Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-01-21
THE HAUNTED MAN.

: In the spring OF lS42 ehanced 10 be
in Messina, a seaport of Sicily, and
while there / was invited to visit the ex'
elusive vintage of d i & No.
Their location was in pleasant valley
some three miles from the city, and be-
neathaa portion of their grounds was
extended large, wide vault, embrac-
ing an area of two acres. After ac,
companying No, the junior partner,
through the long vine arbors and orange
groves, we descended to the vault, and
after passing nearly half the length of
one of the pipe tiers we came to a desk
where a man was writing.
"There is one of your couatrymen,
said No, "and he will accompany
you through the vaults"
Ny conductor called to the man, who
quickly dropped his pen, stepped down
from the stool and came forward. He
was employed as clerk in the exporting
department, for the purpose of filling
up bills, invoices, ETC., for the American
and English merchants. -ft m''.ai
"You will find him strange sort Of
a man" whispered No, out be is,
Notwithstanding, a good fellow"
H, for so my companion had called
him. was a tall, well.made man, appa-
rently on the better side of forty, and
pleasing, intelligent look His hair,
which was quite Injurious, was almost
white, and about his countenance there
were evident marks of suffering, His
eyes when he first gazed on me-which
was with a furtive, trembling glance
had an inexpressibie look of wildness in
,hem, and cold, fearfll shudder seemed
to ru n through his frame.
"Mr c." said he, there was an
American merchantmen arrived yester-
day from New York, and ! know not
who may have come in her.
In an instant tlee idea flashed upon me
that my companion was convict, or, at
Least a criminal who had been guilty of
some beinous crime in his native ooun-
trv and was consequently afraid OF de-
lection. u The more | thought OF 1T the
more became convinced that such was
the fact, and ] could now account Tor
his strange conduct in this fear, and In
the guawings of a guilt-burdened COP
science. Yet he was a welcome oom-
panion for all that, and felt sure that
had been full and ample.
} H gazed furtively about as we en-
tered the cafe; and, at his request, | or
dered supper in q private room. lie
laughed and ehatted freely, and the
more saw of him the more liked him.
II was nearly II clock when we thought
of returning, and as we we're passing
the small church of ST. Joseph, | no
ticed that the doors were open, and that
in the center Of the church there was a
sable bier, around which was burning u
number of small wax tspers. l pro-
nosed that we should enter and look for
a moment at the corpse. H. made
no objections. In one of the confes-
sionals near the door sat an old monk,
and very naturally asked of him who
it was that rested upon the bier, not
knowing that most of the interments
from this church were in behalf Of
charity.
The monk informed me that it was
the body Of man who came on shore
from the American ship that came in
the day before. He had been very slok
and weak when he left the ship, but he
was determined to land, and no persua-
sion of the crew could alter him in his
determination. He bad reached the
uuay but he lived not to cross It. The
kind monks OF ST. Joseph had taken
charge of the body.
We slowly, reverently approached the
sombre scene. Upon the breast of the
deceased we're the various articles that
had been found in his possession, CON-
sisting Of an apparently vell-hlled purse,
a pocket-comb, a watch, aud a heavy
aOuble,barrelled pistol, the latter Of
which the monk informed US had been
loaded With extraordinary charges OF
powder, balls, and buck shot. ! gased
upon the face of the dead, and even in
lis sunken marble-like rigidity, there was
a startling expression Of intense resolu-
ton, as though some fell-purpose which !
death had not subdued still dwelt in the
hasbed bosom. As / still gazed lheard
4 stifled cry at my side, and en- turning
was half frightened by the expression
N nv companions 0ountenance. His
aVebslls seemed actually starting from
heir sockets: bis mouth was half open
.nd fixed; his hands, which were extend
ID towards the corpse, tTembled like
vibrating harpstrings, and his very hair
seemed fretful. he moved nearer to-
yards the head Of the deceased, looked
another moment into that pallfd face,
md sinking down upon bis knees, be
lifted bis hands toward heaven.
Great God, I thank theel thank
lheei thanksl thanksi" be calculated IN
frantic tones, and then be arose and
looked once more upon the features Of
he corpte. Then his eyes wandered TO
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