Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-05-31


precedence of simple Americans.
AT night the order Of the day was
changed; Janet was timid and had a
morbid fear Of the mysterious alcoves
where huge beds were placed as IL to
challenge an attack from bandits and
banshees, so she huddled close TO
mamma, and 1 was left to take my
chances in the next room.
Isn't this ideal?" Janet exclaimed, as
she halted on hill top and we saw
Amalfi crowning the cliffs beyond us,
made infinitely somber by the effulgent
glory of the western sky, which was a
bank of gold along which sapphire ISL
ands drifted and trembling clouds lay
twisted like frozen flames, while white
sailers of the boundl,ss ether ilaated
swiftly toward the FURNISHED sun as If
longing to follow the dying TO the dawn
ing light beyond the pillars of Hercules
and the lost Atlantis.
"Yes, ii is beautiful, but there is a sus-
picious stiffness in the air that always
presages a storm. Those tiny white
lines on the water will grow to white
caps tonight, and the sky reminds mo
of the old proverb whom the gods would
destroy, they first make blind many
sailor will see only its glory and never
suspect the lurking danger, the count
replied.
@Allons, / am glad that il there is to
be storm we can enjoy it at safe dis
tance, Janet said, giving the horses a
cut that sent us into Amalf in great
style and with imminent danger to tho
inhabitants. who have a way of lettering
in the streets and expect horses to give
place to them. We left the landau at
stable, and, sending our luggage to the
Albergo -, we wandered up the old
stone steps worn by the feet of many
generations, and lost ourselves in the
devious windings of quaint old paths,
until guided by the vesper bell we found
the cathedral
After much agnosticism at the putat-
i've tomb of St Andrew, we went to
the Albergo, which was an abandoned
refectory. An omelette souffiee, fit to
be the solacs of the blackest Fridays
and longest Lents, was the pride Of the
chef. and the bland Luigi handled it as
reverently as If it had been a relic Of st.
Francis preserved by Santa Chiarai
truly no jolly prior could have relished
1t more than we did, and after the coffee
we went into pleasant salon, and the
fire was so bright that we felt encour-
aged to listen to weird old story of the
dead Lady of Malatesta. which the
count told with realistic horror. The
storm he had predicted was wailing and
weeping around us, and the sea, lashed
to fury, broke with sullen roar against
the mighty rock.
"Dfd you ever see the dead lady your
self?" Janest asked, drawing close to
mamma.
"One night, Halloween, of course, /
went to the haunted room, lighted
lamp, and laying my pistols on the table
determined to face all comers. All
went well until the last stroke of 12
sounded from the tower; then / fell
asleep, and when | awoke sensation of
intense cold was creeping over me, the
lamp was Pickering fitfully-approach
ing me slowly, not walking and not fly
ing, / was conscious of something /
don't know what, for yielding to an in
sane terror / rushed from the room, and
the horror Of that night was such that
I have never been able to persuade my
sell to make second attempt to meet
the dead lady. Don't think me cow
ard, he said appealingly to Janet,
@for you know fought under Prince
Alexander and charged with more than
one forlorn hope
"Of course don't, but You know
don't believe inghosts.
Neither do l, but have an illogical
fear Of them, he said; and added with
some asperity, Janet, If you ever were
alone in the dark you would believe in
them too, but you know it would take
very enterprising spook to catch you
while mamma is around. If you don't
believe in them. please try my cell to-
night, ii is a regular ghost trap.
Il didn't say wasn't afraid Of them,
Camilla, / said didn't believe in them,
didn't /, Count Guido?" Janet an
swered, appealing to subsidized judic-
iary, for the count, Of course, agreed to
every thing she asked, and finding my
self in a hopeless minority began to
explore the room. There was picture
near the window which possessed a
strange fascination for me; it was evil
IDENTIFY the portrait of young man who
had lived centuries ago, yet there was
marvellous freshness in the rich color
ing, and the melancholy beauty of the
features might have been traced by Van
Dyck, SO exquisite was the sad yet ten
der sweetness of the eyes which followed
one with weird persistency. One hand
was laid on the hilt of sword, the
other held plumed hat as black as his
raven hair.
@Do ask Luigi the history Of this ro-
mantle portrait, said to the count,
and Luigi was summoned, but it was
hard to get any information from him.
Il wonder how far francs would
go toward clearing up the mystery7" /
asked, laying them one by one on the
table.