Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-06-02

q
The afternoon was waning: the soft
throh % the almost tidelesa waters
upon the purp sand OF the shore
soothed and beguiled me- as Idly
swung, halt asleep, within my ham
mock, In tho fullest enjoyment OF per-
tect rest Not more than three miles
away lay man-of-war, her symmetri-
cal proportions reflected IN the un-
| troubled blue beneath us as In a sister
/ SNIP or Ncptunes world. l was TO dine
on board at Z, and, as the golden mo-
menis slipped one by one through the
nhsers OF Time into the shadows OF
eternity, my social duty grew nearer
ana nearer until reluctantly, rousing
mSself, told Giovanni TO make the
ooet ready, while l dressed for the
/ evening
Although eondoiier. my servant was
something more and able 10 manage
INC htuc MS that | had rented for the
season with perfect safety. II was
only cookle-ahcll, but still and
I stauhch, wen qualified TO drift along
the Meclterr0nean's summer shore.
promptly on time my hiaek-browed
a,ai ,9 appeared and. seating myself
I AZ the ullor We slipped away from
the jctty and out towards the war-ship
MY friends met me at tho landing
[ ladder, and. leaving Giovanni to the
( care or certain OF his countrymou
among the crew, was soon at table
IN the cabin, in the full enjoyment OF a
good dinner and most charming COM
pany OF gentlemen.
When the cloth was removed and
eouee served, stories became the order
or the hour aud as time sped by
some chance, the supernatural, that
unds 80 warm spot In every sailors
! heart, became our theme: and after lis
tening to the recital OF divers strange
/ experiences from some ~ the others, /
| told the tale OF my ring.
II was received Rs the success OF the
evening and for more than three hours
we discussed the singular occurrence.
omering n thousand explanations. none
Of which explained. In fact, IL was all
most midnight when, reluctantly part
ing from my genial hosts. | descended
TO my boat, and cried last good
night as we shot away.
a gibbous moon hung low In the
eastern sky, sick and pale, shedding
only ghostly light acrosa the silent
sea. The dim phosphoric CLEAN VI the
oars as they rose and fell, the soft sob
OF the water against the side OF the
gig, the hnlmy air the all-pcrvndlng
silence, and last, hut by no means
least. my excellent dinner all combined
to Induce coincidence; and "a the mo-
mcnts passed | sank into that state
/ OF half consciousness which lies In the
debatahle land or shadows; my
thoughts were disconnected. my brain
vlslon-hauntcd, and at last, overcome
slumhcred
slowly the wondrous realm Of dream.
land revealed itself to mo. ana lived
another lie beyond that Of the body
For time my fanclcs were Paris
bound. and took part In scenes. mdi-
crously distorted. from the munths Of
my city experiences; but after little
other figures were added to the strange
2 panorama, and the picture became n
curious mosaic uf town and country,
now and old. ! found myself upon tho
! rolling western plains again. viewing,
not the peaks OF the ChicotO. hut the
Eincl Tower; listening, even while clad
In bucksltin, not to the murmur Of the
Arroyn Salado. but the hoarae roar Of
the Place lie h Concord, About me
swaycd motley throng-ladics In even-
ing dress and hulf.hrrcd guides. men
In naval uniform and Indian braves,
ltnlinna and cowboys; and suddenly,
amidst the shifting crowd, discovered
a face that had seen but once. never
10 forget IT, the face OF the stranger
whose NE | had saved.
And even as IL came clear to me
all else faded, dark shadows pressed
upon me, and strange reelection Of a
reelection. n distorted dream OF for
MGR dream, blottud out everything,
and again | was struggling for my life
In the dark. and one clad IN Eastern
! ANh''' fhA'N Ni''f 80 - 49, 'fAas ''hhfh ~
The horror that sometimes haunts
the midnight seemed 10 ,hrenten me.
and moaning. with a mighty effort 1
awoke; while even as | did 80 n cry
from Giovanni rang IN my ears, and
my little boat urchcd heavily
We had collidcd with another craft, u
long. dark-eolored, 'iatten-rigscd boat
that passed u.s. moving quickly; so
quickly that, even az we recoiled from
the impact and the angry cry Of ia
crew rang IN our ears II seemed 10
fade into the mlstB OF the night with
out another sound
How was that, Giovanni" querlcd
/; did you not see them7'
1--WE had right senior. rowboats al
ways have right They should go
astcrn; they tried to run us down. All,
see. they come AGAIN. And with all
the eNcitRblo gesticulation OF his race
he pointed leewnrd.
l turned. 10 SOC the sharp prov Of the
oncoming craft almost upon me, the
next instant our lighter boat was cut
IN two. and Giovanni and hurled into
the water
Selling trailing ropes end. I was
hardly aware 90 my involuntary plunge
before l had galned the deck OF the
luggcr. furious az what | supposed to
be stupidity, and nt the same moment
my ouraman appeared also, having
seized tho bowsprit-stay as We were
swept under.
There were four men on the deck, one
at the tillor and three forward, but
before l could speak ! saw no Of them
spring upon Giovanni, ntrilfing him
furlouaiy, while Mt the Bame instant
two others ran quickly aft and at
tempted 20 seize me.
But did not permit that. had been
taught the use Of my bands and feet
In Paris and was able to iioor,one and
20 eiude the other In HIS FIRST rush. l
knew my danger now, these were hhr-
Dor pirates. scoundrela OF the lowest
tyne. Our only resource was to fight,
for n overpowered II meant robbery
and perhaps death
Giovanni and his antagonist were
stll struggling near the foot OF TIC
mast, when those who had attacked
me again approached, armed this time
with ugly billatH OF wood, ! glanced
over my shoulder, debating q plunge
into the sea, but the shore lights were
too distant, md / therefore refrcatcd
towards the bow, intending, u possible,
TO secure a footing upon the vessel
horn. where only one assnllant could
confront me at time.
My action betrayed the plan, for the
man at the wheel sprnng 10 hts feet,
and, running swiftly iowitrds The
others. cried In Italian. ''ron foolal he
win escape YOU yet. Quick. make an
endr' and, leading the others with a
ruah they threw themselves upon me.
Alone. and saved from sudden death.
hut with the vivid remembrance ~
a tau, bron1ed figure, clad IN white.
turhau-crowned and grit about with