Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-04-12
4 LEtILORN H1T


Nine o'clock Of a cloudless summer morning.
The basket phaeton stood at the door in the
narrow noisy street below, but Mr.. White had
| already gone to his office. Annie pleaded
headache, and the children had their allotted
task, with the German goyerness to accom-
plish. | must either remain within-doors
during the hot hours Of the day or 20 out
alone. decided on the latter course
Il am too old to require any chaperon." l
said with a laugh, and glanced in the mirror.
There | beheld q not unpleasant image of
little woman attired IN gray, with silyery veil
over her plain fnce. in the act of fitting on n
pair of quite infnitesimal gray gloves. | kiss
ed my good Annie and the children, as if
bound on a long and perilous voyage. and de
parted in the basket phaeton.
What a new world was that all about me
1t was the city of Leghorn, with its tall houses.
rendered dingy by damp, and wide white
squares, the atmosphere redolent Of tar the
quays thronged with shipping, the clumsy
tunnels of Oriental steamships relieved by the
lighter tracery Of interlacing masts against the
sky. | like ships; in their boundless suggest
ivencss they resemble wishes, hopes. ever
coming and going on some fresh errand.
The phneton ratified through the main
thoroughfare, once Via Grande, and now re-
baptized after the manner of all Italian cities
in the name Of Victor Emanuel. noticed
with the interest of stranger groups of
bronzed sailors the uutidy Leghorn woman
with trailing gown, and tapping handkerchief
tied over her fruwZy head the brilliant uni
form of an occasional officer strolling languid-
ly to his cafe.
Then the Sea Gate was reached, and be-
yOnd stretched the white road which threads
its way beside the Mediterranean to the beau
tiful suburb of the Ardenza. The sea-breeze
waited to me delicious GOODNESS; the hedges
Of eyergrsens and oleanders i'll masses of rose
bloom mingled rich odors the stunted trees
dropped their fcathery foliage laden with gray
dust. | gazed out over the sea, which sparkled
like a sapphire. with the lighthouses so bright
at night, now paid in the morning which no
longer had need of them, and the sails glisten-
ing with an exquisite silvery whiteness on the
horizon. l glanced down the white road as it
curved along the strand, bordered by its feath-
cry trees and oleanders its gardens hotels
and villas stretching to the Maremma and the
coast / might never explore.
This is the most beautiful shore in the
world and the old Romans knew it." | sollo-
quzed aud just then the phaeton paused.
My destination was the bath. Again the
charm of novelty delighted me, for it was my
first summer with Annie's household Bath
ing at Livorno is made pastme a recrea-
ton, instead of a serious business. l walked
out ON n pier which terminated in n round
space shielded by tent from the suns rays
and thence the smiling old bath-woman, in
Tapping straw hat conducted me down pas
sage, bordered ON either side by little tents
with green doors, to my destination. Once
consigned to the Jdydccd. | was free to remain
in the tiny house. with its roof of mating and
walls of striped canvas, where the water rip
Piled in of a transparently green hue, or to
part the curtains and issue forth boldly as n
la,tlal to -,
my crystal bath, as l was alone, like a mer-
maid in a cave.
| was startled by the curtains being sep
arated from without and the appearance of a
mans head, with such evident intention of a
tall bodys following that 1 uttered a faint
scream Of alarm, when the intruder hastily
with muttered Beg pardon
received the apology with such dignity as
is possible to very small lady in a flannel
bathing suit, hanging to rope to avoid
drowning in deep water, and with her head
done up in an ol-skn cap.
Some stupid Englishman :" l said pettish-
ly.
The hour was too early for many occupants
of the large tent, and when | emerged from
my bath / drew a chair near the railing to
again gaze out over the beautiful Mediterran-
can. An American man of-war had entered
port the previous dny. | endeayored to de-
scry her with the old pain at my heart. My
brother Harry, young, brave, good, destined
to become great man, MS | believed, had
died of fever on board ship OFF Calao five
years ago, smitten down without power to
send me II message, although, thus stricken, l
was left alone. Yes all alone l shivered in
the bright Italian morning while my eyes
searched wistfully for the man-ot-war. Since
then every frigate had become TO me Harry's
ship, and every officer in uniform assuredly
must be my dead brothers friend. Five years
of winter and summer in the old house at
home, wandering from room to room in n
ghostly fashion, with the portraits of father
and mother III the shadow of the best parlor
and Harrys dog following me with dumb in
tellgence to thrust his nose into my hand
five years of mourning of silence, that left
me n plain little old maid, my hair turned
gray! Then Annie, happy wife and mother,
schOol-mate and friend Of manyl years, had
written TO me long letter from her home at
Leghorn where her husband was engaged in
business, urging me to come abroad. | saw
my future clearly enough. In this genial
household l should be companion, friend,
old-maid aunt to the children. sighed.
just then the merchant whose wares were
displayed in one corner of the tent-tortose
shell, coral, and sienna-wood trinkets-beg-
ged me to take II chance in his lottery. l
took the box, and turned ont the dice on the
board, having paid a frame. The merchant
counted up the numbers, and found the cor
responding one in his stock of prizes repre-
sented by set of coral, resembling sticks of
red sealing-waX. Somebody approached and
watched the drawing. recognized the long