The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-01
,covyTiaAt. 49,;

walked swiftly INTO MS AdVoE-
lite restaurant, which overlooked the
Mediterranean, was covered by an avn
ing and fenced BY little lemon and
orange trees. Museari had an eagle
nose like Dante; his hair and necker-
chief were dark and flowing; he car
ried a black cloak and might almost
have carried back mask, SO much did
he bear with him a sort of Venetian
melodrarna. He went as near as his
century permitted to walking the world
literally like Don Juan, with rapier and
guitar, For he never travelled without
a case of swords, with which he had
fought many brilliant duels, or without
a corresponding case for his mandolin,
with which he lad actually serenaded
Miss Ethel HarrogatS, the highly con-
Ventional daughter of a Yorkshire
banker, on a holiday. Yet he was
neither a charlatan nor child; but
hot, logical Latin who liked a certain
thing and was it.
The banker and his beautiful English
daughter were staying at the hotel at
tached to Muscari's restaurant; that
was why it was his favorite restaurant.
A glance flashed around the room told
him at once, however, that the English
party had not yet descended. The res
taurant was glittering still, but COM
paratively empty. Two priests were
talking at a table in a corner, but Mus
carl Can ardent Catho1ic) took no more
notice of them than of a couple of
crows. But from a seat partly con-
cealed behind a dwarf tree golden. with
oranges there rose and advanced to-
ward the poet person whose costume
was the most aggressive opposite to
his own.
This figure was clad in tweeds of a
piebald check. with a pink tie. sharp
white collar, and protuberant yellow
boots. He contrived, in the true ira
dition of AIRY at Margate, to look
at once startling and commonplace. But,
as the Cockney apparition drew nearer,
Muscari was astounded to observe that
the head was distinctly different from
the body. 1t was an Italian head,
fuzzy, swarthy, and very vivacious, that
rose abruptly out of the standing col
lar like cardboard and the comic pink
tie. In fact, it was a head he knew.
He recognized it, above all the dire
erection of English holiday array, as
the face of an old but forgotten friend
named Ezza. This youth had been a
prodigy at college, and European fame
was promised him when he was barely
fifteen; but when he appeared in the
world he failed, first publicly as a
dramatist and a demagogue, and then
privately for years on end as an actor,
a trave1ers a commission agent, or a
journalist. Muscari had known him
last behind the footlights; he was but
too we'll attnned to the excitements of
that profession, and ii was Believed that
some moral calamity had swallowed
him up.
"EzzaF' cried the poet, rising and
shaking hands in pleasant astonish-
ment. well, I've seen you in many
costumes in the green room; but I
never expected to see you dressed up as
an Englishman.
This answered Ezza gravely, as
not the costume of an Englishman, but
of the Italian of the future"
'Tn that case" remarked Muscari 81
confess 1 prefer the Italian of the
past"
''Well, to me Marconi, not d'Annun-
zio is the star of Itaiy." said the other,
rising. That is why I have become a
futurist-and a courier"
A courierP cried Muscari, laugh
ing. 'Is that the last of your list of
zstrades7 And whom are you conduct
ingf"
"Oh, a man of the name of Harro-
gate and his family. believe"
mot the banker. in this hotel7" in
CURED the poet, with some eagerness.
That's the man." answered the
courier.
Does it pay wellf" asked the trou-
badour innocently.
ut will pay me- said Ezza, with q
very enigmatic smile. But I am a
rather curious sort of courier" Then
as if changing the subject, he said alb
ruptly: "He has a daughter-and :
SON."
"The daughter is divine" affirmed
Muscafi; "the father and son are,
suppose. human But. granted hi.
harmless qualities, doesn't the banker
strike you as a splendid instance Of
my argument? He's not clever; he,
got eyes like buttons; he's not ener.
getic; he moves from chair to chair like
= paralytic. He's a conscientious, Kind
" old blockheadi but he's got none,
simply because he collects money, as
boy collects stamps. You're too strong
minded for business, Ezra. You won