The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-05-17
A Singular
Wooiing.
BY STEPHEN DELANO

SAID. Inere are three ol US WoLhei
here-mother, Aunt Sarah and land
not man. There is no fun for us to
go tramping about seeing sights by
ourselves. Besides, its very incon-
venient. Here Italians fleece US al
every turn. Why, cabman yesterday
followed me into my pension for pour
boir "a tip after charging me double
price. and, since he couldn't speak any
English, 1 couldn't argue with him.
Finally I shouted Eel ReinaH the
oueen), and the man ran downstairs
so fast / thought he would break his
neck. / suppose he thought / had in
fiuence at court"
Kate is jolly girl and laughed
heartily at her own inventive genius
II say" she went on, 1--WE 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 wan
a woman. What are you going TODD
tomorrow"
''See sights"
"We're going down to Pompei. VIII
you go with us?"
Certainly"
every well. Wen 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 APP
preached by half dozen guides. l
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"
s'My admirer. He has learned at the
hotel that / ordered carriage for the
station to come here-it probably cost
him a franc tip-and has come down
to perpetrate some medieval nom
sense"
You're stuffing me-"
"On my honor, I'm not; you viii 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 I 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 the 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 preliminary to In
formation as to the different buildings
we examined. was astonished at the
amount of the information he possess
ed. I had visited Pompeii before with
a guide, but was disgusted with the
amount of nonsense he gave US instead
of information. This man spoke as
one who had been educated to speak
of the ancients, giving his authority
for what he told us, quoting, some
times in Latin, from the Roman au-
thors whose works have come down
to us.
Kate, when she had recognized the
man, was much amused. But while
he was discoursing looked at her and
saw a great change She appeared to
be charmed with his lecture, and
could see in her expression an inward
pride that the man had been so at
tracted to her as to assume to be a
guide for the purpose of being with
her and giving her the benefit of his
erudition upon what, without it, would
have lost most of its 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 1t to
me, and read: Giuseppe Benoii, Ro-
man Archaeological, via - g."
Putting 1t 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 1t to her, and her face took on
one of those looks that in a woman
means delight at being admired by
man of ability.
/ called the next day on Senior Benon,
finding him in the midst of treasures
lately exhumed, which he was examin-
ing and recording as government ar
chaeologist. He greeted me with an
amused smile. and repaid him for the
pleasure he had given us by inviting
him TO call upon the party he had guild
cd through the unsealed city.
Kate Searles now lives in Rome, to
which city her husband has been trans
ferred. When some very dear friend
PONIES from America, as great mark
Sf favor she win send her husband as
pilot to some object of interest.
National traits are lasting. This man