The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-29

bits and deeds foreign to our age. lend 1t charm that makes 1t without doubt CT. whatever the judgment of literary professionalism may be- Not that even the most technical and analytical judgment can or does decry the merit of "Romola." It is one Of the great novels of the world. Its literary style is high. Its depletion of charcater is rnasterly. Like most historical nov elfsts, the author takes liberties with history; but they are the liberties of one who knows history--in which she diners somewhat strikingly from the mass of the historical novel school
 On a morning in the midspripg of 14s2 the hop of Neilo. the learned bar Der of Florence, was filled as usual with the notabiIities who gathered there partly to enjoy the clever min istrations of the owner and mostly Go gossip with each other. when a stran- ger was brought in by Neilo and fn- troduced as a young Creek who had been shipwreched on his way from the far Orient.
 "This young man has unlimited Greek, Latin or Italian ct your ser vice." said the barber, and has lost . store Of precious manuscript that might have contributed some correct ness even to your correct editions, Domenieo Cennini, and I have told him that you would advance money on them"
 Domsnico csnnini. son of the Bern ardo Cennini who had introduced the new German printing process into Florence some years before. looked with slow, grave eyes on the young
 aTiso Melenns Is ny name" said the Greek. slipping of great onyx ring and presenting it, sT would pray you to hold the ring tiII can redeem 1t. which I will do as soon as can sell other gems that I have about me"
 He took q case from his tunic. s'These are curious and valuable in- tagiios, young man" said Cennini. ssThey are worth c mans ransom"
 Tito gave q start at the words and looked sharply at the printer but recovered himself immediately, realiz- ing that the words were used merely in the commonplace meaning of the phrase.
 Meantime Piero di Cosima, the ia nous and eccentric painter. had kept his eyes fixed on the young 0resk. Now he said abruptly:
 ssYoung man, am painting picture of simon deceiving old Priarn, and I should be glad of your face for my simon If you would give me . sit- ting"
 Tito Melema started again and look ed around with pale astonishment- His answer if he intended to make any. was Anticipated by Nelio. who burst into half-angry, half humorous ti- rads against the artist.
 s.NelIo," said Piero, If thy tongue could leave of its everlasting chipping thou couldat see that the face of Measer will suit my traitor, because q perfect traitor should have face which vice can write no fnarks cFi--- Nns that will lie with a dinpied smile --eyea of such agate like brightness and depth that no infamy can dull thsfrf---cheeIxs that will not look hag- young man is a traitor I mean he has the face that would make him q most perfect traitor if he had the heart of one"
 Here Cennini interrupted and asked Tito to follow him, much to the Greeks relief. Demenico's brother Pietro was no less impressed with the value of The rerne. and after showing them to some of the great patrons of art they were able to pay Tito the sum, inn- nense in those days, of live hundred golden fiorins. ..
 when he was alone with his wealth the Greek looked at the shining pile of gold with the smile slowly dying out of his face. "A mans ransom? The three words came again and again to his ears. If now, under the midday sun, on some hot coast far away man stricken in years--a man with high thoughts and a most passionate heart---a man who had rescued little boy from beggary, filth and wrong many years ago and reared him ten derly and been to him a father-if that man were now under this summer sun and toilinE as a slave, hewing wood and drawing water, perhaps be- ing smitten and buffeted because he was not young and active? If he were saying to himself: Tito will ma me. He has but to carry my manuscripts and gems to Venice to raise my ran som. and he will never rest till he rescues mel''
 sof course" thought Tito T would risk myself for his sake if 1t Were cer- tain that he is In captivity" fee nothing could be further from cer- tainty. All that was known was that his gaiiey has been taken by Turkish vessel bound for Delos. What kind of a aeArch would this not be? He would most probably find himself seized or spend all the florins without result and be a destitute wanderer again with no more gems to sell.
 Surely, thought he, 1t would be an iniusttce that one should turn his back on wealth and promised distinction in his rfpe youth. And still," said he to himself, Eff l were certain that BaIdassarre Calvo were alive l would free him, whatever might be the exer- tions and the perils."
 The next day Tito invested the florins. By that step he chose his coIor In the game. He made it impos- sibIe that he should not thenceforth desire that 1t were true that his foster father were dead All the little riiis of selfishness that had hitherto mean deYed harmIessly enough through his sunny, laughing nature, were united by that one act and made one great stream that cut an abiding channel
 The joyous, handsome, clever Greek had fallen Into a pleasant place Florence, proud of her learning, proud of her reputation as patron city of the arts and sciences. did not wait to be courted by the learned but sought them. A city in which even the street peddlers quoted the classical poets and discoursed in the technical terms or art was quick to hold out hospitable hands to such an interesting parsonage as a young master of the classics. who had been wrecked after a hazardous and wonderful voyage during which he had seen Athens and other places sacred to learning that were sealed to all Europeans then by the Turks whose conquering flood was rolling westward nightly.
 Among those who welcomed him was Bardo de Bardi. of the great Floren- tine family that had been among the