Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-12-28
A LONG TIME
PURCHASE
BY ARNOLD HATHAWAY
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
ASSOcia ion.
BY ARNOLD HATHAWAY

The Piazza del Eenetzia is my ia
vorite abiding place when | am in
Rome. The reason of this is that it is
the most stirring part of the Eternal
City. Above the piazza is the Capt.
toline hill. on which y state building is
being erected and from which extends
the Corso Unbrrto the main shopping
point every afternoon to go down
the (OrsO to one of the sidewalk res
taurantS and drink I'r3scatt wine.
| WAS sitting one afternoon on the
sidewalk in he Piazza ColOnna. Just
off the Corso, when Il young officer
and II Young girl took Il seat ut Il table
near by. speak and understand the
Italian language tolerably we'll. and it
was NOT long before | caught the word
Americana. The man was talking
about The Americans who frequent
Rome in such lnr2c numbers. inyeigh-
ing against the manner in which they
denoraliZc the trndesW'oplc and serv-
ants by their lavish expenditure of
money. Officers of the Italian army
are from he upper Glasses. and this
young man WAS Of II refined type. The
girl he was with WAS of tho same
class. tastcf,lly dressed and pretty.
My admiration was especially excited
by hcr splendid hair, which was coled
of ancient Rome.
The lady was |:lnlrn.',.@ that her
family must remove FROM the home
they had long occupied, owing to the
rise in rents She wlS :ISo telling her
companion. who. | Judged. was her
fiance. that she needed Il sum of mon
ey. without which some trouble or in
convenience would As.crGr The young
man WAS Inlnrl,tiny his inability to
furnish, the amount having not hing
but his, pay in The army. which is Snl;, II
enough, indeed could not but feel
the in. Justice of my having several
times the income | could spend. while
these poor Young people were in dies
perH'e straits for Il few hundred
francs. and what disturbed me- more
was that convent ional barrier which,
prevented my giving them the amount
they needed. a matter which would
have conferred upon me us m,tc,
pleasure as Oh them.
They arose and went away without
knowing that their structures on Amer
leans had been overheard by an Amer
lean and that they had not moduIatetl
their voices sufficiently to prevent my
getting Il vague idea of their necesSi-
ties. AS they departed the officer said
pleadingly. ''lf you do it will break my
heart" to which the girl responded.
''1f do not | fear my mother will
die"
The very next day met the same
young lady on the Corso On her face
was a sad but determined expression.
Without any definite purpose turned
and walked in the same direction as
she. Presently | saw her turn into a
shop. in whose windows were won-
ems switches. wigs and cosmetics.
could look through the glass and see
the girl in conversation with the pro
prietor She removed her hat and let
down her hair 1t was the most mag.
ni6cent display | ever saw-very thick
and reaching to the floor. The pro
prietor was inspecting it,
The meaning of the words of the
officer who had been with her the day
hySno u
heart"-was now apparent to me. She
| was about to raise the needed funds
by parting with her hair sauntered
into the shop. The proprietor motion.
ed me to seat while he bargained
with the girl. Presently | heard him
say:
1T is too valuable for ME to buy
| just now. when l am short of funds
Come in at another time
Does the senorina wish to sell her
hair?" I asked. My wife is looking
for Il SWITCH
Eyes. senior: she would sell it,
IL would buy it. but my wife is not
in Rome. and I prefer not to 0Wn it
| until her arrival. But if the senorina
will make Il contract for it | will pur.
| chase it now"
The lady WAS interested and said
| that the goods could be delivered
whenever wished. whereupon took
the proprietor aside. asked him what
| the hair was worth and told him to
offer on my behalf double the amount
1t WAS accepted with delight. and the
! lady asked when and where ] would