The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-01-13
CHAPTER VIII.

WHAT MERRlHEW FOUND.
"HE great ship had passed the isle
Of Ischia, and now the bay OF
Naples unfolded all its variant
4 beauties. Both he and Merri-
| hew were foremost in the press
against the forward rail. To the lat
ter's impressionable mind it was like
dream-yOnder, the temples and
baths of Nero Of the golden house;
thither, the palaces Of the grim Ii
berius; beyond, Pompeii, with Glau-
Gus, lone and Nydia, the blind girl
The dream picture faded, and the ie-
atty was no less fascinating-thc
white sails Of the fishermen winging
across the sapphire waters, leaving
ribboned pathways behind; proud
white pleasure yachts. great vessels
from all ports in the world, and an oc-
casional battleship, drab and stealthy.
and the hundred pink and white vii
lagos, the jade and amethyst of the
| islands. the ruined temples, the grim
giant ash heap Of Vesuvius
See that village on the cliffs to-
wal tHC South dShSu iAhiui VI
That's Sorrento, where l was born.
Sh! Look at Giovanni"
Merrihew looked at the old Roman.
Tears were running down his cheeks,
and his gaze Strove 10 pierce the dis
ltance to the faroff Sabine bills. Italy.
Hillard leaned over and touched him
on the arm, and he started.
"Take care, Giovanni"
"Pardon! | SIN weak this day, but
tomorrow | shall be strong. Seven
years! Have you not longed for it
yourself? Has not your heart gone out
many times across the seas to those
cliffs" pointing to Sorrento.
"Manv times. Giovanni But remem-
Der and control yourself. Presently
the carabinieri will come on board
You will see that all our luggage goes
promptly to the Bristol once we are
through the customs"
'Trust me. signor."
They landed at the custom house at
2 in the afternoon and passed without
any difficulty.
Hillard obtained rooms pleasantly
situated looking out upon the spar
king bay. Giovanni began at once to
unpack the trunks, happy enough to
have something to occupy him till aft
er dark. when he determined to ven
ture forth. The dreaded carabinieri
had paid him not the slightest atten-
ton. SO far he was as safe as though
he We're 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 checked
cabby who answered to the name Of
TomassO or Tomass, as the Neapoli-
tans generally drop the finals. He
carried bright red lap robe and blan-
ket spoke little English ard was
very proud OF the accomplishment
He was rather disappointed however.
when Hillard bargained with him in
his own tongue Tomass shook his
fingers under Hillard's nose, and Hill
lard returned the compliment Finally
TOmass compromised on I Ira 80 cen
tesimi go cents per hour. with so
centisimi 40 cents as pourbOire
(tip). Crack. crack. Down the hill
they went. as II a thousand devils
were after them.
"By George" gasped Merrihpw.
clutching his seat, 'the fool will break
our necks.'
Tomass grinned and cracked his
whip. He did not understand the
word slowly in his own tongue or in
any other, ut least not till he reached
the shops A dozen times on the Via
Roma Merrihew yelled that they
would lose a wheel. But Tomass
knew the game.
Merrihew had never seen such
shops. Coral, coral wherever the eye
roamed-where did they get it all,
and to whom did they sell it? Neck
faces, tiaras. rings, brooches, carved and
uncarved-were there Women enough
In the world to buy these things?
IF had a wife, he began.
"Well?
I'D feel devilish sorry for her hus-
band ut this moment"
But isn't the color great?" said Hill
lard. 1t was good to be in Naples
again.