The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-11-24

his frame. Gradually he grew more
con. posed, and as be showed me around
among the pipe fianked avenues, cast
ing his huge lantern here and there tc
show me the many and various wines,
he began to talk with considerable
freedom, though he yet betrayed q
straDgeness OF manner, a sort of fiaring
gesture, that could not fail OF exciting
my curiosity. A casual observer, who
might have judged only from his ap.
pearance, would have thought him
slightly insane, and even felt & con.
vic;ion that his mind was not exactly
CONNIE IL .fd,tt, or at any rate not omnae
.je fus.
DO you reside in New York;" he
asked, as we stopped for moment at
the extremity of the vault.
told him that | did not beion :
ts'ere, though | had spent part OF the
wl2ter eud sprirg Of 1871 and az =.
that city.
I have wife in that State some
where, and perhaps child, bat / have
not heard from them for long time. y
noticed that lie wiped his eyes with
tie sleeve of his linen jacket as be
spoke, and lie turned away, as though
to hide an emotion that might be
thought unmanly.
Does she not write to YOU" ask
ed
''Sbe knows not where am"
do you not write!"
Mel he uttered with a sudden
start, a cold rremor shaking his frame
the while. ''Ah, sir, | dare not trust
my superscription, nor any autograph
in"
He E-sitated-looked at me wildly
for an instant, and then starting on, he
began to enlarge on the different ages,
qualities and vintages of the vine.
Twice | tried to bring him back to the
subject he had so abruptly left, but it
was of no avail. At length We came
around to the steps that led up to the
surface Of terra tirma. The sun had
already set, and the stars were begin
ming TO sparkle III the blue arch above
us. H remarked that he had no idea
it was SO late, and added with the hap
piest smile, that had yet seen him ex
press, that he supposed it was because
he had had such pleasant company, at
the same time assuring me that | was
the only American wi h whom he had
held a social converse for over a year.
As he was about to close the vault for
the night, l proposed he should ac-
company lie to my cafe, take supper
with me and then walk with me about
the city. 1t was some time before lie
would consent to this arrangement;
and while he was considering upon it |
could see that there was an internal
struggle of no small MON ent. He ap-
peared to Inc not unlike man who is
debating whether he shall attack den
of sngry rattlesnakes. After awhile,
however, consented TO go, though there
was marked reluctance in his manner.
He extinguished the light in his lantern,
gazed up and down the long avenues
to see that no spark of fire had accid-
dentally been dropped, and then he
followed me to the broad stone steps,
and having secured the doors, he s:gni-
fled that he was at my service. The
direct way to my cafe which was on
the broad quay, lay through the heart
of the city; but my companion in
sisted upon taking a more circultous
route, and as he lead the way, he, took
me through the narrowest and darkest
passages he could find
''Mr. c." said he, as we we're
emerging from one of these DARK pas
sages, there was a merchantman ar
rived yesterday from New York, and
l know not who may have come in
here. 1t is for this reason that avoid
public places.
In az i'stG'.t the idea flashed upon
me that my companion was a convict,
or, at least, criminal who had been
guilty of some lein BUS crime in his ma
tive country, and was consequentiy
afraid of detection. The more I
thought OF it the more became con
vinced hat such was the fact. and /
could low account for his strange con
duct il this fear, and in the Cravings
Of n guilt burdened conscience. Yet
he was welcome companion for all
tia and | ieit sure that apentauce
hed been full and ample.
H gazed furtively about as we en-
rered the cafe; and, at his request. I
supper in private room. He
laughed and chat;ed freely, and the
more l saw of him the more | liked
him. After we had finished our meal,
we started on our proposed walk. 1t
was nearly IL o'clock when we thought
of returning, and as we were passing
the small church of st. Joseph, | no
ticed that the church doors were open
and that in the center of the church
there was a sable bier, around which
was burning a number of wax tapers.
proposed that we should enter and
look for moment at the corpse. H.
made no objection. In one of the con
fessionals near the door sat an old
monk, and very naturally l asked of
him who it was that rested upon the
bier, knowing that most of the inter
ments from this church were in behalf
of charity.
The monk informed me that it was
the body of a man who came on shore
the day before. He had been very
sick and weak when he left the ship,
hut he was determined to land, and no
of the crew could alter him
in bis determination. He had reached
the quay, but be lived not to cross it.
The kind monks of st. Joseph had
taken charge of it.
We slowly, reverently approached
the somber scene. Upon the breast of
the deceased were the various articles
that had been found in his possession,
of an apparently well fill
ed purse, pocket comb, watch, and
a heavy doubled barreled pistol, the
latter of which the monk informed us
had been loaded with extraordinary
charges of powder. balls and buck.
shot. I gazed upon the face of the
dead, and even in its sunken, marble
like rigidity, there was startling ex-
preston of intense resolution, as
though some fell purpose, which death |
had not subdued, still dwelt in the
hushed bosom. As | still gaZed l
heard quick, stifled cry at my side,
and on turning l was half frightened |
by the expression of my companions
His eyeballs seemed act
ually starting from their sockets, his
mouth was half open and fixed, his
hands, s,which were acknowledgements the |
the corpse, trembling like vibrating |
and his very Lair seemed
fretful. He moved nearer the head of
the deceased, looked another moment
into the paliid face and sinking down |
upon his knees, be clasped his hands
toward heaven:
'sGreat God, / thank thee / thank
thee! .thanksl thanks" lie calculated
In frantic tones, and then he arose AID |
10 oked once more upon the features
of the corpse. Then his eyes wander
IL Sho hooru r,ictol thot lar r,nnr,