Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-05

AuttiJ tSNulHl satlEe anu nhl1 slnOlueIeu
gigglings at the Hydrologic fervor of
the Mind and the maiden, were also
upon donkeys behind.
Last and least, came Lillibridge Lap.
lock, astride Of a donkey not so large as
himself and with q desperate, hunted,
haunted look in his eyes which sent
glances to the right and the left, and
back along the tortuous way, as though
determined upon flight, should anything
like fair opportunity occur.
"Oh, Antoinette You should set
down that beautiful sentiment for your
Ferosis Society annual address," urged
Miss Cornelia with smirk of mingled
tlattery and pride.
"The wrath OF Empedocles wanders
on Etna's side, clothed in purple aud
wearing Delphic CROWN cried Mrs.
Laplock, clutching at the air as for a
crown; whereupon Miss Coventry
echoed, Beautiful beautiful while
Cecil ana Janet under cover of their
handkerchiefs, said something which
sounded like "BotherW and relapsed
into giggling; and little Mr.. LaplOck
tossed both his hands above him and
moaned, "Oh, Lord !"
"There, at Etna's crest, Enceladus,
bound beneath Iupiter's earthly throne,
turning every century or so upon his
fiery bed, shakes the world with his
| godlilGc woer
sob, Antoinette, Antoinettel Do
preserve that for the Clawtalkon Circle
pleaded Miss Coventry, quite overcome
with her emotions.
Mother at last entrcated Cecil,
please don't SO on so. The guides are
getting frightened at your voice and
gestures. They might leave us. Be
sides, fear poor papa is almost dis
tracted. Please don't, mother !"
Don't worry about the guides, Cecil"
returned Mrs. Laplock haughtily. GAS
for your father, those not possessing
mind arc never inperiled with distrac.
| ton. He should not have been allowed
to come along. An efficient courier
would have been far betterl'
Mr.. Laplock gave sort of soundless,
aspirated "Whoo p at this pleasant sally
mopped his little bald head feebly aud
looked steadfastly at his donkey's droop-
ing head, as the Laplock Mind resumed:
1--WE say of that time, superstition
was the mother of mythology. Let
Etna roar; tidal wave engulf; an hun.
dred shining cities be swept from the
face of the earth"
At this moment the guides came
tumbling back upon them with every
manifestation of terror, gesticulating
frenziediy toward the wooded heights
above.
The ladies screamed, the animals
huddled and punched and whirled to-
gether, apparently conscious Of the gem
eral alarm; while Lillibridge Laplock,
now showing the real mettle that was
ordinarily within him, was seen stand.
ing stolidly upon his donkey's back,
poised like determined Punch, and
fourishing revolver in each hand.
Cecil l-Janet! You know Italian.
Quick! Speak to the guides. See if il
is the banditti !" lmplored Mrs. Laplock,
sliding ponderously and tremblingly
from her mule to the stony way beneath.
Cecil and Janet cooked their heads in
an attitude of category, and began a
series Of wranglings and pausings, in
inquiry and translation, accompanied,
on the part Of the Catanian guides, by
| such writings, contortions, gestures
and gymnastics as they had seldom wit
messed in all their travelled experience
|
in Latin lands.
"They say" began the young ladies,
translating the Sicillians' fervent speech
"they will thrice burn in purgatory ii
their oaths are not true
"Say that in all Sicily there is no,
such a hundred thousand times cursed
way as through the Bosco."
Say there are no such faithful emf.
| unntlv 0utIac thop,saIya,
SAY that may they never be shriyed
II lurketh not danger grandissimc
ahead" r.
"Say that men wild and threatening
with movements magnificent of sus
picion illustrious prowl therein tho
region about wherein the Casa Ingles
most loftily standsp
Nonsense" chirped brave little Lap
lock, dropping quickly upon his donkey
and belaboring it up the rocky way
"l'll see for myself"
The guides scowlingly ceased their
clamorings and Nj. Laplock, exchang
ing his firearms for field glass, disap
peared. He shortly returned with,
Nothing but two crazy students, OF
something of the sort, prowling around
and hammering at lava and rocks! LII
a trick of the guides, my dears, to ex.
tort for imaginary marvellous services
Cecil, concluded Mr.. Laplock, himsel
unconsciously adopting the Ollendorfe
method OF expression, tell the rascal.
most illustrious we will for safe jour
ney heretrom their pockets capacious fiji
with additional scudi therein"
The guides received the pledge ioy
ously and after bodily lifting the nov
timorous Mrs. Laplock into her saddle
sprang nimby forward.
No incident more serious now inter.
rupted the slow progress of the caval
cade along the insecure bride path
beneath stupcndous oaks and che smut
and beside mountainous rocks of lava
than the unceasing accusations on til,
part of the LaploGk family Mind tina
something dreadful was now certain t
happen; and that Mr.. Laplock
with the young ladies, at Catania, had
begged that the ascent of Etna be fore
gone-would, man-like, after conyoyin,
them all into irreparable danger, insis
that he was in no way responsible fo
the consequences.
1t was quite dark when the Laplocl
family arrived at Casa lnglesi, til,
furthermost structure built by mar
upon Etna's hideous upper heights
The hospice was erected nearly cen
fury ago, by English officers, and i
little else than low, commodious hu
OF lava blocks, containing three apart
ments.
They found one of these apartment
locked; but this was no unusual occur
renee. Nor was it strange thing tina
embers still blazed in the CHEEKY oil
fireplace and that remnants of recon
meal were visible. Tourists, maxim