Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-05-28
LUIGI FERRAro AT TIE WHEEL

1t lCl FERRATO
remembrance OF your father Andrea
come TO my arms, my child"
While the Doctor clasped him TO his
breast Luigi felt the tears start into his
eyes At this affecting scene Pierre
could no longer remain unmovcd. He
felt his whole soul go forth towards this
young man of his own age. the brave
son of the fisherman of RovignO
And ! ] - exclaimed he, with out
stretched arms.
You, sir -
~ The son of Stephen Bathory!"
Did the Doctor regret the avowal
No. Luigi Ferrato could keep the
secret rs we'll as Pescade and Matifou
Luigi was then informed how matters
stood, and learned Doctor Antekirtts
objects. One thing he was not told
and that was, that he was in the pres
cnce of Count Matthias Sandorf
The Doctor wished to be taken at once
to Maria Ferrato. He was impatient to
sec her again, inpatient above all to
hear how she had lived life of work and
misery since Andrea's death had left her
alone with her brother to look after
Yes, Doctor answered Luigi let
us go ashore at oncel Maria Will be
very anxious about me IL is forty
eight hours since / left her to 60 fishing
in Melleah creek, and during last night $
storm she will he afraid l have got
drowned -
You are fond of your sister 2" asked
the Doctor.
"Sho If my mother and my sister
combined - answered Luigi.
Does the Isle of Malta, situated about
sixty two miles from Sicily, belong 20
Europe or Africa from which it is separ-
ated by one hundred and sixty miles!
This is a question which has much exer-
cised geographers ; but, in any case,
having been given by Charles " to the
Hospitallers whom Solyman drove out
of Rhodes, and who then took the name
of knights of Malta, it now belongs to
England-and it would take some
trouble to get it away from her. 1t is
about eighteen miles long and ten across.
1t has Valetta and its suburbs for its
capital, besides other towns and villages,
such as Citta Vecchia-a sort of sacred
town which was the seat of the bishop ut
the time Of the Knights-Dingzi, Zeb-
bug, Birchircara. etc. Rather fertile in
its eastern half, and very barren in its
western half, the density of it's popula-
ton towards the east is in striking
contrast TO that towards the west In
all, it contains about hundred thousand
inhabitants. What nature has done for
this island in cutting out of its coast its
four or five harbors, the most beautiful
in the world, surpasses all that can be
imagined. Everywhere water every
where points, capes and heights ready
to receive Notifications and batteries.
The Knights had already made it a diff
cult place to take and the English have
made it impregnable. No ironclad
could hope to force her way in against
sucl, an array of guns, which among
others includes two at the waters edge,
each OF a hundred tons, fully equipped
with hydraulic apparatus, and capable
Of sending n shot weighing seventeen
and half hundredweight to distance
Of nine and half miles-a piece of
information that may be proftably noted
by the powers who regret to>see in Eng
lands hands this admirable station COM
handing tho Central Mediterranean.
end which could hold tho whole British
feet.
Assuredly there are English at Malta.
There is Governor lodged in tho
aacicnt palace of the Grand Master,
there is an admiral to look after the fleet
and the harbors, and n garrison of from
four to five thousand men but there
are Italians who wish to be considered
at home, floating cosmopolitan popu-
lation ~ at Gibraltar, and there are, OF
course, Maltese.
The Maltese are Africans. In the
hsrbors they work their brightly-colored
boats in the streets they drive their
vehicles down the widest slopes, in the
markets they deal in fruits, vegetables
meats, fish, making n deafening uproar
under tho lamp of some small sacred
daub. 1t il said that all the men are
alike. copper in color, with slightly
wooliv hair with piercing eyes and
robust and OF medium height. II seems
So though all the women were of tho
same fnmilv. with large eyes and long
lashce, dark hair, charming hands,
supple figures and skin of a Wilderness
that tho sun cannot touch beneath the
"fal.etta. sort of black silk mantle
worn in Tunisian fashion, common to all
glasses, and which, answers mt the same