The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-05-10
A LEGHORN HAT.

God gives us space for loving grace
But leaves no time FOR hetinS
A LEGH0RN HAT.
{ l. Nine O'Clock of q cloudless summer
! morning. The basket phseton 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 tasks with the
German governess to ccomplish. l
must either remain within doors during
the hot hours of the day or go out alone.
decided on the latter.
Il am too old to require any chaperon,'
said with laugh, and glanced in the
mirror.
There | beheld not unpleasing image
ola little woman attired in gray, with a
silyery veil over her plain face, in the
act OF fitting on pair of quite infinitesi-
NAL gray gloves. kissed my good An
ME and the children, as if bound on a
long and perilous voyage, and departed
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 sea damp,
aud wide white squares, the atmosphere
redolent OF tar, the quays thronged with
shipping, the clumsy tunnels of oriental
steamships relieved by the lighter tracery
Nof interlacing masts against the sky. |
ike ships; in their boundless suggestive
ness they resemble wishes, hopes. ever
coming and going on some fresh errand
The phaeton ratified through the main
thOrOug hfsre, once Via Grande, and now
rebaptized, (atter the manner of all Ital-
ian cities, in tue name of Victor Eman
uel. | noticed with the interest of a
I stranger groups Of bronzed sailors the
untidy LeghOrn woman with trailing
gown, and tapping handkerchief tied
over her frowzy head the brilliant uni
form of an occasional officer strolling
lsnguidly to his cafe.
Then the Sea Gate was reached and
beyond stretched the WI ite road which
thFesSls its way beside the Mediterranean
to the beautiful suburb of the Ardenza.
The sea breeze waited to me delicious
coolness; the hedges of evergreens aud
Oleanders in masses of rose bloom
mingled rich odors; the stunted trees
dropped their feathery foliage laden with
gray dust. l gazed out over the sea,
which spsrkled like a 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. / glanced down the white road
as it curved along the strand, bordered
by It's feathery trees and oieanders, its
gardens, hotels and villas stretching to
the Maremma, and the coast I might
never explore.
This is the most beautiful shore ia
the world, and the old Romans knew it, s"
soliIoquized and just then the phaeton
paused.
Ny 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
pastime, recreation, instead of q seri,
Gus business. l walked out on q pier
which terminated in a 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 consingned to the
/ bardooa, | was free to remain in the tiny
/ house, with its roof of mating and walls
/ of striped canvass, where the water rip
/ pied IN of transparently green hue, or
/ to part the curtains and issue forth boldly
as swimmer. / decided to remain se~
cluded in my crystal bath, ,as was alone,
1 like mermaid in a cave.
| was startled by the curtains being
separated from without, and the appear
ance of a mans head, with long sandy
beard The head advanced with such
evident intention of tall body's follow
( ing that | uttered a faint scream of
ala1m, when the intruder retreated
hastily with Il 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
sin cap.
some stupid Englishman +" 1 said,
psttishly.
The hour was too early for many occu-
psnts Of the large tent, and when l
emerged from my bath drew chair
mar the railing to again gaze out over
tie beautiful Mediterranean. An Amer
icn man-of>war had entered the port the
pevious day. l endeavored to descry
her. with the old pain at my heart. My
bother Harry, young, brave, good, des-
] tined TO become a great man, as be-
lived. had died of fever on board ship
of Callso FIVE years ago. smitten down
without power to send NE q message,
although, thus stricken, was left alone.
Yes. all alone / shlvered IN the bright
Italian morning, while my eyes searched
wstfully for the man>of~war. Since then
every frigatc had become to me Harry's
sbin and every officer in uniform assur.
edlv must be my dead brothers friend
Five wears of winter and summer in the
old house at home, wandering from room
10 room in a ghostly fashion, with the
/ portraits of father and mother in the
shadow of the best parlor, and Harry's
dOy following me with dumb intelligence
to thrust his nose into my hand; FIVE
years of mourning, of silence, that left
me a plain little old maid, my hair turned
pav Then Annie, happy wife and