Democratic messenger., 1911-02-11
The Mysterious
Lady
1t Was a Question Whether She
Was Ghost or Flesh
and Blood.
BY +. A. mitchell
Copyright by american Press Asso-
ciation. 1911.

Undoubtedly the most interesting
city In the world-at any rate. to Euro
peans and Amcricans-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
austerc purity of the republic, the
proiiigacy of the empire. her almost
obliterntion following the many at-
tacks of her enemies. the petty quar-
rels and villainies of the middle ages.
Perhaps the most dcspicable period
ut Rome was during the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries. Within this
period every head of n 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 It was to fight,
slaughter or poison one another. Some
of them grew rich through plunder--
there was then no other way-and
built enormous palaces. where they
lived with their retainers In princeiy
style.
During visit to Rome occupied
room In one OF these palazzios. The
building IL 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 It is not easy 10 tell
which ones were a part of the original
palace and which have been built In
since. was curious about the pile.
for though ! was then but twenty five
years old had read much about medi
eval Italy. and | knew the history Of
the house from its building. II was
erected by one Of the most villainous
of the Roman family leaders that
flourishcd In the fifteenth century. A
number OF times his enemies besieged
his palace. Ovcrcame his followers. but
could never capture him. The fox had
means of escape that enabled him TO
20 forth free man, though every
avenue of exit was carefully watched
My room was on the second story
ON n corridor with apartments on ei-
ther hand and was near one extrem.
ity. On the terminal wall was mural
picture.
Being interested, as | have said. in
the building. one day questioned the
maid who took care of my room
about its construction. The only In
formation elected was that none OF
the 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 ! was just In time to see n
lady advance from this unoccupied re.
gion. Perhaps Il was the work of my
Imagination. perhaps some arrange
mcnt Of her costume borrowed from
two or three centuries agone. but II
seemed 10 me that the lady belonged
to medieval times. There may be an.
other reason why ! should have thus
considered her. the fact that | had not
expected her TO come, go II seemed,
out of the wall. For had not the
maid told me that none of the rooms
from whence she came was occupied:
However. | was so struck with the
vision of loveliness that swept by me
that whence she came or what's her
name" occupied comparatively small
part of my thoughts concerning her
] watched her i2l she reached the cen
ter Of the corridor and passed down
the staircase. At that moment the
maid came along. with her brooms
and bucket. and asked her about
the rooms she had told me were va
cant She assured me that they were
Slipping couple of Ira into her
hands. asked her to unlock them
She opened every door. and there was
one Of them. Nor was there any opens
Ing or stairway leading elsewhere. In
other words. the end OF the corridor
was complete pocket.
From whence had the lady come?
regretted that | had not followed
her downstairs To see whittier she
went. II was but 0 o'clock In the
morning. aiM Il occurred to me that
she might have gone TO the cafe on
the first floor for breakfast went
down there. but she was nowhere to
he seen. She was In street costume
and had doubtless gone ont
For several days | spent all my time
going about the city, hoping TO meet
the mysterious lady. visiting every
gallery. ruin or subterrnnean excava-
tion In Rome ! did not happen "a
meet her. kept an eye for her In the
palazzio, both In the cafe and other
parts of the building where I would
he likely to meet her My watchful-
ness nvalled me nothing experienc.
ed n strange sinking about the heart
at thinking she might have loft Rome.
Then one evening. ascending the
staircase In the palazzio, I started
down the corridor. No lights had yet
been lii. and objects were very dim.
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