Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-07-18
TARANTEILA.

Tho summer sun bore downward and
reared tho horizon when tho y. and o,
steamer Coroinandcl glided into the harbor
Of Brindisi and the ancient building on
the brcakwater, apparently castle, was
gilt edged by the slanting rays 1t was n
little while before tho hugo hull ut last set.
tied alongside of the quay and tho gang
way slid out. Then began some business
with tho Shore men with packing cases
and parcels ana bugs came upon the pave
nont, and the slang Of the north mingled
with the jnrgon of the south. But the
mnil would not como In TIL next day.
There were ON board some young fellows,
also some old ones. Two or three of the
former and one or two of tho latter wcro
trampinR the deck and hanging over tho
side rail In that aimlcss fashion of all pas
scngers, listening to the sounds Of the town
and watching tho boxes being waited In
by the steam crane. Every now and then
came nm interval in tho Kissing rafting
roll OF tho chnin and the pOwwOw Of
voices, md In ono Of these intervals Slater
said to James: "Somo sort Of festival is
going on behind the buildings In there.
Don't you hear it"'
ono, ! don't, snid James.
"Wcll, listen next timc pause comes, :"
snid Slater, "and II your ears aro rs sharp
ns mlno you will. You may not be able,
though"
Another pause came and James put his
hand behind his err. Ho also contracted
his brows together with tho tense effort to
get hold Of any such sound however faint
II might DO with distance, starting merry
Ously ns the steam crane raised anew the
noiso Of It's labor, and broke the cllnch no
WIS putting on tho muscles of his forehead.
"No, no snid, striking u match and
rclghting his pipe, ! heard nothing; did
your"
81 heard IL tho same M before" saId
Slater" same ns before. Your scale Of
hearing evidently isn't tuned up to tho
pitch TINT mino H. There nro some other
things you would not be ablc to hear, the
shrll little cry Of m Egyptian tomb bat,
for instance. There nro lots Of people who
think TINT when thcy como whisking ut
you thoy do 1t silently. But they give u
tiny cronk also, tho highest note l have
ever heard. Though, of course, that may
DO u different thing altogether from tho
fnintnosS of distance because those notes
Of that plpo and that conccrtina were not
far past middle pitch. ] wonder what they
aro doing
Some more of that littlo set Of ncqunint
nnoo edged to them, and tho knot com.
pared notes. No ono Ind heard tho Pipe
and conccrtina but Slater, and, passenger
Ike they began To look ut tho matter in
tho light Of IL bet ns they obcyod tho bell
summons and went In to dinner As Stat
or was ono of those peculiar people, not so
common, who seem to got on chatting
terms with ovory ono in whatever place
ho mny stay, 1t followed that ho was the
center for good deal of banter. Even tho
second officer, u man usually Of tho silent
~ smiling Sort made some humorous com
mont on long hearing, all by tn" way of
keeping up conversation on the subject of
ears. Slater thus made several bets on tho
understanding that If he heard tho sound
again after dinner WAS over some of them
should 20 with him to try To find II out,
surprising that ho Ind heard Alright Then
they started other topics and forgot that
ono
But by and by, as they emerged on deck
again In u fine summer night, still and
palpiating with heat, and were leaning
against tho rail in n littlo group, smoking
placidly and Rossiping lcisurcly, Slater
suddenly said, Would you mind keeping
quiet for II minute please
II WAS just then that larRIsh case of
wine or something was pushed along u side
ganRway and into the ships lower dock.
Tho job done, there cnmc the usual pause,
and thoro being no voices around Mt that
moment II silence, deep and intense, of five
seconds only interviewed.
"Ycs, l can hear It still, " said Slater,
"but M To thoquartcr I'm not quito certain
"a pip" and conccrtinaa think dane
ing.
Some of the others also Thought thcy
had heard the pipe, and tho discussion
came up again. Slater buttoncd up his
coat and wont down with his watch in his
hand. Putting II on his cabin table, he
took II stick and went across the. gangway
ON To tho paved wharf, where he found the
others, who said they were all going too.
II was then moot point rs 10 which di
rVtion To take. Tho majority decided for
tho right hand, 80 mp the right hand street
they won't past IN old and battered church,
down another street, where the people sat
ut their doors and painted with tho heat
Ono Of the party, who know Italian to
some extent, asked II any fosta was goir,
on and WAS told no. Presently they came
into tho square and saw few group Of
folk, but nothing unusual Nor did any
sound of anything but ~ guitar colno to
their ears
Tho majority is wrong--aud usually
Is, said slater, Pm going straight back
to the ship to liston again You ncedn't
como with mo II you don't want Good
night. y
However, two Of the others elected to ~
turn with him. and tho three rotrace,l
their steps accordingly until they stood by
the Coromandcl once more, Slater put u
hand behind each ear and after n mo,
mont, said, "Of courscl" and went sharp
of to the lrftward, followed Ivy the others
The moon now rode high, like dimin-
ishing, palinR orange, and they followed
the railway line for some minutes till
there WAS y crossing, over which they
went \ Hill rose In front Of them with
some ruin on its crest, and road ran ,ast
inland; tho sound Of pipe and concertiua
was now clear, though still distant and
Slater followed his instinct mp the rocky
/ ,ytx i,u a