The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-01-19
A ROMAN
COMEDY
An American Girl Is the
Heroine, but There
Is No Hero
By F. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Il
in Rome, smoking cigarettes and
drinking the wine of the country.
They were both descended from fami-
lies that had been prominent several
centuries ago, the one from Barbarini,
the other from the Sforza. Count Leo
Barbarini was speaking to Prince Bru-
nelli Sforza.
$50 the fair American has refused
you too"
"She has" snapped the prince
"You do not seem well pleased with
your failure"
Were you pleased with yoursT
"Oh. there are more of these Amer
lean fish as good as any that were
ever caught in the sea. | shall try
again elsewhere"
~ would like" replied Prince Sfor-
IN, "to palm off upon her some low
born man as prince with a fortune"
at would require at least thousand
Ira even to dress him"
II can borrow that much
And | can raise thousand more.
We can place his estates In some In
accessible country"
"Goodr' laughed the prince. Your
suggestions are admirable. Shall we
really try it?"
by all means"
Soon after this interview 1t was In
/timated to Miss Evaline Henderson Of
Idaho, U. S. A., that Prince Gregorlo
Colonna desired to be presented to
her. The Colonna family was al
ready known to Miss Henderson as
one Of the two great factions-the
Colonna and the Orsini-that dominat-
ed Rome during the middle ages. She
had not come to the Eternal City with
out preparing herself by historical
reading to enjoy its antiquities and
was curious to see lineal descendant
Of family that had taken so great
part in past struggles between the
holy Roman empire and the papacy.
She therefore received Prince Colonna
graciously.
FRINGE Gregorio had been selected to
play his part more from his personal
appearance than his intellect or edu-
cation, though he was really above his
business, which was that of waiter at
hotel at Frascatti. He was tall, mas
sive and solemn as the column stand
ing In the piazza named for his Sup
posed ancestors beside the Corso In
Rome. His hair was combed straight
up from his forehead, and his mus
tache was elevated from the line
Of his lips at an angle of forty-fve
degrees. His estates had been near
away, he had invested money In ST.
berian mines that had made him rich.
The only means he had of palmlng
himself off as real Colonna was the
1000 Ira furnished by Count Barba-
RIM and Prince Sforza, the reading OF
a brief history of his ancestors and
these Siberian mines, which were not
likely to be hunted up by Miss Hen
derson. But his chief attraction was
his personnel. No American can visit
Italy without being impressed with
the solemn grandeur Of some of their
knights of the napkin whose battle
ground Is the restaurant and whose
fortunes consist Of American tips.
Prince Colonna was one of the most
magnificent of these.
Now, the American girl Is regarded
all over Europe as wonder. Euro
peans are used to their own girls. who
are guarded till after their marriage
and must then endeayor to throw off
that want Of familiarity with the
world to which they had been there
tofore doomed. The American girl be-
gins to use her wings almost from the
crib. Miss Henderson was as well
able to take care Of herself as a corps
Of guardians and duennas could have
taken care Of her.
The day after the presentation Hen
ry Blackwelder young man from
South Dakota, who raised wheat
enough In one season to fill half
dozen elevators, came to Rome for the
purpose of getting from Miss Hender-
son a reply to q suit Of several years
standing. He came at a very inoppor
tune time. Prince Calonna had just
appeared on the scene and had evil
IDENTIFY been very much struck with
Miss Henderson. Mr.. Blackwelder
could not make out whether Miss Hen
Gregorio's historical name or whether
she was laughing at him. The prince
had the good taste never to mention
his family glory unless compelled to
do so. When Blackwelder and Colon
ma and Miss Henderson were together
the latter expatiated to the American
on the marvellous deeds of the Colon.
mas of old, showing a remarkable ia
millarlty with them-indeed, familiar
ity which at times would startle the
prince himself, especially when she
gave the names of five Colonnas he
had not met with in his historical stud.
ies, who had been hanged before the
castle Of ST. Angelo.
Nothing will so fret man, especially
a man in love, as uncertainty. If Miss
Henderson had announced her inten-
ton to buy her way In among the Co
lonnas or If she had openly made fun
of the prince Blackwelder would have
settled down to his fate, whatever 1t
was. Unfortunately she seemed to be
wavering between the two. The only
To Keep Young.
Think that you are young. On your