The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-08-07
Hunting
Cicero's Villa
By WILLIAM

By WILLIAM CHANDLER
was very green when l went to
Italy-that is, about Italy. had been
used to going anywhere in America
without thought Of injury, unless late
at night in certain parts of great cities.
so l supposed l would be as safe IN
Italy. l have always been fond OF
walking. and when in Rome instead
Of going about among the environs in
a trolley or other vehicle l tramped.
A man may walk all yer Italy and
not be injured. but there are certain
chances that he will be robbed or MUIR
dered or kidnapped.
l was hunting for one Of the many
ruins of Cicero's villa. The site in
Italy is like what General Washing
TONS body servant was half a century
ago. The old negro expired every few
years until he got beyond a possible
age, then took his final leave. had
heard of one of Cicero's dwellings be.
yond the Campagna in a southeasterly
direction and resolved to visit it.
hunted all day, finally finding a few
stones, which might have once been
a part Of a villa or a wall inclosing a
pasture. 1t was too late to return to
Rome that night, SO l looked about me
for a place to spend the night. Seeing
a house on a hill near by, I went there
and found a stone structure that might
once have been a villa, but was now
occupied by the lowest grade of 1tal.
ians.
l was told by a surly Italian man
that I couldn't stay there-they had no
room to spare. This surprised me, for
they evidently very poor. and
one of this class would usually sleep
out in the cold himself for a few lire.
1 asked If there was any conveyance
at hand. and when he said no I told
him that l vas going to stay In the
house whether made welcome or not.
The man. u bag and a younger wom-
an consulted angrily in Italian with
each other. Not understanding their
language. l did not know what they
said. but finally they consented to let
ne remain. They gave me some black
bread-all they had for s%upper-and l
smoked before going to bed. Two
more men came in while l was eating
and on seeing me looked very much
disgruntled. 1t occurred to me that il
they wished to murder me they would
be pleased to have me stay with them.
Consequently I was in nc danger. But
| could not make out why they o.
sidered me an intruder.
On being shown to my room. not be-
ing pleased with the looks of the bed.
l spread my overcoat on it and lay
down on the coat without undressing.
l hadn't lain there long before ! heard
a tapping On the wall beside me. 1
was not long in understanding that
some one was rapping by the telegraph
code. But the language was not Eng
lish. had picked up the telegraph
code some years before while station
agent on a railroad, but l knew no
other language than English. I under
stood a few words of French and knew
that the rapper was talking in that
language. I concluded to try English
and asked who was rapping.
A reply came in English. mixed with
a little French. The person first ask
ed me who / was and on my replying
that ! was an American, stopping in
the house for the night. raped back
that he was a French amateur ar
chaeologist. that he had been hunting
for Cicero's villa and that while doing
so had been surrounded by several
men, brought to the house and held for
ransom. He had sent to Rome for
10000 lire $4,000, and vas awaiting
the issue.
It was plain to me now why l was
not wanted in the house. The rascals
didn't care to tackle another man. l
made up my mind that they were not
regular bandits-only a few persons
who were used to the criminal meth
DDS of the country. Having a loaded
revolver. l began to think up a plan
by which ! might get the prisoner out
Of their clutches. ! was not a prison
er myself, for on reaching my room l
made bold to take the key out Of the
door before l could be locked in.
asked my correspondent If he had
a weapon and was told that it had
been taken from him. then asked
him about the lock on his door. and he
said 1t was screwed IN the inside. He
had an implement in his pocket that
be used for stone scraping purposes
which would do for a screwdriver.
After more talk | told him that IL he
would take the lock of his door and
come out ! would join him and we
would attempt an exit ut the point of
my pistol. He seemed fearful Of our
both being killed. but l convinced him
that we were not in the hands of real
bandits. and he finally consented.
He removed the lock without much
difficulty and came out to meet me in
the hall. which was unIighted. He had
found a poker in his room beside the
fireplace and had armed himself with
It. l led the way toward u dimly light
ed apartment OF tiptoe and saw a man