Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1915-12-27
The Villa
On ,theHill
By EUNICE BLAKE

/
auto in Italy he saw girl crossing the
road ahead Of him. She was dressed
leither as peasant nor Il lady, but
between the two. In her hand she car
ried Il basket Of berries. On a hill
near by was an imposing villa. Sher.
bourne was wondering who lived there
when he reached the girl crossing the
road.
Can you tell me, signorina," he ask
ed in mixture of Italian and Latin,
seasoned with little English. who
lnhabits that villa up there Oh the hill?"
THE Princess Angela Farini."
Much land with it,"
Many acres, signor."
HIM" said Sherbourne half to the
girl and half musingly. 81 wonder II
1t is for sale
Are you an Americana she asked.
"Yes. Why do you ask?'
You Americans wish to buy every.
thing you see. | don't think you can
buy this place, however"
Il presume there is no harm in try
ing, is there?"
"Oh, no!''
~ don't think land can be worth
much about here. The more a person
owns the worse he is of on account Of
the taxes"
"You might make the princess an
offer. She is alone in the world, her
parents being dead. She is much at
tached to the place, but on account Of
loneliness would prefer city life."
"Thank you very much for your in
formation" And Sherbourne drove on.
When Sherbourne came to the en-
trance Of the place he turned in and
ascended the hill, admiring the ex.
panding view as he rose. He thought
that he would like to settle down on
the place. collect library and spend
his days reading. He had not yet
reached an age where man realizes
that home is no home at all without
a woman In 1t. At any rate, he made
up his mind to buy it, and when Bob
Sherbourne made up his mind to buy
anything he considered 1t as good as
purchased. Driving up to the entrance
of the villa he alighted.
81 have called" he said to a llveried
Iackey who admitted him ito ask II
the Princess Farini would consider an
offer for her place"
The funkey showed the visitor into
a coZy reception room, then disappear
ed. Presently he returned and asked
how much the signor would give,
Sherbourne made an offer of 100000
lire ($100,000l The lackey, after sew
eral trips to and from the would be
purchaser, at last brought him Il card
of real estate agent in Rome, with
message that the agent would deal
with him. He went to Rome and final
ly purchased the place and everything
in it for half million dollars.
He had occupied it month when
one day while driving by small villa
near the foot of the hill on which his
place stood he saw the sgnorina he
had met in the road some time before.
She was dressed like a lady and was
watering some flowers Sherbourne
pulled up. lifted his hat and told her
that he had made the purchase of
which he had spoken to her, adding
that he was sorry he had done so-he
had found it lonely. The lady said
that she had heard the princess was
sorry she had sold her home. After
some further conversation, during
which it came out that the lady knew
the princess. she said she would see
her and learn If she would buy II back.
Sherbourne was to call for reply the
next day.
When he called he was invited into
the villa. and negotiations were open
ed, this time the princess dealing
through her friend instead of the
agent The friend proved attractive.
and Sherbourne prolonged the bargain
ing in order to enjoy her society. Al
the end of a month she had him en-.
thralled. He proposed to her and was
accepted.
Sherbourne now declared that he
would not sell his villa. He and his
bride would occupy 1t together To
this his fancee agreed, but later said
that she would not like to offend the
princess, who had been kind to her,
and Sherbourne was obliged to resell
his place. His fancee, however, In
formed him that the princess had gra-
ciously permitted her to be married
In the villa on the hill
When the day Of the wedding came
round Sherbourne drove to his former
abode, and when his bride appeared
he noticed that she wore coronet
Surprised, he asked If her friend the
princess had loaned It TO her for the
bridal.
81 am the princess" was the reply.
"You the princess" exclaimed the
groom.
"Yes; the day met you was roam
ing about my property in common cos
tune, as is my habit. to pick berries.
saw that you were rich American
and concluded to sell my property to
you. which is all have Of worldly