Irma in Italy

her way to the piazza when she heard Marion calling h

ur hurry?"

steps. I am on my way to return

what

en't d

on. Aunt Caroline says she won't try to go out to-day, her cold is worse and Uncle J

adding, "Of course I will do whatever you

ombs in mind, or that awful church w

ni; no, we wo

to ride around Aurelia

went up in one to see the little rooms inside the walls that the soldiers occupied, and the guard-rooms, up there more than forty feet. They

camera. "Oh, I wish I could get a photograph, but

arms, a shawl thrown over her head, a half-grown girl in a faded pink gingham, and

TRINIT

OUP ON SPA

essed for effect. I am not sure about the

resquely in a spot where the sun fell in just the right way for a photograph. Irma took her place, snapped her camera, turned the k

irl, who seemed to be the spokesman of

rion dropped a small pie

d," he said laughing; "generally th

ou gav

ve noticed that little chap before,

short cuts Marion led her to the Palazzo Cancelleria, ne

displayed. The sellers, more numerous than the buyers, praised their war

ge sale, and things are r

in Marion's face, naming a ridiculously low price. With some diff

seemed v

e reason. I believe

ld the polic

uch things hidden. Perhaps other goods are st

d like, but for my own part I am disappointed. However, we've s

a block or two Marion suggested that they go home by trolley

for their fare, Marion

it?" as

y last small piece of money was the silver bit I gave to t

t her own little purse in Mario

said. "Some one there must have taken

took it would hardly return it. Besides there wa

erican money. Why, that was more than she had brought from home as extra

ng to find," she

'd only waste time. It's too near luncheon, an

the least to lose money, and yet some little thing that no one c

n to the hotel office, looking cool and

er into the carriage. "Aunt Caroline says she knows

t a villa was Italian for "park" and not for "country house," as in English. After a quarter of an hour through a part of Rome she

not turning out j

ve heard that we are distin

k, before whose gate stood a num

aid Marion in Italian, and th

en party for some kind of a charity," Marion explained, "and I thought it would be fun to see some of the p

waste an hour on what might be called a society affair. That wasn't the way with most

it was a large marquee into which they looked as they passed, with a table handsomely spread and decor

ood enough for me. Let us go toward those chairs under the trees."

Every one seems to know every one else. Those men

lovely gowns! I suppose they are in the height of fashion, b

lady, whom Irma had especial

in English, with the slightest accent th

ou at once," she conti

ed to the table, from which a young girl soon came brin

young girl replied to some question

rita," cried Irma. "You are

fête I thought it would be fun for you to come. I know your friend Gertrude has been anxious to have y

ma smiling, "and I d

mselves were at little tables under the trees, rose and moved toward the crowd. In a few minutes a little group came up the avenue from the gate. Irma's who

er face is as sweet as in the photographs I

scarcely above middle height, in her soft black gown and wide black hat she had an air of grace and elegance

n attendance upon the tables, "and it is all owing to you," she added, turning to thank Marion for his thoughtfulness. "As King Victor Emanuel and Queen

to the carriage, they paused to glance within, where Margherita s

kind. To-morrow we return to hard, earnest sightseeing, the Borgia apartments at the Vatican and the Vatican Library. Your aunt wish

id Marion, "and Irma seems eq

rong, but I would almost like to leave Rome without seeing the rest of the Pope's palace. Just now I recall clearly all the frescoes: the School of Athens and the Bor

ousand different apartments, covering thirteen and a half acres, an

in the world. I've hear

ise in their day, especially after Nicholas V, in 1450, who decided to make the Vatican the most imposing palace in the world by bringing under one roof all the papal offices. Since then the building has been constantly enlarged

with the young people to the Vatican,

," said Irma, as they passed the Pope's soldiers in their bril

re touch a visitor. Just wait a moment, I

on his shoulder, and heard in Italian a very positive "Move on." He looked into the frown

did I tell you? They might have done something terrible. You kn

hy, actually you are trembling! I suppose they have rules to

orry a few minutes later to find herself one of several in a

en they had entered the vast h

s cases-listen

ed, and more than two hundred feet long, with painted ceiling, floors of marble mosaics from ancient temples and baths, and exquisite marble columns also from ancient buildings. In the end they saw some books worth seeing: the oldest Bible in existence, a ma

long descriptions of each manuscript that he pointed out

need not describe every present given to every pope. Vases are vases, and we know all these things wer

ue in looking at the ancient paintings, inscriptions, and other relics of early Christians. Again, as at the Lateran, she sighed deeply at the

ey passed through the glass door out of the hal

langelo's frescoes-the sibyls and the prophets, and the well-known Adam and Eve, Irma from a bench along t

ed to have the interest of her elders in

t longer. I'm very glad, though, that you brought me to the Sistine Chapel. When I read about the great chu

out, and with a finger of one hand on his lips, lifted the other on high with one finger significantly extended. When he saw that he had gained Mar

arion, displaying a small octagon

me pattern as th

ht it," he replied, "as a sou

it?" asked Irma. "Had h

f anger crossed

not right? Come," he continued,

nt conversation. "He is certainly like a spoiled child!" she

"In our hottest weather it is never like this," thought poor Ir

ominions end and Italy begins?

ch the guide could have shown you a soldier of the Pope's on guard, while

atican gardens," Irma replied, "and even if the Pope is a

risoner," beg

," said Aunt Caroline, "but the subje

nt Caroline understood him, for when he left