Show 1 THE QUEEN lJ OF o THE TH r SQUARE l I y- y 5 Clayton Hamilton in rummaging r recently through the old magazines I in a closet had the happy experience Of of coming upon a fragrant lost youth that had grown dim even cen in his own o m memory molY A series of ot travel sketches s written by a boy of 20 a round eyed young oung poet full of ot the wOnders wonder and ansi loveliness of the old world orld a a. youth who vho used to be himself himself himself him him- self So so h he made nuiJi a book of the them n called Wanderings 1 with ll illustrations u t a h by his friend Ernest and it it- has Just been published by Doubleday Page CoThey Co They were sentimental adventures that tha this young oung poet had on the road to Rome In Monaco on the br bridge dge at ah Ronda or over an Alpine pass In Siena he met one evening in the Piazza del Campo La Regina della Piazza and was was hailed as a a thinker brother free tre This p particular evening says Mr 11 Hamilton Hammon I nolic d d' d an old lI backed ked against st the wall wal walk 1 of a win s T t the southeast corner corner cor cur ner ncr of the square and on this I seated myself legged cross-legged puffing dt St my pipe and abC thinking of at man many things Some children were splashing splashing splashing splash splash- ing their hands in tl the marble fountain fountain foun foun- tam tain and man many people wandered to and fro frD bu but t I noticed no one eSpecially especially espe espe- until a woman oman drew dres near and eyed me me curiously I s at first that she was wondering at my pipe for Cor the have not yet et acquired the homely habit of smokIng smoking smoking ing pipes in public but at second thought I feared that the packing box might be hers and I was trespassing trespassing trespassing tres tres- passing on borrowed property I arose aroe hastily but K Keep Kep ep your seat signorino said sh she There Is room for both of u I And she sat down beside me pie without more ado She was was' wasa a queer looking woman rather rathel short rather round i rather sluttish in appearance forty five forty five at least but looking old for her age dustily age dustily dressed and tanned by sun and wind Her hair hall was coarse and careless and her hands were hard but there was a rich good humor humor humor hu hu- hu- hu mor in her chubby chubb cheeks cheel s a glow in her dark eyes and a memory in her voice olce The box was as narrow and w we pat sat very close to each other carefully She looked me over said she You are a 11 stranger Yes From England 7 No I I am an American I ex ex- ex Then you are rich she cried But I could only laugh at that No No Xo said I 1 I. I you are wrong again She slyly at this and 1 me rue in the ribs Why are 10 mo she asked S For pleasure I answered tor for he pea ure of at churches like the Duomo yonder and of ot talk- talk with friendly people like yourself yourself your your- self It must be beautiful to travel for pleasure I wish I were young oung like you ou young oU-young young oung and rich I should go o to Firenze to see the Duomo there the It has a aast vast ast dome clome they say a and a splendid campanile I Iliae have liae always wanted to see I as was young once but I was never rich T r looked l at her worn wind heeks She had Aad been young once But on the whole I like lute your Duomo Iet teter eter r than the other I said to give e her hei heart Anselmo Anselino I she called to a a aman S man who was ring near She Seemed d to know everyone In the square are Here is a signorino from America who likes likOs our Duomo better better better bet bet- ter than the great one in Firenze And see she continued sleeping s her arm toward the sunset sunset sun Bun set is not our campanile beautiful Strong and straight it stood silhouetted silhouetted silhouetted sil sil- sil- sil darkly against the saffron sky The evening star hung poised a above abOe e it it Anselmo grunted he was dull dun and brusque But the woman sat and and gazed I 1 like the star she Bald Then she added musing Iwas Iwas I Iwas was chr christened Stela Stella but I am nm never neve Called caled that any more I Old memories awoke within he her She laid her her hand upon m my arm Were Vere you ever er baptized she asked I II I answered answered Xo No and Cried to ex ex- ex plain I belong to no sect I said and profess no creed At this she grabbed my hand You are a free thinker she cried There are two of us nOt But you said you had been bap bal d. d S 5 That was when I was a a child and did not know But I am am a a. wo- wo 1 ia n now ai and amt t wise AntI And I 1 am free ri-ee tree free free as the he air She looked full Into my eYes eJes el 1 like e y you u signorino she said And I like you said I. I She took another pinch of or snuff Then What hat is your profession she asked S I 1 am a poet said I I. I Her eyes shone wide side A poet S and Sand again she seized my myar arm 11 He is a poet Anselmo she called but Anselmo merely grunted t Then The yoU O our poets perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps she Have Ha Haou you ou ever read our Dante Yes said saId I and I r began to l. l recite reite ite the familiar r verses about Francesca da la Rimini I had come coire cometo to the desired smile being beIng- kissed by such a a. lover loer when hen the woman broke in and finished the canto without faltering I looked at her in astonishment I f learned it when 1 I Iwas Iwas was very young she explained and andI I have hac not forgotten Ii disla- disla to riso iso Ah what a smile that was She sighed and then she said It must be bc beautiful to be a poet I have often wished that tho t 1 I were one Perhaps you are said I. I But she could not understand Then we chatted of many things and while we talked I learned her occupation It was her custom to sit in in the corner of ot the square and sell matches to the passers Everybody seem seemed d to know her and while I was sitting beside her she made sales to many many customers To everyone e she introduced me as a signorino no from froni America who was rich and traveling for pleasure and anda a poet One workman who met me was a courtly fello fellow And nd do you know with whom you are sitting slUing he asked when he had heard m my titles She is called La Regina della Piazza za the za-the the Queen ot of the Square At this I rose and bowed obeisanCe obeisance sance to m my son sovereign reign I am very proud said I to have shared your throne It had grown dark by this time and I felt that I must go But Hut you ou will come tomorrow evening urged the queen I 1 am sorry said I r but I am goIng goIng going go- go Ing to leave for or San very early eaily in the morning Her face fell at this But shant shan't shantI I ever ver see you rou again she pleaded I hope so o I said sincerely I know that thai I shall not forget you and anti when next I come to Siena though it may be years ea s from now now now- You will find your place waiting for you yon on th the throne |