Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-04
CHAPTER vIII-continued.)

city it was, The cries of the hawk
ers, the opportunities of the guides,
the vendors and cabmen, the whining
beggars; the clatter OF horses and
carriages and carts; strolling singers,
goats with tinkling bells, the barking
of outcast dogs, and the brawling Of
children, hundreds upon hundreds OF
children! Merrihew grew dizzy try
Ing to absorb the whole canvas at
once. How the sturdy little campagna
ponies ran up and down the narrow
winding streets! Crack crack! went
the drivers lash. 1t possessed Ian
guage all its own. 1t called, it warn
ed at the turning of the corners, it
greeted friends, it hurled curses at
rivals. Crack-crack! till Merrihew's
ears ached. 1t was all very crowded
and noisy till they reached the upper
terrace of the Corso Vittorio; then
pleasing.
Their rooms were pleasantly situat
ed, looking out upon the sparkling
bay. Giovanni began at once to I'M
pack the trunks, happy enough to
have something to occupy him till aft
er dark, when he determined to ven.
ture forth. The dreaded carabinieci
had paid him not the slightest atten
ton; so far he was as safe as though
he were in New York.
1t was yet so early in the day that
the two young men sailed forth in
quest of light adventure. Besides,
Merrihew was very eager to find some
Roman and Florence newspapers. The
American Comic Opera company was
somewhere north They found sta
toned outside the hotel a rosy-cheek-
ed cabby who answered to the name
of Tomasso, or Tomas, as the Nea-
politans generally drop the finals. He
carried a bright red lap robe and
blanket, spoke little English, and
was very proud of the accomplish
ment He was rather disappointed,
however, when Hillard bargained with
him in his own tongue. He saw at
once that there would be no impos-
ing on the young Americana. The two
harangued for a while, on general
principles. Twice words rose SO high
that Merrihew thought they were
about to come to blows. Tomas
shook his fingers under billiards. nose
and Hillard returned the compliment,
Finally Tomass' compromised on one
lira-fifty per hour, with fifty centesimi
pourboire. Crack-crack! Down tho
hill they went, as if thousand devils
were after them.
s'By George!" gasped Merrihew,
elutching his seat; "the fool will
break our necks!!"
"They are always like this" laugh
ed Hillard. Slowly, slowly he
called.
Tomas grinned and cracked his
whip He did not understand the
word slowly in his own tongue or in
any other; at least, not till he reach
ed the shops. 1t was business to so
slowly there. A dozen times, on the
Via Roma, Merrihew yelled that they
would lose wheel But Tomass
knew the game. A man on foot could
not have eluded collisions more skill
fully Merrihew never saw such driV-
ing.
Nor had he ever seen such. shops.
Coral, coral, wherever the eye roam
ed Where did they get it all and TO
whom did they sell it? Necklaces,
tiaras, rings, brooches, carved and IN
carved; were there women enough in
the world to buy these things?
ssIf had wife =" he began.
1sWell?'
I'D feel devilish sorry for her hus.
band at this moment"
"But isn't the color great?" said
Hillard. 1t was good to be in Naples
again.
Indeed, on sunny afternoon, the
traveller will find no other street Of
fering such a kaleidoscope Of luxur
liant colors as the Via Roma of Naples.
Behold the greens, the flowers, the
cheeses, the shining fish, the bake
stuffs, the silver and goldsmiths, the
milliners, the curio-dens! And the
people! Dark eyed beauties on foot
or driving, handsome bearded men,
monks, friars, priests, an archbishop
in his splendid carriage, duke driv-
ing tandem, nuns, and children. AMI
uniforms as thick as peoples in II
wheat field. Officers rode past in their
light blue capes, their gold and scar
let braids and polished scabbards; the
foot.soldiers with their flowing green
cock-feathers, policemen with their
short swords, the tall and dignified
carabinieri (always in pairs) with
their cooked hats and crimson POM
pons towering above the sea of hats
It seemed to Merrihew that a rain
bow had been captured and trained
accordingly.
II never saw so many kids" he OBJ
served; 80 many dirty ones" he add
ed. "Herod would have had his work
cut out for him here. Now, where can
we get some newspapers? I must
know where she Is
presently" said -Iillard The
Piazza del Martiri," he directed
Tomas. Then he turned to Merri-
hew solemnly. my boy, if you are to
travel with me, beware of the
Tauchnitz edition"
whats that?'
cts good reading in paper covers
1t is easier to sit in the hotel all day
and read Tauchnitz than it is to tramp
through churches and galleries and
museums"
mo Tauchnitz; l promise" And
Every Woman Will Be Interested.
II you will send your name and ad-