The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-02-11

myself by looking down upon the river
Tho ripple ofwhicIi, silvered by the moon
beams, were moving slightly on. The
church clock struck twelve. raised my
head and behind a tall man, anyelopec
in a red cloak, and holding one of the
corners 40 as to hide his face. ! was
rather startled on finding him so close tt
me; but quickly recovering, | asked hin
wha, he required Of me. fa
| The red cloak threw piercing glance
upon me, and said in an abrupt tone.
'Follow mel, H.a
felt rather uncomfortable al the idea
fof going aloGc with n nun entirely IN
known TO me; ;and remained still.
"Not so, sir" said IL want first tc
know where am to folow-and first Of
all I want 10 see your face, TINT may
judge whether you have any evil purpose
or not"
The man did moi appear to pay any at
lenion TO my remarks.
"lf you will not follow me, Zalencos
remain," he answered, and went away.
fel, my arger rise.
ADO you think" exclaimed, /" that a
man like me will be toy Of fool? Do
you think | will have waited here for
nothing this cold nighi?' ao
In moment had reached him, and
taking hnld of his cloak with ono hand,
and graspng my sword with the other, |
repeated my word louder than before, but
the cloak remained in my hana-lhc
stranger hpd disappeared round the COR
ner. Though was angry before; |
soon became calm by the possession of
the cloak, which thonght would give
me some clue which | might trace this
singular adventure to its origin. put it
on my shoulders, and took my way home.
Just as | reached home, somebody brush
ed BY me and whispered in Fronch-
"Take heed, Count. There is Moth
ing TO be done this night"
Before mad time 10 turn round and
see who it was, the man had passed, and
| could only see his shadow diminishing
along the houses. That the woIds were
addressed to the cloak, and not to mo, |
mad no doubt but that circumstances did
not throw any light upon the aa'lr, aud
The whole night | was mediialing upon
the course to pursue. The next morn-
ing I examined the cloak uIore closely.
II wss rich velvet embroidered with
gold. The magnfcence OF the mantle
suggested 10 me singular idea. | put
i, into my shop and exhibited il for sale,
putting so high price upon it, that il
was not very likely 10 find purchaser. :.
My reasons for thus exposing The mantle
was TO scan sharply any one who might
ask for it, for the stature Of the unknown,
which had clearly seen after The loss of
his cloak, was so deeply impressed on
my mind, that should have known him
out ola hundred. The beauty Of the
cloak attracted grea, many admirers, but
no one resembled my stranger; no one
seeming inclined 10 pay the price lind
marked it-6ve hundred duca,s: bn,
strange il was that all assured me that
there was no, mantle Of such value and
beauty in Florence.
|, was getting near evening, when
yonng man who had often made purchas-
es Of me, came 10 the shop, and throwing
a pile of ducats on the counter, ex-
Gained. I.ra
"By heaven, must have your cloak,
even though become beggar"
A, the same time he began /" empty
the purse and pile up the gold pieces; |
iel, in au awkward position; had exhib-
tied for one sole purpose of finding ou'
my unknown, aud then came a young
fool willing to pay the c&horbitant price
asked for it. But WIN, was 10 be done?
I could no, help parting with the cloak,
and WAS we'll pleased on the other hand
to be SO we'll paid for my nocturnal adj
venture. The young man put on The
cloak and went away; bu. almost Instant
" he came back, and deetaching a paper
from the cloak, he threw it al me say
ing:
"TIlere is something which does not
belong to the mantIe, suppose.
81 carelessly took the paper up and
what did lread?-
"Bring the cloak this evening at the
same hour 10 the bridge OF POnte Vecchlo,
and one thousand dlcals are waiting
you" aiH
| was sthupders'ruck. My plansregatd-
ing both benefit aud curiosity had failed.
| did no, hesitate long, took up the five
hundred ducals; and run after the pur-
chaser. 2Haf1
"Take your money back said / TO
him. sand e, me have the cloak-l can
not part with it,"
The young man though, at first it was
a Joke, bu, as Insisted, he became angry,
and called me fool. From words we
came to blows--a regular fight occurred,
and was happy enough 10 seize the
mantle. But my adversary called the po-
lice to his aid, end | was taken before the
court Injustice, The judge expressed
surprise at my proceedings, and adludged
,ba cloak In The eounn man | offered