The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-05-05
Hunting
Cicero S Villa
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

NoNS hSI NbyA% ~phgs hNR OTNA
used to going anywhere 10 America
without thought OF injury. unless late
at night In certain parts Of great cities.
30 l supposed would be as safe in
Italy. I have always been fond OF
walking. and when In Rome instead
Of going about among the envirOns 10
trolley or other vehicle tramped
A man may walk all over Italy aud
not be injured but there are certain
chances that be will be robbed or muir
dered or kidnapped
was hunting for one Of the many
ruins OF Ciceros villa The site in
Italy IS like what General Washing.
toms body servant was half century
ago The old negro expired every few
years until he got beyond a possible
age. then took his tinai leave had
heard Of one OF Cicero's dwellings be
| yond the Campagna in a southeasterly
direction aud resolved to visit it,
hunted all day, finally anding a few
stones, which might have once been
a part or villa or a wall inciOsing
| pasture. 1t was too late to return to
Rome that night, so looked about me
| for place to spend the night Seeing
house on hill near by, went there
and found a stone structure that might
once have been a villa, but was now
occupied by the lowest grade Of Ital-
| ians
was told By surIy Italian man
that couldn't stay there-they had no
room to spare This surprised me. for
they were evidently very poor. and
one Of this class would usually sleep
out in the cold himself for a few lire.
i l asked II there was any conveyance
at hand. and when he said no | told
him that | was going to stay 10 the
honse whether made welcome or not.
The man. a hag and younger won
an consulted angrily in Italian with
each other. Not understanding their
language, ! did not know what they
said. but finally they consented to let
me remain. They gave me some black
bread-all they had for supper-and
smoked before going TO bed Two
more men came in while | was eating
and on seeing me looked very much
disgruntled. 1t occurred to me that if
they wished to murder me they would
be pleased to have me stay with them
Consequently l was in no danger But
! could not make out why they CON
sidered me an intruder.
On being shown to my room. not be-
ing pleased with the looks of the bed,
! spread my 0vercoat on ii and lay
down on the coat without undressing
hadn't lain there long before heard
a tapping on the wall beside me-
was not long III understanding that
some one was rapping by the telegraph
code But the language was not Eng
ish. l had picked up the telegraph
code some years before while station
agent on a railroad but | knew no
other language than English. under
stood few words of French and knew
that the rapper was talking in that
language ! concluded to try English
and asked who was rapping.
A reply came in English, mixed with
little French. The person first ask
ed me who l was and on my replying
that l 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 was awaiting
the issue.
1t was plain to me now why was
not wanted in the house. The rascals
didn't care to tackle another man.
made up my mind that they were not
regular bandits-Only few persons
who were used to the criminal meth
DDS of the country. Having loaded
revolver, began to think up plan
by which might get the prisoner ont
of their clutches l was not prison
er myself, for on reaching my room
. made bold to take the key out OF the
, door before could be locked in.
/ asked my correspondent if he had
a weapon and was told that it had
been taken from him. l then asked
MIN ABOUT LUe lock On us uOoL. tu- ie
; said it was screwed on the inside He
had an implement in his pocket that
: he used for stone scraping purposes
which would do for a screwdriver.
After more talk I told him that If he
would take the lock OFF his door and
come out would join him and we
would attempt an exit at the point of
my pistol He seemed fearful Of our
both being killed but 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 poker in his room beside the
fireplace and had armed himself with
1t. led the way toward dimly light
ed apartment on tiptOe and saw man
4 asleep with n carbine in his hand,
j. whispered to the Frenchman that
e while | clasped my hands over the
fellows mouth he should seize his