Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-03-05
The Girl With
Titan Hair
And How / Secured an
Introduction to
Her
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

sion ] concluded to spend some time
abroad. ! reached Naples in January
and stayed there long enough to visit
Pompeii, climb Vesuvius and pass a
great deal Of time in the National mu
scum, containing the cXhumcd treas
urcs Of the buried cities.
During my stay in Naples | met on
several occasions Il family consisting
of Il father, a mother, n daughter about
heard them talk together. They spoke
English, and | knew by their accent
that they were Americans. ] would
have liked to make their acquaintance.
Indeed, ! cndeavorcd 10 do SO one day
when ! was near the father in the
National museum by addressing him n
remark. But he did not respond very
cordially. and | refraincd from another
attempt.
My object in making this family'S
acquaintance was that ! wished for
compnnionship with my own country
men, especially the young lady, about
whom there was something to me very
attractive While her complexion had
little color, the combination Of eyes.
hair and skin made up peculiar style
of beauty, the eyes being dark
brown and the hair what Is usually
called Titan from the fact that the
artist used It so often in his pictures.
Having seen the sights at Naples.
took my departure for Rome, where
occupied rooms on the Via Nnzionalc,
opposite the Piazza Vcnetia. | had
been there but II few days when | saw
at dinner the American family ! have
mentioned. If ! had been very near
them | think ! should have made an
other attempt to form their acqualnt-
ance, but MS soon ms dinner was over
they retired to their rooms and the
next morning went sightseeing in one
direction, while went on like cr-
rand In another.
My bed at the hotel was uncomforta-
BILE. and after tossing on small hum
mocks one night on arising In the morn
ing ! thought | would have n look at
the mattresses to see what was the
matter. Throwing back the top mat
tress. there on the one beneath 1t was
a brooch set with valuable gems.
There were many supposable reasons
for the brooch to be where 1t was.
First, some guest OF the hotel might
have put II there temporarily for safe
keeping and forgotten II. But this
was not probable, for | had occupied
the room for n week, and the maid
who made the bed would surely have
discovered it. The most likely cause
for it's being there was that some one
had stolen II and placed II there TEN
porarily till he or she could remove It,
took 1t up and, the morning being
dark, carried It to Il window to have n
better look ut 1t. Feeling something
could not see tickle the back of my
hand. ] felt for 1t with the other hand
and clasped II hair between my fingers.
1t was cllnging to the brooch, and. dis
engaging 1t, held it up between me
and the window. 1t seemed to be vel
low or golden, and, lighting II gas jet,
l saw that there was II tinge OF red
about It, Further examination showed
me that 1t was very like the hair of
the young lady whose acquaintance
was DESTROYS of making.
Could the brooch have been stolen
from her? IL 80 might come to know
her In either Il favorable or nm unfavor
able light. If | could restore her prop
erty | would have an advantage; If |
should stand in the position OF the
thief ! might be landed In jail. 1t
would seem that there was not the
slightest risk of my reporting my find
to the office of the hotel. But while
studying my profession-the law--l
had attended n number OF criminal
trials whereby l had learned that 1t
might be II very easy matter for one
perfectly innocent to be placed In the
position of a thief. was In posses.
sion of Il valuable piece OF iewclry
and ! was the only person. except the
thief, who knew that had not stolen It,
Quite probably the chambermaid was
the thief, She would make up the bed
during the morning and, II my suppo-
sition was correct. would look for the
property she had placed between the
mattresses. If she did not find 1t there
she would suppose | had taken il.
What would she do? What might she
do? One of the things she nigh, do
was to direct the person who had lost
the brooch to me rs the probable thief.
l must keep her from making the bed
till had determined what course to
pursue.
l detached the hair from the brooch
and put it In an envelope Then put
the brooch back between the mattress
es where l had found 1t and got into
bed again. After an hour had passed
and ! had come TO no decision what to
do In the matter | rang for waiter
and told him to bring up my break
fast. SO long rs the stolen property
was where II had been placed by tn,
thief he or she would not be likely e
take any action involving me.
or course there was but one thinl
Tor me to do-to ring for the landlord
oh hf,,, al,