Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-05-11
ALGGuoRN HAT.

"
morning. The basket phaeton stoou ut
the door in tie narrow noisy street pc
low. but Mr.. Whi,e had already gone 10
his office. Annie pleading head"che- anu
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.
| decided OH the latter course.
IT am too old to require any chaperon,"
I'said. with a laugh, and glanced In the
mirror.
There I behell not unpleasing i'm
ace of a little woman attired i'll grey,
viii, n silyerv veil over her plain face.
in he act of fitting on 4 pair of quite
infiniiesimal grey gloves. | kissed my
good Annie and the children. as If bound
on long aud perilous voyage, and de-
parted in the basket phaetOn.
What new world was that all about
ms. IL was the City of Leghorn. with
its tall houses, rendered dizzy by sea
damp AMI wi,le Write squares. the at
mosphere redo!ent of tar, the quays
turonged with shipping. the clumsy fun
nelS OF Oriental am-shlps relieved by
the lighter tracery of interlacing mlsts
against the sky. | like ships; in their
boundless sugg, stiyeness they resemble
wishes, hopes. ever coming and going OH
some fresh errand.
The phaeton ratified through the main
thorouglfare, once Via Grande. and now
rrbIptiZed, after the manner of all
Italian cities. in the Victor Emanuel. L
noticed with the interest of stranger
groups of bronzed sailors; the untidy
LegIlorn woman with trailing gown, and
Tapping handl,eI chief tied over her
frowzy head; the brilliant uniform of an
occasional officer strolling .languidly 10
his cafe.
Then the Sea Gate was reached. and
beyond stretched the white road which
threads its way beside the Mediterranean
To ihe beautiful suburb of the Artlenza.
The sea breeze waited to me delicious
GOODNESS; the hedges of everSreens and
oleantser- i'll masses of roseboom mill
.led rich odors; the stunted trees
dropped their t,athery foliage. laden
with grey dust. gazed ont over the sea,
which sp TX leil like u sapphire, with the
light OF the houses, so bright al night.
now palid in the morning, which 10 Ion
ger had nre1 OF them. ant! the sails glis-
triing with IN exquisite silvrry white
ness on the horizon. glanced down the
white road rs it curved along the stranl.
dcrs. lis gar,lenS, hotels and villas
stretching TO the Marcmma, and the
coISt might never explore.
This is The most beautiful shore in the
world, and the oil Romans knew IT," |
solil0qnized; iii just then the plIaetOll
paused.
Ny destination was the bath. Again
rh, charm OF novelty delighted. for il
was my first summer with Annie'S house
hold. Bathing ut IlivOrno IS made Il
pastiinc. Il recreatioi, instead of Il serious
business. | walked ont on pier which
terminated in Il round space, shielded by
8. tent from the suns rays, and thence
the smiling old bath-wOman, iii Il
tapping straw hat. conducted me down
passage. bOrdtred on either side By lit
tie tents with green doors. TO my deS-
tina.ion. Once consigned 10 the buTraccd
/ was free To remain in the tiny house.
with lis roof of mating and walls of
striped canvas, where the water ripplel
i'm of Il transparently green hle.Or TO part
the cnrtaiI> and issue forth boldly us Il
swimmer decided to remain secluded
IN my crystal bath, rs l was .alond, like
a mermaid in II cave.
| was startled by the curtains being
separated from without, and the appear
ance Of mars head, with long sandy
beard. The heal advanced with such
evident intention OF a tall body follow
ing that uttered faint scream of alarm.
when the intruder retreated hastily with
mutterd "beg pardon"
| received The apology with such dig
nifty as is possible to very small lady in
"a flannel bathing suit. hanging TO "A rope
TO avOil drowning i'll deep water, and
with her head dore up i'll an oil-skin
cap.
~Somc stupid Englishmanr' L said,
pettishly.
The hour was too early for many oc-
cllpants of the large tent, and when [
emerged from my bath drew chair
near the railing 10 again gaze out over
the beautiful Mediterranean. An Amer.
lean man-of- war had entered port the
previous day. | endeavored to descry
her. with the old pain at my heart. my
brother Harry, young. brave. good, des-
tined to become great man,as believed,
had died of fever on board ship off
CallaO five years ago, smitten down
without power to send me message.
although. thus stricken. L was LETT alone.
Yes all alone shivered in tue bright
Italian morning while my eyes searched
Wi>tiuil lOE Tile uidu-Oi-NdI. DiDCe Jt4eu
every frigate had become TO me
Uarry's ship,and every officer in uniform
assuretlly must be my dead brothers
friend. Five years of winter and summer
in the old house ut home, wandering
from room to room in Ghostly fashion.
with the portraits of father and mother
i'm the shadow of the best parlor, and
Uarry's dog following lie with. 6umb
intelligence TO thrust his nose into nv
hand: five years of mourning. of silence
that lett me plain little old maid, my
nv hair turned grey! Then Annie,
happy wife AMI mother, school Mute and
FREUD Of many years, had written 10 me
a long letter from her home at Leghorn,
where her husband was engaged in
business, urging me TO come abroad. j
saw my future clearly enough. In this
genial household | should be companion,
friend, old-maid aunt to the children. L
sighed.
just then the merchant whose wares
were displayed in one corner of the tent
tOrt0ise-shell, coral and siennawOod,t rink-
ets-begged me TO take a chance in his
lottery. | took the box, and turned out
the dice on the board, having paid a
franc. The merchant counted up the
numbers, and found the corresponding
i'm his stock of prizes represented by n
set of coral. resembling sticks of red
sealiDo-wax. Somebody approached
and watched the drawing. l recognized
the lone sandy beard of the intruder of
nv bath, but gave little Jump when
further discOvered that he wore the
uniform of an American naval officer.
The merchant Immediately pOunced OH
him. Almost uncOnsciOusly the stranger
of the sandy beard appealed TO me in
English for explanation, as he did not
understand Italian. The next moment