The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-03-17
The Villa
On theHin
By EUNICE BLAKE

Sherbourne was one Of those young
men into whose laps an unjust fate
p0urs boundless wealth.
Sherbournes pile was about twenty
millions. At twenty -one he found him
self in possession of it all, and it was
80 well invested that he had nothing
to do but put 1t in bank as fast as it
came in. He soon tired Of this and
hired a man to do it for him. Then
he went abroad to see the world.
One day while running about in an
auto in Italy he saw a girl crossing the
road ahead Of him. She was dressed
neither as a peasant nor a lady, but
between the two. In her hand she car
ried 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
inhabits that villa up there on the hill?"
'The Princess Angela Farini"
Much land with it?"
Many acres, signor."
Hin" said Sherbourne half to the
girl and half musingly. II wonder If
It Is for sale"
"Are you an Americana she asked.
. Eyes. 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?"
ooh, no.
Il don't think land can be worth
much about here. The more a person
owns the worse he is off on account of
the taxes"
you might make the princess an
ofer. 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 ell
trance Of the place he turned in and
assembled the hill, admiring the ex.
banding view as he rose. He thought
that he would like to settle down on
the place, collect library and spend
bis days reading. He had not yet
reached an age where a man realizes
that home is no home at all without
woman in it. At any rate, he made
up his mind to buy it, and when Bob
Sherbourne made up his mind to buy
anything he considered it as good as
purchased Driving up to the entrance
of the villa he alighted
Il have called he said to liveried
lackey who admitted him ito ask If
the Princess Farni would consider an
Sner for her place"
The fiunkey showed the visitor into
a cozy reception room, then disappear
ed Presently he returned and asked
e how much the signor would give
SherbOurne made an offer of 100000
lire ($1OO,O00. The lackey, after sew
eral trips to and from the would be
purchaser, at last brought him a card
OF real estate agent In Rome, with
I message that the agent would deal
with him. He went to Rome and final
u purchased the place and everything
in 1t for half million dollars.
He had occupied it month when
one day while driving by q small villa |
near the foot of the hill on which his |
place stood he saw the signorina he |
had met in the road some time before.
She was dressed like 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