The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-02-22
AFlorentine
Episode
BY ELlNOR MARSH

( American, before settling down To u
career, concluded to spend season IT.
Europe. lie sailed from New York to
Naples, thence proceeded to Rome and
later to Florence.
1t is supposed by persons who have
not been In Italy that one sees every
where relics of the ancient Romans.
There are comparatively few such
relics but there are many Of mcdiacval
Italy. The most costly dwellings are
| "palazzoS." built several centuries ago.
Hemstrect took a fancy to Florence
and concluded to spend some time
there, SO he rented palazzo, or,
rather. half a one and, hiring servants.
settled himself down. as it WERE in the
middle of the sixteenth century
The building had been divided into
two parts the part that Hcmstreet did
not occupy being occupied for small
family hotel. or rather what in Eu-
rope is called Il pension, which is midi
way between hotel aud boarding
house.
one rainy afternoon IIemstreet, who
had spent most of the day in the pie
noted, came to his palazzo. 1t was so
dark that his servants had lighted the
lamps, and. going upstairs, rs he en-
tered the hall Oh which his bedroom
was located. he was astonished to see
that the hall was double the length he
had supposed it to be. At any rate,
he saw double the lights, but they
were dim, as were the objects they
lighted
lIcmstreet was very much puzzled.
Going into his room he threw off
his wet overcoat and rubber shoes.
then went out with the intention of
exploring the hall He was surprised
to see that it ended as he had under
stood 1t to end with "A picture. ,
lIemstreet was frightened Surely
something had broken loose in his
brain. He went to the picture, exam |
ined ii, saw that it was what he had
supposed it was and went away rcsolv
ed to watch himself closely for other
symptoms of disordered mind. But
he felt as well as he had ever felt
and after awhile he ceased to worry
about any supposed disorder.
However, he never went upstairs to
his room without looking as soon as he
turned into the hallway to see IL it had
been doubled as before. But the fig
ures of the picture were always there.
and the hallway was of its usual
length
one night when Hemstreet was in
bed he heard. or fancied he heard. n
siggle in the hall. There were no WON
On In the house except couple of
housemaids who knew their place and
were in bed when Hemstreet had come
in. Curious to know what the sound
meant, he arose and cautiously open
ing his door enough to see through the
aperture, saw a sight that amazed him
more than his previous unexplained
one. A young girl stood In the hall
facing the picture. laughing and beck
oning. She was all aquiver with ex-
element though she did not speak
except in pantomime.
Thunderstorm. Hemstreet turned
from the door, felt in a closet for a
dressing gown, then hunted for pair
of slippers beside his bed. for lie dare
not strike IA light for fear of soaring
the apparition without, then returned
to the door. threw 1t open and went out
intending, If IL were flesh and blood.
tu capture II.
fhe hall was empty
He looked to the end toward which
the girl had bcckoned There was the
picture its figures immovablc ms ever.
IIemstreet went back to bed Ia won
der. Somehow il did not seem TO him
that he had seen "A ghost He felt no
terror, though he began 10 Worry anew
lest there was "A hitch in his brain lie
lay awake most of the night trying to
solve the problem but finally went 10
sleep thinking of ii.
He arose the next morning shortly
before time for luncheon ana stood
looking out on to the street. \ cab
drove up to the pension. next door. and