Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-03

man. woman, aud beast They are a. strong as
men, as ioquacious as women. as stupid and OBJ
stinate as their own donkeys. In this in
stance, however, they did a. they were bid
We had been riding an hour or more Miss
sutherland In advance, and the doctor with his
hand on my saddle, biting all the devotion
that young man naturally feels toward a
wrihkled spinster Of fifty. when there was a
hait on the part OF the d0nkeys. and chorus
from the women: 'Slgnora, signora. Val di
Matrmonio, sgnoral val di Matrimonial"
Miss sutherland had not caught the words.
aud indignant at the additional Outburst of
pdtois. inquired: ''What is the matter with
them? Is it anything extraordinary"
have a wholesome terror of Miss Suther-
lands moOds but the doctor had apparently
survived his, for ne answered. very coolly 1--WE
are apparently upon the verge of the Valley of
Matritnony,' and the donkey women are calling
our attention to the fact
There was silence that under the circum-
stances was painful. Mss Sutherland tried to
ilnposs bic thing even for her. The doctor sue
ceeded without trying in looking savageiy Bit
ter from his position at the tail of mine.
To relieve the situation opened Baeieker.
The so-calied Val di Mltromania. some
times called MatrimOny by the islanders. de-
sends eastward to the sea at the base of the
TuOro Grande.'"
All" said the doctor, ''it certainly does de-
SCend eastward"
L went on:
1.-The Grotto di Mtromania. or GrOtto Of
Mthras. shrine OF the Persian god of the SUM-
to which one hundred aud thirty steps de-
send"
This time Miss Sutherland was ready with q
remark.
I'VE must see the Grotto. by all means"
To this objected Oh the score of the one hun
dred and thirty steps, and the doctor agreed
with me-
shall always think that it was the peculiarly
chilly and disa@reeabe tone OF the doctors voice
that sent Miss Sutherland 80 precipitatey to-
ward the brow OF the hill. In half moment
'she was off her donkey and explaining in her
choicest Italian to group Of women and small
bows that she would not have either their assis-
lance or their company in descending the ray
ged steps. The peasants shook their heads
doubtfuiIy and shrieked, hafin warning, half
In fury, at being disappointed OF their sOldi.
The doctor never moved muscle and in two
minutes more the girl was out Of sight. BY
way OF relief to his mind and my own nerves,
we began to discourse eluQuently on Italian
scenery. Finally the subject could not be
avoided any longer
these women how long it ought to take to de-
| scend to that grotto aud come back again."
The labor Of this investigation was dreadful.
The doctor talked and the women screamed. Time
| enough was consumed to have lost dozen
lives. when he announced as the result of his
struggles that Miss Sutherland should have re-
turned long ago.
Doctor" exclaimed, "that girl has broken
her neck"
WELL"
"Well!" I shrieked ''Is it possible you
don't care ANYTHING about it,"
lon the contrary, AIN rather pleased at such
an appropriate deHouen1ent She has broken my
heart. nearly lost you your life and what
! could possibly be more suitable than for her to
finish by breaking her own neck?"
| IN was pretty speech from man in love!
'"iil you go down and look for herr"
Certainly, if you will go with me. We shall
probably find her sitting on rock politely in
different to our feelings, and meditating on her
next new bonnet"
He positively declined to go unless went
with him. Further solicitude on Miss Suther-
| lands tehalfit was not in DR.. Manning's pro-
gram to bestow. Hand in hand, and assisted
by sturdy peasant woman. we scrambled down
that horrible precipice. The shrine of the Per-
sian god. cave with arches and walls of brick.
was passed. but no sign of Miss Sutherland's
presence.
the young woman half sitting, half lying, on
rock.
lis anything the matter2" the doctor called
out.
mo, nothing-not exactly" The words were
exactly those Miss Sutherland would have liked
to utter in her frtnest tone. The tone she did
utter them>i was one that denoted an agony
of suppressed pain.
The doctor heard it quite az we'll as did, but
he did not move.
will you come up. or shall come down to
you?"
BY this time we could see the white drawn
face The doctor took two steps forward and
| stopped.
Miss Sutherland, Spartan that she was, had
borne all she could bear. Both arms were
stretched out, and the weakest kind OF q voice
answered:
| 81 cannot come. Come to me-"
There was really ''nothing-not exactly" the
, matter with Miss Sutherland but broken ankle
and disiocated shoulder.
| What piece Of work it was carving her IN
that dreadful hill! And how ever did we man
age to get her all the way back to the pension
without killing herr Tears stood In the doc
| tors eyes as he handed her first to one and
then the other of the stout peasants that helped
him with his burden. That was the only sign
Of weakness on either part
Inc doctor manages his wife: there is no
doubt about that. Just precisely what system
OF discipline was inaugurated among the lemon
groves of Capri when Miss Sutherand's ankle
was fully mended and her shoulder settled in its
right place don't pretend to understand. 1t
tits all very Well for him. but as for me- when I
undertake my next charge. hope she will be a
commonplace young person with red hair and
crOss-eyed.