The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-11-10
The Mysterious
Lady
1t Was a Question Whether She
Was Ghost OF Flesh
and Blood.
By F. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.
By F. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

City In the WOrlO-at any RATE. u ruIV
peans and Americans-is Rome. For
TWENTY-FIVE centuries she has been
passing through exciting scenes such
as have been but occasional with other
cities. And her changes have been
NO less remarkable There was the
austere purity Of the republic. tho
profligacy of the empire. her almost
obliteration following the many at
tacks of her enemies, the petty quar-
rels and villainies Of the middle ages.
Perhaps the most despicable period
at Rome was during the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries. Within this
period every head Of family inhabit.
ed his tower or stronghold. In which
he defended himself against every 9th
er family. There were the Orsini, the
Borgias, the Colonna and many other
clans whose business 1t was to fight,
slaughter or poison one another. Some
Of them grew rich through plumber
there was then no other way-and
built enormous palaces. where they
lived with their retaincrs in princely
style.
During visit to Rome I occupied
room In one of these palazzi0s. The
building Is very long and has been cut
up into sections by partition walls
Not that there is any regularity In
these partitions: they occur any and
everywhere, and 1t Is not easy TO tell
which ones were part Of the original
palace aud which have been built In
since. l was curious about the pile.
for though was then but twenty-five
years old had read much about medi.
eval Italy, and I knew the history Of
the house from its building. It was
erected by one Of the most villainous
Of the Roman family leaders that
nourished In the fifteenth century. A
number Of times his enemies besieged
his palace, Overcame his followers, but
could never capture him. The fox had
means Of escape that enabled him 10
20 forth q free man. though every
avenue of exit was carefully watched.
My room was on the second story
on corridor with apartments on el-
ther hand and was near one extrem-
fly. On the terminal wall was mural
picture.
Being Interested. as I have said, In
the building. one day questioned the
maid who took care Of my room
about Ito construction. The only in.
formation I elected was that none Of
tho rooms between me and the near
end Of the hall was occupied. This
may have been because the summer
season was coming on, when travellers
seek more northerly climates.
Nevertheless one morning on leaving
my room I was just In time to zee a
lady advance from this uuoccupied re-
gion. Perhaps 1t was the work Of my
imagination, perhaps some arrange
ment Of her costume borrowed from
two or three centuries agonc, but 1t
seemed to me that the lady belonged
to medieval times. There may he an.
other reason why I should have thus
considered her. the fact that I had not
expected her to come, 70 It seemed,
out Of the wall. For had not the
maid told me that none Of the rooms
from whence she came was occupied?
However. l was 20 struck With the
vision of loneliness that swept By me
that whence she came or what's her
name" occupied a comparatively small
part Of my thoughts concerning her.
I watched her TIL she reached the cen.
ter Of the corridor and passed down
the staircase. At that moment the
maid came along. with her brooma
and bucket, and I asked her about
the rooms she had told me were "a.
cant. She assured me that they were.
Slipping a couple Of lira into her
hands. I asked her to unlock them
She opened every door. and there was
nothing but the bare furniture in any
one of them. Nor was there any open.
ing or stairway leading elsewhere. In
other words. the end Of the corridor
was a complete pocket.
From whence had the lady come?
regretted that had not followed
her downstairs to see whittier she
went 1t was but Q O'Clock in the
morning. and It occurred to me tina,
che might have gone to the cafe or
the first floor for breakfast. I wen'
down there, but she was nowhere Il
Be seen She was in street costume
and had doubtless gone out.
For several days I spent all my tim
going about the city. hoping to NEE
the mysterious lady. visiting ever!
, gallery, ruin or subterrancan excavs
, don In Rome. I did not happen t
. meet her. kept an eye for her in tn
, palaxzio. both In the cafe ard cthe
!. parts OF the building where wouk
|. Be likely to meet her. My watchful
ayalled me nothing e-,cr'".,c