Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-18
The Argus Daily Story
His Italian Friendly T. A. Mitchell
Copyrighted 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau.

OF hundred feet distant, in the center
of the piazza, towers a column erected
In the days Of the ancient Romans.
In the shadow OF this column one
afternoon sat two gentlemen. Giovanni
Sforza and Albert Park, the former an
Italian, the latter an American, as the
names indicate.
Park purported to live in Chicago.
but had become fascinated with Rome
and lived there most Of the time. This
Eternal City Is not only attractive in
itself, but from its historic associa-
lions. the ruins of its ancient edihceS
and the abundant curiosiues constant
ly being deposited in its museums.
Park had become interested in Roman
archaeology and had no eyes or ears
except for Rome.
Bert" said Giovanni Sforza, "a
friend of mine saw you when you
were driving out on the Appian way
the other day and has asked me 10
bring you TO see her"
II have no time to make visits" re-
piled the other, slipping u glass of wine
from a table before him.
zone would think that you are in
your Chicago. where time is money. in
stead of an Italian city. where time is
pleasure. What have you to doT''
Tomorrow L so out with an archaic
ologist to be present at the opening of
some Tuscan graves 2.400 years old.
Thursday 1 am TO so down the Tiber
to a point where a vessel some seven
teen centuries ago, loaded with am
phorae containing wine, was wrecked,
and L expect to secure at least one
amphora for myself. On Saturday,
Never mind Saturday. l am quite
sure you Will be free on Sunday. and
/ have made an appointment for you
TO -isit the charmer who, I am quite
sure, viii give you a new object to
absorb YOU
so be 1t, Giovanni. You have done
so much for me since l have been in
Rome that I cannot refuse you. II is
true that time for you Italians is only
for pleasure. I wonder how you all
live. have never seen you, my friend,
do a stroke Of work. / do not believe
you own any property from which TO
draw an income. and yet you always
appear TO be plentifuily supplied with
money"
Never mind how I live, my dear
/ fellow. We Italians have knack of
getting what we need without break
ing down our health as the Americans
do. Before l take you to call upon
Signorina Poll l wish to caution you
against revealing to her that l have
/ told you of her request to bring you"
II would surely not be so maladroit
as that" was the reply, and the two
men. rising. turned into the CorSo ard
sauntered toward the CapitOline hill.
Meeting on the way an officer of the
carabinieri, SforZa exchanged a mean
ing glance with him, which his com
panion did not notice.
month after this meeting between
/ the two friends they sat again over a
/ liter OF wine in the shadow of the
! COlonna column.
Giovanni said Park, 81 am wor-
/ ried about this woman to whom you
have introduced me. l can't make her
out. Her name is Italian, and she
| speaks Italian beautifully with that
meIodious voice Of hers. but doubt II
any Italian blood runs in her veins"
"What is that to your
There was no reply to this. only a
nervous lingering Of the stem of Parks
glass, and Sforza continued:
when l introduced you to Signorina
Poll you had no time TO make visits,
spending it all in archaeology. Now
you have no time for archaeology.
spending it all in visits. Moreover.
your visits are made exclusively upon
Signorina Poll"
Park went on lingering his glass for
Z q fIt,a v-i4B11rt tbau GaiH.
"She has bcwitchcd me"
Indeed That means you think OF
marrying her. That l would advise
you not to do without learning more
about her"
How can I do thatP'
"There IS an adage, 4 woman IS
known by her clothes II you could
get sight of the SignOrina Polls ward
robe you would know all about her"
but / can't go spying into her
closets. Besides, what opportunity have
to do so?'
AS to any mans right 70 obtain
Il knowledge of one he suspects OF
deceiving him I have no doubt; as
to spying on a woman one suspects
and whom one thinks OF making q
partner for life he who Is squeamish
is a fool. There is plenty Of oppor-
tunity for you to gain access 10 your
ladyIoVe's wardrobe. You need only
TO call when she IS not at home. tell
the servant you will wait for her and
when left alone make the inspection.
If there IS nothing 10 be learned the
doors will be left open TO you; If there
is much 10 be learned you viii ind
them locked"
You speak as one OF experience in
such matters. IF I did not know you
to be above such a profession / would
think you ware n detective"
SforZa smiled and said that the Ttal-
ian race were used TO chicaneTy Tt
had been in the blood ever since the
days of Julius Caesar and had bloom
81 In the Borgias. "You Americans"
he added. we consider very stupid 81
anything involving duPIicity. You tell
q person everything and are surprised