statues or curios.
That night she wrote In her diary:
Spent entire afternoon In the royal
palace. Tapestries remarkable. but
rather boring. Bedrooms reserved for
various royal guests reminded me OF
Waldorf Astoria. Were not permitted
heard laughter OF royal children
through folding doors, and a hurdy
gurdy playing In what must have been
the nursery. italy il a place OF disilu-
sions. The natives are learning Eng
iish. the better TO do you, my dear!"
Penelope Gardiner held of q
card at arms length and s1
critically
Its lovely. Pen ~ you ought to
charge more for your work. You could
get 1t. you know. Rich women love 10
patronize girls like you
"Who once ate or their plates. In.
stead OF painting plate cards for them
think ] viii charge Mrs. Fitch half a
dollar more for each OF these cards
They were done 10 match her Italian
villa dining room. you know"
what ! 10 know" pursued Pencil