The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-04-11
A LEGHORN HAT.


the door in the narrow noisy street be-
low, but Mr.. White had already gone to
his Office, Annie pleaded headache, and
the children had their allotted tasks with
the German governess to accomplish. I
must either remain within doors during
the hot hours of the day or go out alone.
I decided on the latter course.
q" am too old to require any chape-
ron," said, with laugh, and glanced
in the mirror.
There I beheld not unplcasing image
of little woman attired in gray, with q
silvery veil over her plain face, in the
act of fitting on pair of quite infinite
sinai gray gloves. kissed my good
Annie and the children, as if bound on
a long and perilous voyage, and departed
in the basket phaeton.
What new world was that all about
me 1t was the city of Leghorn, with
its tall houses, rendered dingy by sea
damp, and wide white squares, the atmo-
sphere redolent of tar. the quays throng-
cd with shipping, the clumsy tunnels Of
Oriental steamships relieved by the
lighter tracery of interlacing masts
against the sky. I like ships; in their
boundless suggestiveness they resemble
wishes, hopes, ever coming and going on
some fresh errand. !.
The phaeton ratified through the main
thoroughfare, once Via Grande, and now
rebnptized, after the manner of all Ital.
ian cities, in the name of Victor Eman.
uel. I noticed with the interest of O
stranger groups of bronzed sailors; the
untldy Leghern woman with trailing
gown, and Tapping handkerchief tied
over her frowzy head; the brilliant uni
form of an occasional officer strolling
langnidly to his cafe.
Then the Sea Gate was reached, and
beyond stretched the white road which
threads its way beside the Mediterranean
TO the beautiful suburb of the Ardenza.
The sea breeze waited to me delicious
GOODNESS the hedges of evergreens and
olcanders in masses of rose bloom
mingled rich odors the stunted trees
dropped their feathery foliage laden with
gray dust. I gazed out over the sea,
which sparkled like sapphire, with the
light houses SO bright at night, now
pallid in the morning which no longer
had need of them, and the sails glistening
with an exquisite silvery whiteness on the
horizon. 1 glanced down the white road
by its feathery 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, !"
soliloquized ; and 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. Bathing at Livorno is made
n pastime, a recreation, instead of
serious business. / walked out on
pier which terminated in round space
shielded by tent from the suns rays,
and thence the smiling old bath woman,
in Tapping straw hat, conducted me
down passage, bordered on either side
by little tents with green doors, to my
destination. Once consigned to the
bardccd, / was free to remain in the
tiny house, with its roof of mating and
walls of striped canvas, where the water
rippled in of transparently green hue,
or to part the curtains and issue forth
boldly as swimmer. decided to re-
main secluded in my crystal bath, as
was alone, like mermaid in a cave.
I was startled by the curtains being
separated from without, and the appear
ance of mans head, with long sandy
beard. The head advanced with such
evident intention of tall body's follow
ing that I uttered faint scream of
alarm, when the intruder retreated
hastily with a muttered "Beg pardon
I received the apology with such dig
nifty as is possible to a very small lady
in flannel bathing suit, hanging to a
rope to avoid drowning in deep water,
and with her head done up in an oil-skin
cap.
"Some stupid Englishman |" I said,
pettishly.
The hour was too early for many occu-
pants of the large tent, and when I
emerged from my bath I drew a chair
near the railing to again gaze out over
the beautiful Mediterranean. An Amer
lean n-of-war had entered the port the
previous day. l endeavored to descry
her, with the old pain at my heart. My
brother Harry, young, brave, good, des-
tined to become great man, as be-
lieved, had died of fever on board ship
of Callao five years ago, smitten down
without power to send me a message.
thus stricken, I was left alone.
Yes, all alone L shivered in the bright
italian morning, while my eyes searched
wistfully for the man n-of-war. Since then
every frigate had become to me Harry's
ship, snd every officer in uniform assnr.
edly must be my dead brothers. friend. |