Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-04-16
AFTER LONG YEARS..


ously and lived happy, idle, luxurious
life. In the steerage-heaven have mercyl
how they suffered
Milliccnt May shivcrcd when she thought
Of II and wondered why such things
! should bc-w!y some were so rich anc
some 80 poor
| But one p.rl thou"h she was "a rich ono
! had little in her HO%or on that dcsolart
waste Of wa, rs StUi that little Min
cent did
In vain her fri.uds rcmms' -ated
| Miiicent had her own way. Once dd
NJ least she penetrated into the intern
below the coz. aia bop rGis""f her oV
domain and fod those poor porchrl liz
with her dainti">
And when. with Land IN ,.ghl, The H.!
heircss emptiod Ter ll',c into "a" a.. .
hanG of IA peuniless stccrage passenger an"
| made her for the moment rich ami fun G..
| hope, she turned toward her eldest hog
"Ncvcr forget 10 pray to g." N"dptu"
for this beautiful signo"iua, -..c crir"
Remember. il is all tina. y"u can do, auJ
my curse upon You if you fo"Sot it,
she had given the woman her addre Ss.
bur the poor creature did not come to her.
What fate bciull her Niilicvut mover know,
and in time the memory OF those classical
faces Eaunt and mcagcr from starvation,
ceased 10 haunt her
John Blair had met her, had looked into
her eyes, had touched her hand had ut-
tered those subtle compliments that win "A
woman : heart SO easily, and though he
was neither rich nor great he was the one
man of men. 10 her
Six months from the day of their meet
ing John and Miliccnt were married, and
a happier pair would have been hard To
find
Only in ono thing did Milliccnt prove
herself notwithstanding could tempt her
10 an ocean voyage tour In Europe
was Johns anticipated pleasure, but her
| experience in crossing the ocean had made
her averse tn It's repetition.
So John, who had no wish to go alone,
left the matter TO the cure 81 time At
last boy almost as tall as herself called
Millicent mother, and the nursery WAS
musical with little voices.
Then, older and more willing than ever
| to do anything to make John happy Mill
cent agreed 10 the European trip, and the
married lovers took their places In great
ocean palace and left land behind them.
They found themselves in Naples and
ready one bright morning TO do what all
visitors to Naples most desire to do
namely, ascend Nesuvius.
Millicent forgot her unpleasant sensa-
ton when, standing near the crater her
husbands arm about her waist, she turned
and looked upon the beautiful country DO
| low.
John, glancing at his watch, counted
the time that lay between them and their
inn, and they began their descent.
The guide paused and uttered cry.
u. Il. Ia
very ground, stood IA group of men, who,
without further parley, surrounded them,
and seizing the brides of their horses and
tying the hands of the trembling guide
behind him led them away over the rough
! mountain roads in silence
John Blair was no coward, but TO en-
dcavor 10 resist such a force would have
been sheer folly in "a single man.
Booty, rs he reflected, was probably
their object, and his wife's safety was his
first thought. Holding her hand in his,
he comforted her Us we'll rs possible and
finally, with sinking heart obeycd the
orders of ono who seemed To be the cap.
tain and dismounted at the entrance of an
old ruin, into which they were forced to
enter
Then the guide fell to wringing his
hands and weeping and imploring the lady
and gentleman To pay whatever ransom
was required.
1T is always heavy one for Ameri-
cans he cried land if you refuse your
ears will be cut off or you will be muir.
dered outright. As for me, expect death.
Some of these men are my enemies. !
shot one Of the band once.
The last rays Of the setting sun faded
from the narrow window, and darkness
| oil bat trI Z ba
sound of returning feet and presently the
unfa,tcning of door.
a figure entered and going to the fire,
which had nearly smoldered out, flung
upon it somo dry wood, which kindled
into blaze, and by its flame lit two
torches which wore thrust into sconces in
the wall
BY this light they saw that it was
a woman, who seemed to have brought
some food for them upon "a sort Of wooden
tray. She WAS old and gaunt and bent,
but her features had strange beauty
about them nevertheless and awakened in
Mlliocnt mind "a memory too vague and
indefinite for words.
In another moment the truth flashed
upon her Is the woman knelt down TO de-
posit the tray upon the lloor. She uttered
"A little cry, shriller one responded To it,
and tho gaunt creature lay PROSTATE be-
fore her, kissing her garments.
1t is the signorina!' she cried. And
Milliccnt knew the Italian woman of the
stceragc.
"Then it f. thus that Giacomo returns
a beneht' cried the woman. My male
diction upon him! But he did not know
you--he did not remember a. l do Wait.
You are Sdfe!i
In another moment he was there, and
Milliccnt knew that they wore safe Bad
as lac must have been, IA bandit and on
outlaw, this Italian had retained his graf
/ itude
He fed them with the best he had 10
give and led them safely from his fast
nesses TO a spot where the lights from the
city of Naples seemed TO smile welcome
to- them.
There he babe them adieu, and the
guide, overwhelmed with astonishmcnt
conducted them back to their iun-Ncw
Nprl- Naxpa