The Somerset reporter., 1907-05-30
Old WOrId
And NezV.
49,. By ". S. ODLIN.

AsS$S1SS>>SS>S>1S>S SS>>SS&I
HE looks as if he were one of the
statues, just 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-six feet four if he is an inch"
Her aunt, Mrs. Hammell, swung
around sharply.
Who? Oh, that guard? 1t is his bel
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 staircasef Did you ever
see SO much gilt braid and shiny leath
et ~. che human being?"
Mrs. Hammelfs voice had executed
a gradual crescendo. and Penelope
reached forth protesting hand.
Don't speak SO loud, auntie, dear.
He might understand"
But the great, square shouldered fig
ure in glittering uniform stood as inn
passive as the knight in the old Gobe-
lin tapestry before which Mrs. Ham
nell stood enraptured, though she con-
tinucd to crticise the kings guard.
That's Just the difference between
our soldery and what we see abroad.
Every one of our lads holds possibli-
ties of doing big things. Foreign SOL
ders are mere puppets"
Penelope replied with conviction:
81 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
estry knight, setting out to fight for bis
true love"
Mrs. Hammell gasped and closed her
Baedeker with a snap.
my dear Penelope am amazed. If
You behave this way over the first
handsome man you see in uniform
how 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 thlng2"
Thoroughly disguised. presume"
said Penelope coldly. land | hope we
shall not go to any receptions where
tiny men, with waxed mustachos and
mincing 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 If he
could move heaven and earth to
achieve for the woman he loved that
was studying him. 1t Is so seldom that
| meet a man whom | could look up
to-" ended Penelope, with sigh for
her five feet eleven inches of graceful
slenderness. 81 was considering him
only as an abstract quantity, hypo-
thetCal man, SO to speak
Il should hope So. WIS her aunt's
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 grubbng In some wretched
farm or vineyard. In New York he
would be working in the subway"
Penelope turned and started to cross
the great throne room where through
an open window the soft italian sun
light 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 his collar and rising up the
peak OF his helmet was an unmistaka-
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 Engllsh-every word
we said. How intolerably stupid of us.
And auntie 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, It's
drives and walks? Why must she
bpeHu udyS anu udJ rs III luusty CuuICues
and hideously garish palaces2 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, it served her right for
talking about human beings as If 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. We're not permitted
to enter royal suit, of course, but
heard laughter of royal children
through folding doors. and a hurdy
gurdy playing in what must have been
the nursery. Italy Is place of disillu-
sions The natives are learning Eng
fish the better TO doryou my dear" o