The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-11-17
His Italian
Friend
A Peculiar Experience of an
American In Rome
BY F. A. mitchell
By F. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

ClatlOV, I'LL. I
O..s-s-s-e-e-s-s-s-s-s-s-s
In the Piazza Colonna at Rome Is an
Italian restaurant the principal part
Of which Is on the sidewalk. A couple
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, rs the
names indicate.
Park purported to live in Chicago,
hut had become fascinated with Rome
ami lived there most of the time. The
Eternal City Is not only attractive in
itself, but from its historic assoeia-
tions, the ruins of its ancient edifices
and the abundant curiosities constant
ly being deposited in its museums.
Park had become interested in Roman
archaeology and had no eyes or ears
tAcept for Rome.
Bert" said Giovanni Sforza, "a
friend eft mine saw you when YOU
we're driving ut on the Appian way
the other day and has asked me TO
bring you TO see her"
Il have no time to make visits" re
Piled the other, slipping glass of wine
from table before him.
"One would think that you are In
your Chicago, where time is money. in.
stead of an Italian city, where time IL
pleasure. What have you to do?"
Tomorrow | go out with an archae.
ologist TO be present at the opening of
some Tuscan graves 2,400 years old.
Thursday | am to go down the Tiber
to point where 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. | am quite
sure you will be free on Sunday. and
! have made an appointment for you
to visit the charmer who. | am quite
sure, will give you a new object to
absorb you"
$50 be it, Giovanni. You have done
SO much for me since / have been In
Rome that | cannot refuse you. 1t is
true that time for you Italians Is only
for pleasure. wonder how you all
live. have never seen you, my friend,
do stroke of work do not believe
you own any property from which to
draw an income, and yet you always
appear to be plentifully supplied with
money"
"Never mind how | live, my dear
fellow. We Italians have a 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 wish to caution you
against revealing to her that / have
told you of her request to bring you
~ would surely not be so maladroit
as that" was the reply, and the two
men, rising, turned into the Corso and
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.
A 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, Il am wor-
ried about this woman to whom you
have introduced me. | can't make her
out. Her name is Italian, and she
speaks Italian beautifully with that
melodious 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
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 1t 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 Tor
a time without reply. then said:
"She has bewitched me"
''Indeed. That means you think OF
marrying her That would advise
YOU not to do without learning more
about her"
"How can | do that"
"There Is an adage, "A woman Is
known by her clothes If you conld
get sight of the Signorina Polfs ward
robe YOU would know all about her"
But I can't go spying into her
closets. Besides. what opportunity have
to do so?''
"As to any mans right to obtain
a knowledge of one he suspects OF
deceiving him have no doubt; as
to spying on woman one suspects
and whom one thinks of making a
partner for life he who is squeamish
is a fool. There is plenty OF oppor'
tunity for you to gain access to your
ladyloye's wardrobe You need only
to call when she is not at home, tell
the servant you will wait for her ana
when left alone make the inspection
If there Is nothing to be learned the
doors will be left open to you; II tnere
is much to be learned you VIII hnu
them locked"
You speak as one Of experience ID
such matters. II / did not know you
to be above such profession wouio