Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-22
CHAPTER TX.

l rose very early tie next morning
| was more than ever strengthened in
my resolutions of the past night-my
pl Ojects were entirely formed, and
nothing remained now but for me to
carry them out. Unobserved Of any
one I took my way again to the vault.
| carried with me Q small lantern,
hammer, and some strong nails. Ar
rived at the cemetery [ looked care
fully everywhere about me, lest some
stray mOurner or curious stranger
might possibly be in the neighborhood.
Not a soul was in sight. Making use
Of the secret passage, | soon found
myself on the scene of my recent ter
rOrS and sufferings, all of which seem
ed now SO slight in comparison with
the mental torture of my present con-
ditfOn. l went straight to the spot
where [ had left the coffined treasure
i possessed myself Of all the rolls of
paper money, and disposed them i'll
various small packages about my per
son and in the lining OF my clothes,
till, as | stood, | was worth many
thousand of francs. Then, with the
help of the tools [ had brought, I
mended the huge chest in the split
places where I had forced it open, ard
nailed it up fast, so that it looked as
if it had never been touched | lost no
time over my task, for l was in haste.
1t was my intention to leave Naples
for a fortnight or more, and | pur-
posed taking my departure that very
day. Before leaving the vault |
glanced at the coffin [ myself had oc-
cupied. Should l mend that and nail
it up as though nay body were still
inside? No-better leave it as it was
oughly broken opep-it would serve
my purpose better SO. AS soon as
l had finished all | had to do, |
closing it alter me with extra care and
caution, and then | betook myself
directly to the MOlO. On making in
quiries among the sailors who were
gathered there, I heard that a small
cCasting brig was on the point of
leaving for Palermo. Palermo would
suit me as we'll as any other place; |
sought out the captain of the vessel.
He was a brown-faced, merry-eyed
mariner-he showed his glittering
white teeth in the most amiable of
smiles when I expressed my desire to
take passage with him, and consented
to the arrangement at once for a sum
which 1 thought extremely moderate,
but which l afterward discovered to be
about treble his rightful due. But the
! handsome rogue cheated me with such
grace and exquisite courtesy, that |
would scarcely have had him act
otherwise than he did l hear a good
/ deal of the plain blunt honesty" of
the English. l dare say there is some
truth in it, but for my part 1 would
rather be cheated by a friendly fellow
who gives you CHEEKY words and a
! bright look than receive exact value
! for my money from the plain blunt"
| boor who seldom has the common
/ politeness to wish you a good-day.
! We got under way at about nine
o'clock-the morning was bright, and
the air, for Naples, was almost cool.
The water ripping against the sides
Of our little vessel had a gurgling
cnatty murmur, as though it were
| talking yiyaciously Of all the pleasant
things it experienced between the ris-
ing and the setting of the sun; Of the
corals and trailing sea-wood that grew
in its blue depths, of the 1.-THE glitter
ing fish that dartcd hither and thither
between its little waves, of the deli
I
delicate inhabitants, fantastic small
creatures as fine as flmy lace, that
peeped from the white and pink doors
of their transparent habitations, and
locked as enjoyingly on the simmer
ing 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