Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-10-03

Ile morning was OrlSnC ana the air,
for Naples, was almost cool. The wa
ter ripping against the sides of our lit
tie vessel had gurgling, chatty MUIR
muir, as though it were talking viva
-ciously of all the pleasant things it
experienced between the rising and
the setting of the sun; of the corals
and trailing sea-weed that grew in it's
blue depths; of the 1.-the glittering fish
that darted hither and thither between
its little waves; of the delicate shells
in which dwelt still more delicate
inha bitants. fantastic small creatures
the white and pink doors of their
transparent habitations, and looked
as enjoyingly on the shimmering blue
green of their ever-moving element as
we look on the vast dome of our sky,
bespangled thickly with stars. OF all
these things, and many more as
strange and sweet. the gossiping wa
ter babbled increasingly; it had even
something to say to me concerning
woman and woman's love. 1t told me
gleefully how many fair female bodies
1t had seen sunk in the cold embrace
of the cOnQuerlng sea; bodies as dainty
and soft as the sylphs of a poets
dream, yet which, despite their ex-
quisite beauty, had been flung to and
fro in cruel sport by the raging bill
lows and tossed among pebbles for
the monsters of the deep to feed upon.
AS sat idly on the vessels edge
and looked down into the clear Medit-
erranean, brilliantly blue as lake of
melted sapphires, fancied I could
see her. the Deliah of my life. lying
prone on the golden sand, her rich
hair floating straightly around her
like yellow weed. her hands clenched
In the death agony, her laughing lips
blue with the piercing chillness of the
washing tide, pOwerless to move or
smile again. She would look we'll so,
thought, better to my mind than she
looked in the arms of her lover last
night l fell into a strain of profound
meditation; touch on my shoulder
startled me. l looked up; the captain
of the brig stood beside me. He
smiled and held out Il cigarette.
'The signor will smoke?" he said
-courteously.
| accepted the little roll of fragrant
Havana half mechanically.
why do YOU call me signor?" l in
squired brusquely. Il am a coral
fisher
The little man shrugged his shout
'dcrs and bowed deferentially, yet with
the smile still dancing in his eyes and
>dimpling his olive cheeks.
''Oh, certainly. AS the signor
pleases; ma" Aud he ended with an
other expressive shrug and bow
l looked at him fixedly. 'What do
ness.
With that bird-like lightness and
-swiftness which were part of his man
ner, the Sicilian skipper bent forward
and laid brown finger on my wrist.
''Scusa. vi prego. But the hands
are not those of a fisher of coral"
glanced down at them. True
enough, their smoothness and plant
shape betrayed my disguise: the gay
little captain was sharp wltred enough
to note the contrast between them and
the rough garb wore, though no one
else with whom had come in con-
tact had been as keen of observation
as he. At first I was slightly embar-
raised by his remark; but after mo-
ments pause 1 met his gaze frankly,
and lighting my cigarette said care
lessly:
'Ebbene! And what then, my dear
ofriendY'
He made deprecatory gesture with
his hands.
NAY, noy, nothing,-but only this.
1.-The signor must know he Is per-
-fectly safe with inc. My tongue is
discreet. talk OF things only that
concern myself. The signor has good
reasons for what he does, of that
am sure. He has suffered; it Is enough
to look In his face to see that. All,
do! there are so many sorrows in
life; there is love, he enumerated rap
Idly on his fingers; 'there is revenge;
there are quarrels; there is loss of
money; ANY of money; any of these
viii drive man from place to place
at all hours and in all weathers. Yes,
1t is SO, indeed know it. The signor
has trusted himself in my boat; de-
sire to assure him of my best serv-
ices"
And he raised his red cap with SO
charming q candor That in my lonely
and morose condition was touched to
the heart. Silently 1 extended my
hand; he caught it with an air in
which respect, sympathy and entire
friendliness were mingled. And yet
he oyercharged me for my passage,
e you exclaim! Ay, but he would not
4 have made Inc the object of imperti,
I nent curiosity for twenty times the
money. You cannot understand the
E existence of such conflicting elements
In the Italian character. No, I dare
4 say not. The tendency Of the calcu.
q lating Northerner under the same cir.
IA 'cumstances would have been to make
y as much out Of me as possible by
means of various small and contempu
4 BILE items. and then to go with broadly
honest countenance to the nearest po
lice station and describe my suspi
cious appearance and pn1hner, thus
q exposing me to fresh expense besides
personal annoyance. With the rare
tact that distinguishes the coutherr
races the captain changed the CONVEX
.satiOn by a reference to the tobacco
we were both enjoying.
1T is good. Is 1t not" he asked.
Excellent" l answered, as indeed
Il was.
His white teeth glittcred In q smil,
s.Of amusement. Il
It should be one of the finest quail
ny. for 1t Ia q present from one VIII,
Will not smoke nothing but the choic,
G hrandn, All. DlOi whit n flno pectle