The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-08-30

with fresh cargo he set sail for Collstan.
| tinuple. where he purchased rugs, per.
fumes, peacock feathers, ivory aud ebony,
which he exchanged on the coast Of Dali
malta foi timber bought in advance BY
some, Vehetiahs. III this way, iii six
he had Received.
But olle day. while sailing for ,iiluse.
ment with some Greek Woiiieli On the BOs-
llliotus, he went otit il long way from the
shpre tt1d was captured by pirates and
aken away to Ngypt. Fortunately his
gold and his itierclmndise were iii safety,
but him the ,pit,ttes sold to d samcen
gen tletnaii, who put chains Oil his feet
ind made him work i'll the field. Fabio
offered to pay his master large ransom
fpr his rclease but the daughter, Of the
Saraceh loved him and persuaded her
father not to let him 90. Looking. then,
{! for etscape only to his Owl, efforts. be
ments he used in the fields. and succeed
ed iii making his way tndetetted to the
ltivet, Nile, where he threw himself into
a bark.
In this little craft he managed to
reach the sea, which was not far away,
wandered about the coast for several
days and ut last. when nearly dead with
hunger and thirst, was picked up by II
Spanish vessel sailing to Genoa But
after eight days fair weather the ship
was attacked by tempest, which threw
her upon the coast Of Dulnlatia and
broke her to pieces: Everybody was
drowned except Fabib, who only reached
the shore with great difficulty by cling
ing to Il chicken coop: He SANK uncOn-
scious upon the ground and was found
i'll that condition by il beautiful widow
named Loretta; WHOSE house stood near
by and who nurscd him aid gave him all
her attention.
When he came to himself he smelt
the perfume of myrtles and roses, and
stretched IN TERRACES to the seashorc.
MilG. Loretta took the giiitar and played
and sang to him teilerly beside his
couch. Fabib, in gratitude and enchant-
ment, covered her hands with Il thousand
kisses. He thanked her many times,
and told her that he was less touched at
regaining safety than at owing his life
to so lovely IL woman.
Then he asked his hostess the exact
month and day of the month. and when
she told him he began to groan and to
lament, for there were only twenty-four
hours more of the year to elapse before
he must pay to Eliezer his 500 ducats.
The idea of not keeping his word and
exposing his security to the reproaches
of the Jew was intolerable to him. When
Nine. Loretta asked him what the reason
of his despair might be he told her. And
she, being very devout and pious, was
much troubled for his sake.
The difficulty WAS not to find the 500
ducats. for in the neighboring town there
wis y banker who for six months had
had charge Of that sum at Fabio's dis
posttl. But to 20 iii tWenty-f0ur hours
from the shores Of Da tnatia to Venice,
with contrary winds ind Il dangerous sea,
was hot within the rttnge of possibility.
Let lis first get the money!" said
lEuhio.
And when IL servant had brought it to
him the noble merchant placed the sacks
containihs the, gold in II boat t bat was
to the private chapel Of Mine: Loretta,
and. taking ah lima ge, of the Virgin with
the infant Jesus in her arihs, made of
polished cedar wood, he placed it in tho
boa beside the rtidder. And he said:
Madame, you are my security. The
Jew Eliezer must be paid tomorrow MY
honor as we'll as your own is at stake
cannot do you will easily accomplish.
Beautiful star of the sea. thou whose
breast nourished Him who walked upon
the waters, bear this money to Elieze1
in the Ghetto of Venice, so that the
Jews shall not say that thou art worth
less and false security"
And. hi wing set the boat loose, he lift
ed his hat and said in Il low voice:
"Adieu. madame"
The boat sailed out into the open sea.
For Il long time the merchant and the
widow followed It with their eyes. Night
fell; Il pathway Of silvery light lay across
THE peaceful seH
And the day following Eliezer opened
his door and saw I'm the narrow canal
Of Ghetto boat laden With sacks, on the
top of w hich stood little figure of pol
ished cedar wood, tcSpl endent with the
light of the dawn. The boat stopped
in front of the house where the picture
of the seven tandlesticks was seen above
the door; and the Jew recognized the
security of, the. Christian merchant
From the French of Anatoie France.