The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-15
A Florentine
Episode
BY ELINOR MARSH

American, DelOre seltlinS uoWH W
career, concluded to spend season In
Europe. He sailed from New York tt
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 medieval
Italy. The most costly dwellings are
'.palazzos," built several centuries ago.
Hemstreet took fancy to Florence
and concluded to spend some time
there, so he rented a palazzo, or,
rather, half 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 Hemstreet did
not occupy being occupied for small
family hotel, or rather what in Eu-
rope Is called a pension, which Is mid
way between a hotel and a boarding
house.
One rainy afternoon Hemstreet, who
had spent most of the day in the pic
ture galleries for which Florence is
noted, came to his palazzo. 1t was so
dark that his servants had lighted the
lamps, and, going upstairs, as he en-
tered the hall on 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.
Hemstreet 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 it to end with picture.
Hemstreet' was frightened. Surely
something had broken loose in his
brain. He went to the picture, exam
ined 1t, saw that it was what he had
supposed 1t was and went away resolv-
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 If 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. a
giggle in the hall. There were no wom-
en- 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 then 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.
Thunderstruck. Hemstreet turned !
rom the door. felt in a closet for !
gown, then hunted for pair ,
# slippers beside his bed, for he dare :
lot strike a light for fear OF soaring
he apparition without, then returned
o the door, threw 1t open and went out
lie 1t were flesh and blood,
o capture 1t.
The hall was empty
He looked TO the end toward which
he girl had beckoned. There was the
lecture, its figures immovable, as ever. L
Hemstreet went back to bed in won
Ter. Somehow 1t did not seem to him
hat he had seen a ghost. He felt no
error, though he began to worry anew
est there was hitch in his brain. He
az awake most of the night trying to
olive the problem. but finally went to
leep thinking of 1t.
He arose the next morning shortly ]
efore time for luncheon and stood
,oking out on to the street A cab /
rove up to the pension. next door. and I
party alighted, which included sew
raj girls. Hemstreet was thunder
truck to recognize in one of these c
iris the one who had stood in his hall
-ay the night before.
Ii was now evident that the appari-
on was flesh and blood and doubtless !.
q a lark. Hemstreet went next door !.
nd asked if there was any passage
ay between the pension and his domi- i
lie. but the landlady answered him t
lat the two wings had been thorough II
cut off from each other She had a I
olive In this since she suspected that \
emstreet had lost property, which fl
ould be laid to some one in her wir o
Hemstreet kept an eye out for
,parition in the galleries and fina. b
me upon her. She was an Americ
it'll party OF Americans. After Sc q
ring an introduction TO her he ac- ;,
sed her of having trespassed on his -
emises. She colored and after some
sitation confessed.
A hallway extending from one end
the other of the original palazzo had u
EN- cut in two parts by door swing .,
: on central pivot. On one side a. a:
the door was a mural painting. on -
: other a mirror. A party of tourist =
Is in the pension had discovered this h,
,ret and one night. led by the girl
,mstreet had discovered. made a =
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