The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1912-05-16
Singular
Wooiing
Bv STEPHEN DELANO

said. There are three of us women
here-mother, Aunt Sarah and land
not a man. There is no fun for US to
go tranping about seeing sights by
ourselves Besides. its very incOn
venient Here Italians fleece US at
every turn Why, cabman yesterday
followed me into my pension for pour
boir "a tipl after charging me double
price, and. since he couldn't speak any
English. | couldn't argue with him
Finally | shouted Ell Renal! (the
QUEEN. and the man ran downstairs
so fast | thought he would break his
neck. l suppose he thought | had in
duence at court
Kate is jolly girl and laughed
heartily at her own inventive genius.
II say" she went on, I've made a.
mash-an Italian He follows me ev-
erywhere. These Italians act just as
they did in Dante's time-Ogle and
sigh and do all manner of ridiculous
things, thinking that's the way to win
a woman. What are you going to do
tomorrow"
'See sights"
Were going down to Pompeii. Will
you go with us?"
Certainly"
Every well. Well all leave here to
gether at 10 sharp There's train at
1890"
| The next day when we left the train
at Pompeii and walked to the entrance
of the exhumed city we were ap-,
preached by half dozen guides.
did the bargaining for the service they
offered and chose one whose appear
ance was far more respectable than
| any of the others He was very hum
BILE, however. and agreed to pilot us
| for a ridiculously low price. AS we
started off. the guide leading the way.
Kate fell back and. pulling my sleeve.
whispered:
1.-The Italian!
What Italian?
"My admirer He has learned at the
hotel that ordered a carriage for the
| station to come here-it probably cost
him a franc tip-and has come down
| to perpetrate some medieval non
sense
you're stuffing me-"
ION my honor. I'm not: you will see
for yourself before long"
We walked up the street leading into
the heart of the city and paused at
the temple of fortune. Our guide spoke
English fairly well. but | could read
lily see that If lecturing in his own
tongue he would give us very inter
eSting account of what we saw. Not
withstanding his limited English vo-
cabulary he made us see the fire and
smoke that first emerged from Vesu-
vius on the day Pompeii> was destroy
ed. the great tree shaped column Of
ashes that hung over the doomed city.
the CONSERVATION of the7 citizens. the
coming darkness. people fleeing to the
different gates: then the inky black
ness through which crowds struggled
dropping by the way.
This he gave as a preliminary to in
formation as to the different buildings
we examined | was astOnished at the
amount of the information he possess
ed had visited Pompeii before with
a guide. but was disguised with the
amount of nonsense he gave us instead
of information. This man spoke as
one who had been educated to speak
of the ancfents. giving his authority
for what he told us. quoting. some
| fimoS I'm ATTN from ho Rornon
thors whose works have come down
| to U.S.
Kate. when she had recognized the
man. was much amused But while
he was discoursing looked at her and
saw great change: She appeared to
be charmed with his lecture. and 1
could see in her expression an inward
pride that the man had been so at
tracted to her as to assume to be
guide for the purposes Of being with
her and giving her the benefit of his
erudition upon what. without it. would
have lost most of it's charm.
shall not soon forget that eloquent
address, or series Of addresses. ending
with a description Of a. scene in the
theatre while we were looking down
from the seats on to the stage where,
some nineteen centuries before. was
enacted the scene described
When we parted from our guide
dropped his fee into his hand and
asked him for his card He gave it to
me. and | read: "Guiseppe Benoli. Ro-
man Archaeologist, via - 6S'
Putting it in my pocket | followed
my party Scarcely had we got into
the train when Kate. who had seen the
guide give me his card. demanded it.
/ gave it to her. and her face took on
one of those looks that in woman
means delight at being admired by a
man CT ability.
| called the next day on Senior Benoli.
| finding him in the midst of treasures
lately exhumed. which he was examin-
ing and recording as government ar
<haeologist He greeted me with. an
amused smile. and repaid him for the