Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-03-31
TALKS OF TEN rRAvKLERs.
TcoNcLuDrD From r1Rsr PAar.l

lch others shoulders reassuringly, a.
icy Instantly comprehended their mutual
leaning; while purpose and plan came
ike, and like flood Of enthusiastic de-
almost simultaneously from
heir lips.
oven start Immediately after the Christ
aas holidaysl"
ssAnd find Cecil and Janet and dear old
4aplock, If It's the last act of our liyesI"
"And when We find them.
'Keep them"
eff there's the biggest row"
"Ever known in" ;sse'~,
''Continental Europel"
$50 help us, all that's manly"
f'Womanly-"
"And good!"
Then the two temporarily defeated pro-
lessons shook hands ocne more, as though
they would shake each other apart and to-
zether again, and set out buoyantly along
The darkening street.
III.
ON MOUNT ETNA.
CAT any place within this wonderful
region, ones fancy can summon to their
olden places the myth-wraiths of Jove's
most powerful helpers!"
The speaker was the Laplock mind, still
oratorie and dominant, seated upon stout
Catanian mule and the foremost, barring
the chattering, swarthy guides, of party
of Eve. toiling through . pleasant April
afternoon up the tedious ascent of Etns,
through the Bosco or wooded region, be-
frieid zone and eternal solitude begin.
Miss Cornelia Coventry, shifting the Jo-
vian air in sympathetic exaltation, fol-
lowed closely upon q donkey. Cecil Lap
lock and Janet Denham, in turn petulsnt
and complaining ct their enforced journey
or quite bysteric with interjectural satire
and half smothered gigglings ct the myth
ologic fervor of the mind and the maiden,
were alec upon donkeys behind.
Last and least came Liilibridge Laplock,
astride of donkey not 30 large as him
self aud with desperate, hunted, haunted
look in mis- eyes which sent glanoes to the
tuous way, as though determined upon
fight should anything like . fair oppoEtu-
nifty occur.
"Oh, Antoinette! You should set down
that beautiful sentiment for your Ferosis
society annual address," urged Miss Cor.
nelia with smirk of mingled fsttery and
pride.
"The wrath Of Empedocles wanders on
Etna's side, clothed in purple and wearing
Delphic CROWN cried Mrs. Laplock,
clutching at the air as for crown; where
upon Miss Coventry echoed, "Besutiful!-
beautiful" while Cecil and Janet under
cover of their hsndksrchiefs. said some
thing which sounded like "Botherp and
relapsed into eiggling; and little Mr.. Lap
lock tossed both his hands above him
and moaned, ooh, Lordi'
''There, at Etna's crest, Enceladus,
bound beneath Jupiter's earthly throne,
turning every century or 30 upon his fiery
he'd, shakes the world with his godlike
woel"
"Oh, Antoinette, Antoinette! Do pre-
serve that for the Clawtslkon circle, d
pleaded Miss Coventry, quite overcome
with her emotions.
Mother" at last entreated Cecil
"please don't go on so. The guides ar
getting frightened at your voice and ges
lures. They might leave US. Besides,
fear poor papa is almost distracted. Pleas
don't, mother!"
'Don't worry about the guides, Cecil; >
l returned Mrs. Lsplock haughtily. ga
for your father, those not possessing MIND
/ are never imperiled with distraction. Ri
should not have been allowed to com
along. An efficient courier would hav
been far betterl''
Mr.. Laplock gave q sort of soundlsss
aspirated "Whoot" at this pleasant sally
mopped his little bald head feebly an,
looked steadfastly at his donkey's drooE
ing head, az the Lsplock mind resumed:
"We say of that time, Superstition wa
the mother of Mythology. Let Etna roa'
tidal wave engulf; an hundred shiDin
cities be swept from the face of the earth
At this moment the guides came tuu
bling back upon them with every NANTES
1 Of f1rp r,oat{Cr1at3noy fponyiR6I
toward the wooded heights above.
The ladies screamed, the animals hue
died and punched and whirled togethe
apparently cons cious of the general alarm
while Lillibridge Lsplock, now shown
the real mettle that was ordinarily With
him, was seen standing stolidly upon b
donkey's back, poised like a determine
Panch, and fourishing revolver In eac
hand.
"Cecil!-Janetl You know Italisl
Quick! Speak to the guides. See If 1t
the banditti!" implored Mrs. Laplock. 81
ding ponderously and trembling1y frol
her mule to the stony way beneath.
Cecil and Janet cooked their heads In a
attitude of category, and began a series I
wranelipgs and pausings, In inquiry an
the Catanian guides by such writhina
contortions, gestures ard gymnastics {
| they had seldom witnessed in all the
| travelled experience in Latin lands.
"They say" began the young ladie
| translsting the Sioilians' fervent speed
"they will thrice burn in purgatory
| their oaths are not true"
s'Say that in all Sicily there is not sue
a hundred Thousand times cursed way {
| through the Boeco."
HSay there are no such faithful eminen
| ly guides as themselves.
"Say that may they never be sh-'Yed
lurheth not danger grsndissimo ahead."
s'Ssy thai men wild and threateniI
| with movements magnificent of euspicit
| illustrious prowl therein the region sbol
wherein the Casa Inglesi most lofti
standsl"
sNonsense!" chirped brave little La
lock. dropping quickly upon his donks
and belaboring it up the rocky way. II
see for myself"
The guides scowinely ceased their clar
orinRs and Mr.. Lsplock, exchanging b
| firearms for a field glass, disappears
He shortly returned with,
, ''Nothing but two crazy students. I
something of the sort, prowlina arour
| and bammering at lava snd rocksl It's
| trick of the guides, my deare, to exto
| for imaginary marvellous services. Cecil
| concluded Mr.. Lsplock, himself uncol
| sciously adopting the Ollendorfer methc
of expression, ''tell the rascals most iIlu
trious we will for safe journey herefro
their pockets cspscious fill with additions
scudi therein"
The guides received the pledge joyousl
and after bodily lifting the now timoror
Mrs. Laplock into her saddle, sprang min
bly, forward. +
iii No incident more serious now int
rupted the slow progress of the cavslcat
along the insecure bridle-psth, benea'
. stupendous oaks and chestnuts and b
side mountainous rocks OF lava. than Il
unceasing accusations on the part of Il
Laplock family mind that somethir
. dreadful was now certain to happen; ar
that Mr.. Lsplock-who with the your
ladies, at Catanis, had begged that the a
cent of Etna be foregone-would, maj
like, after conveying them all into irrepa
able danger, insist that he was in no w
responsible for the consequences.
II was quite dark when the Laplot
family arrived at Casa Ingleai, the turtle
most structure built by man upon Etns
hideous upper heights. The hospice vi
. erected nearly century ago by Englil
officers, and lie little else than low, cor
i modious hut of lava blocks, containiI
1 three apartments.
, They found one of these apartment
locked; but this was no unusual occu
renee. Nor. was 1t q strange thing tn
embers still blszed in the CHEEKY old 6r
place and that remnants of recent me
were visible. Tourists, making ascent
Etns, are continually arriving and depaI
+ ing; for 1t is here that q nights rest
:, taken before the final reach of dfeheyel,