Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-10-07

plantations, slaves, gold mines, petro-
leum mines, and everything, in fact,
that an American uncle is expected to
possess.
The Cogolin family became the envy
of the little village where they lived, and
in the evenings, when tie women gath
cred together round the doorsteps of the
Steep. narrow streets for their daily
gossip, the name of the famous Uncle
Peter was frequently heard.
The Cogolins themselves waited pa
tiently.
"Poor fellow" the captain would say;
'let him live as long as God wills. We
are in no hurry"
One day letter arrived for Captain
Cogolin. 1t was from New York, and
the envelope had the embassy stamp. Il
was heavy letter and might have con-
tanned any number of bank notes.
There was, however, nothing more IN
it. and nothing less than the certificate
of death of Peter Cogolin.
HE is really dead them" said the
captains wife.
"Of course he is, since the ambassador
has taken the trouble to send us this"
There was solemn silence, and then,
although no one but the captain had
ever set eyes on the American uncle,
few tears were shed in honor of his mem
DRY.
The wife then spoke again. ''All the
.o,,1o ,,o,,, loao NOT COW
word about his money!
"You would perhaps have liked him
to have written about that first and then
told us of his death in second letter.
No, no, they don't do like that in Amer
lea. They know what's what, and they
would not write to us point blank about
money as though they thought we were
starving. We have only to wait, and as
soon as he decently can the ambassador
will write to us about the money mat
ters."
Unfortunately the ambassador, no
doubt through negligence, did not send
another letter, and in place of the peace
full dreams with which they had deluded
themselves a fever-the money fever
seized the whole Cogolin family. They
did nothing now but dream of Uncle
Peters millions, and on Sundays when
they were all gathered together in their
cabin it seemed as though the sun had
lost its brightness and as though even
the garlic had no flavor
One morning the captain announced
his intention of taking trip.
81 can very well get off for month or
So" he said. 1.-The lads will manage the
boat during my absence, and feel as
though | can't rest without seeing for
myself what's going on in New York
He had to embark from Havre, which
made him furious, as he looked upon
money spent in railway travelling as
money stolen from him.
The enormous ship, however, with all
its sailors and passengers, the gilt Of the
saloons and the bright, marvellous ma
cbinery, threw him into an almost reli-
gious admiration.
From o'clock in the morning until
evening he never uttered word, but
just wandered about from one end of the
deck to the other or gazed at the foam
ing waves.
His speech only returned to him to-
ward the end of the journey, when he
began to speculate on what he should
find awaiting him in New York.
He began to be restless and wanted to
talk to some one about his Grand The
steward was a compatriot, and therefore
inspired him with confidence, but the
steward was busy and referred him to
two tall, lanky, sunburned men who
were always strolling up and down the
deck together. and who looked like
Americans.
Those gentlemen will tell you all
about New York. said the steward.
They know the place like A B c."
Captain Cogolin was delighted at the
idea of making the acquaintance of people
who knew the city of his dreams so thor.
oughly, and he followed them about ev-
erywhere, from the stern to the bridge,
up and down deck, and into the narrow
corridors of the cabins, trying all the
time to enter into conversation with them.
They, however, did not seem anxious
to meet his advances. Each time that
the captain, with his hat in his hand, APP
preached them and commenced in his
most affable manner, Excuse me. gen
tlemen, but do you happen to know
they turned around quickly. pretending
not to hear, and walked of, leaving him
standing there.
They certainly have odd manners"
said the captain to himself, and then he
consoled himself with the idea that, after
all, every country had its own customs.
The two Americans, in their turn puz-
zled by the eccentricities Of this man,
who followed them about everywhere.
questioned the steward, and as he was
fond Of joke he drew upon his imagi-
nation for their benefit.
''You know there has been a great
diamond robbery in Paris? he said con-
fidentially. well, that man is Ernest,
the celebrated detective He is on the
track of the thieves and to avoid sus-
picion has disguised himself like that. !"
The tive Americans looked at each
other and soon afterward went down
into their cabin and shut themselves in.
They did not appear again on deck.
not even when the ship sighted New
York, and all the passengers were adj
miring the panorama. On landing. Cap
tain Cogoiin looked ont for them, but in
vain They had slipped away amid the
confusion.
THE embassy, sir. Can You tell me
the way to the embassy?
1t was the captain, who after wander
ing about all day in network Of streets
and avenues, all exactly alike and all
mercilessly numbered. was trying for
the hundredth time to get some infor-
nation.
How in heavens name shall ever
make these hurrying. crowiing, English
speaking savages understand be ex-
u -