Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-09-24

randum whereby the restraint Of the
powder trade was maintained. This
memorandum had been dictated by
Lamont to his stenOgrapher, Imogen
Leonard, and by her transcribed and
mailed unsigned to the smaller, fear
ridden manufacturers of powder.
Wherefore Miss Leonard could give
testimony that would convict J. Pierce
Lamont--land trust magnate behind
the bars.
Unfortunately, Miss Leonard's vaca-
ton, comprehendlng a sea trip at the
expense Of her employers was so
timed-owing to leak in the United
States attorneys ofice-that she was
beyond the three-mile limit before the
secret service knew 1t. Nothing re-
manned, therefore, but to engage the
cooperation Of some foreign power in
the enterprise of OBTAINING the vitality
important witness and effecting her
return hOme-tO the witness-bOx.
Italy's fight with the Powder trust
dOvetailed into this scheme Miss
Leonard was to be detained by the
Italian authorities and pumped, but
with the American ambassador stand
Ing by ready to offer refuge--and
safe return home!
On the part OF the administration at
Washington 1t was Machavellian, on
Italy's part, the execution of Amer
ica's third degree" At best 1t
wouldn't look well In print-at worst
1t would defeat the presidents party
at the next election. Wisely, the
White House kept silent. But the
American ambassador to Italy be-
stirred himself.
Less than twelve hours after the
storm broke in the United States,
Imogen Leonard, under the courteous
escort Of his excellency John Bisner,
started for Rome to rejoln her mother.
Out of the horde of Americans who
have invaded Europe, three are re-
membered: General Grant, Colonel
Roosevelt and Pitcher Larkin. Each
made his impress, but Of these impress
si0nists Barney Larkin contributed by
far the most color. He said when he
got back to the Giant-killers' ball park
that he might forget his trip abroad,
but he didn't think Europe would!
Naples, where the globe-running
baseball players landed, was the oSe
place where Barney devoted himself
strictly and intellectually to sight
seeing. Accompanied by Ernest Stead
man, his guide custodian, and friend,
he Jared forth, with the best intentions
to behold every treasure that the city
and its environs advertised. But he
was first conducted to the Neapolitan
aquarium-and never left it. Here
Damon and Plscatorius" were enrap-
tured with the curious marine Won
ders of the Mediterranean-cu fish,
crested blubbers, imposslblelo0king
crabs, crayfish, and pipefsh, the cleo
trio rays, which Barney, after expert
enclng shock, pronounced, "live
wires. all right"
Above all, the eccentric twirler was
delighted with the octopus! At home
Barney had seen pictures of it in the
papers, usually labeled STANDARD OIL"
or Sugar" or Steel" but in a for
eign land he saw 1t in the original
mother of the trusts! He had to be
dragged away to the train.
At Rome he announced that he was
tired of "looliin' round" But some
one told him of the Catacombs-cel-
lars where the early Christians were
laid on the shelf. He apparently be-
came fascinated with the subter-
ranean phenomenon, and devoured all
of the literature he could find on the
subject. The reason he gave for visit
ing the Pantheon was that twenty
eight wagon loads Of the best bones"
had been carried there from the Cata-
combs and planted beneath the altar.
When he made his excursion to the
Roman Catacombs he took Ernest
Steadman with him. Apparently he
wandered through the galleries alb
sorbed In what he saw. But there
was malice aforethought in his wan
derings. He succeeded in losing his
keeper!
(To BE CoNTINUED)