Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-25
CHAPTER XIX.


low. windinp river. cleaning fitfully in
the sun: compact city in valley,
n CITY of red-tiled roofs, of domes and
towers and palaces, of ruined, ivy
grown walls and battlements; shades
.nf Michelangelo and Dante and
Machiaveili, the Borgias and the
Medicis: Florence, the city of flow
ers.
Upon a hill, perhaps three miles to
the northeast of the city, stood the an
Client Etruscan town of Fiesole. The
fiat white road which passes through
the heart of the village leads into the
mountains beyond. Here one sees an
OCCASIONAL villa, surrounded by high
walls of stone, plastered in white or
mink. half hidden in roses, great
hloomy, sweet-scented roses, which OF
their quality and abundance rule the
kingdom Of flowers, as Florence once
ruled the kingdom of art and learn
ing.
The Villa Ariadne rested upon a
small knoll half a mile or more north
of and above Fiesole, from which the
< panoramic beauty of Florence was 10
be seen at all times, glistenlng IN the
sun, glowing in the sun, glowing IN
the rain, sparkling in the night. A ter
race reached to the very frontal walls,
which we're twelve feet above the ROAD.
On the other side of the road swept
down abruptly a precipitous raVine,
dangerous to careless riders. small
stream dashed north, twisted, ana
aoined the Mugnone,, which in turn
emptied into the drab waters OF the
Arno. d.
The villa was white and cool in the
shade of dark expresses and benches
and pink blossomed horse chestunts.
There were beds and gardens OF now
ers, and behind the villa forest
spread out and upward to the very
top of the overhanging mountain Inc
gates and the porter's lodge were at
the end of the confines nearest Fle-
sole. The old gardener and his Wl1e
lived in the lodge, earning an extra
lire now and then by escorting tour
lists through the park and exhibiting
the Della Robias, the Hadrian mosaic
the fountain by Donatello, and some
aneique marbles. supposed to nave
been restored by Michelangelo. he
never permitted anyone to touch these
glories. Periodically the agents OF the
government paid visit to ascertain
: that none of these treasures had been
sold or removed. The old gardener
spoke some English.
Life ran smoothly enough at the
Villa Ariadne. La Signorina, at the
very last moment. surrendered to the
entreaties of Kitty. She agreed not to
pass herself off as the princess. SO
thew occupied the villa pleasurably
and in safety. The police, as pre-
scribed by law, made two visits and
had gone away satisfied that, how
ever odd they might be, the temper
airy tenants were proper persons.
Among themselves each played the
role originally assigned 1t was lnno-
cent fun now, and La Signorina seem
ed to enjoy the farce as much as any
one 1t was a great temptation not to
prowl around the forbidden rooms,
not to steal a look into the marvellous
chests and sideboards. bullying as they
knew with priceless glass and silver
and linen and laces. But La Signorina
each day inspected the seals and Ut
tered solemn warnings.
There was only one in this strange
medley of persons who was not con-
tented with his lot, who cared not II
the letter from home never came at
all. and this person was Worth. To set
down the trouble briefly, he was des-
perately in love with La Signorina;
and the knowledge of how hopeless
this passion was, together with the
frequent efforts he had put forth to
repress the ardent declaration, were
making him taciturn and solitary. La
Signorina never went down to Flor
ence, not even to Fiesole: so Worth
never joined his companions when
they took pleasant excursions into the
city.
AS one fences in the dark. instinc
lively, SO she kept him a foil's length
away. Yet she would have been glad
had he spoken; she could have 81
fenced him effectually then. 1t was
rather nerve-racl1ing to wait for this
unwelcome declaration day by day.
They had lived now in the Villa
Ariadne for two weeks. careless
thoughtless, happy-go-lucky family
The gossips might have looked askancc
at them; but La Signorina would moi
have cared and the others would no.
have thought.
Every afternoon at o'clock O'Mal
ly and the ancient gardener would
get together and give each other les
sons, the one in English and the 9th
err in Italian When this was done, {
small flask Of Chianti was forthcom
ing, and the old man enjoyed himsel
as he hadn't done since his youth; ;
pipe of good tobacco and two glasse!
of Chianti. 1t was enough for an
reasonable man. He never inquired
where the wine came from; sufficien
1t was to him that it came at all. Ant
O'Mally saw no reason for discover
ing its source: in fact, he admired
Pietros reticence. For. like blanche
in the immortal Three Musketeers
O'Mallv had done some neat fishin
through one of the cellar windows
Through the broken pane Of glass h
could see bin upon bin of dust-covel
ed bottles, Burgundy. claret SAT-
terne, champagne. and no end of co,
dials, prime vintages every one c
them. And here they were. useless t
any one, turning into jelly from oil
age. It was sad 1t was more tina