Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-17


into love
But what should l do with the let
tiers? Should send them to the prin-
cess and ask her to endeavor to restore
them TO the lady who had written
them? Should so TO Italy and prose-
cute the search myself? This last
thought excited a thrill within me. for
would doubtless meet again the Sc
norma Colonna-she was a descendant
of that celebrated family-and I was
eager TO renew the acquaintance
The result Of my deliberations was
that l took an ocean liner for Genoa
and thence westward by rail to Flor
ence. My first call was upon Senortna
Colonna. and l was beside myself with
Joy to see her face light up with pleas
ure at again meeting me. It seemed
with both of US that our separation,
instead OF causing us 70 forget. had in
tensifed our interest in each other.
In other words. we began at point
much further advanced than where we
had left or the previous autumn.
had returned to Florence partly for
the purpose OF finding the writer Of the
America, but found so much to interest
me in Senorina Colonna that my inter
est in their return Jagged. For a month
l at times tried TO invent a scheme by
which l might get a clew TO their own
ership, but my thoughts would continu-
ally drift away from the subject to the
girl with whom l was so rapidly be-
come infatuated. So ! determined to
turn the matter over to my friend the
princess.
One day called upon her with the
letters. found her alone and told her
the whole story. When l spoke of hav-
ing read them she was somewhat
shocked, but later admitted that she
did not see that could have done 9th
erwiSe unless l had burned them, and,
after all. it was my duty TO return
them. l handed the package TO her.
and she received 1t without looking at
it Indeed, she told me It had been re-
ported to her that an Overcoat with n
package OF letters in one of its pockets
had been lost at her ball that she might
know TO whom they belonged II they
were handed in to her. The person
surprised that it had not been returned
by him who had taken 1t. When some
time had passed and nothing had been
heard from It both the princess and the
owner surmised that on the night OF
the ball thieves had got into the house
and stolen it The hostess was much
pleased to be able to give reason that
1t had not been returned earlier. l
was somewhat relieved at getting off
my hands a love affair that did not
pertain TO me. for l was deeply i'm
/ merSed in one of my own.
There is no more ideal place in the
/ world than Florence; consequently
/ there is no better place for lovemak-
! ing. | did nothing but saunter with
/ Senorlna COlonnu through the public
garden in the rear of the kings palace.
/ lounge on the Ponte Vechia spanning
/ the river Arno or wander among the
| thousands Of works of art with which
the city abOunds. And so it was that
/ /, an American. cOurted and won an
Italian girl. One evening on the hill
called the Piazza de Michelangelo, over
looking the city OF Florence, when
3
scene, l asked her TO be my wife and
was accepted.
could not keep my happiness from
my friend the princess. who had in
troduced me TO my tiancee. and obtain
| ed my fanCee's permission to convey
the good news to her She received it
with no surprise whatever. which was
a surprise TO me. for lovers are usual
ly unconscious of the comment they
excite in others and / was no eIcep-
ton to the rule.
81 expected as much" she remarked
Expected it! Since when?"
Since you first met her. But since
you returned me the letters I.ita wrote
to the man who pursued her so per.
sistently and yOu spoke in such en-
thusastc terms OF the writer / have
been sure OF it"
What do You mean?' | asked. mys.
tilted.
81 mean that the letters yon carried
to America we're written by Lita Co
lonna."
I stared Mt the speaker in wonder,
and she proceeded:
ne recipient OF Tue ietteTS-iI II
not necessary that / should name him
brought them 70 my bail to return
them, but found you so devoted TO her
that he had no opportunity TO do 50
until after you had gone. Then when
Lita. in spite of his pIeadings. insisted
on their return he went TO get them
and found them gone. He has beer
in an agony about them for months
fearing it might be suspected that ht
was keeping them without permits
zion"
Ny delight at having secured ont
who had written those womanIy let
[ tiers was enhanced by the informant Or
B. had received / wondered that
4 had not suspected that Lita Colonni
1 was the writer. though the only clev
e | had was the letter Il" signed t
! them. But | did not know her frs
5 name till | had been 3 long while II
: Florence upon my second visit